With the economy in a recession, some parents and students might think college is out of reach. However, if students stay in the Mahoning Valley for college, they may be able to attend classes for free—or almost free.
When students complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid--or FASFA, as it is better known--they learn of their expected family contribution (EFC). The EFC is determined by responses on the FAFSA (available on-line at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/.) An EFC can range from $0 to $99,999, with those students on the low end qualifying for the most need-based, financial aid.
Dr. Joe Rottenborn, executive director of the Mahoning Valley College Access Program (MVCAP), says students with an EFC of zero may be able to attend some area schools--like the regional campuses of Kent State University--for free and Youngstown State at a greatly-reduced cost.
“Students can go to Kent Salem, KSU East Liverpool, or Kent Trumbull and avoid loan debt--if their EFC is zero,” Rottenborn says. “And that’s just based on the full federal Pell grant of $5,350 this year--which doesn’t even take into account the Ohio College Opportunity Grant (OCOG) for a student with a O EFC.”
Rottenborn explained the full Federal Pell grant of $5,350 annually is split between the fall and spring semesters, for $2,675 in financial aid per term.
“Since tuition at KSU regional campuses for freshmen and sophomores is $2,469 per semester, students could not only get their entire tuition paid but also get money back they can use to buy books.” Rottenborn says.
“Furthermore,” he explained, students who commute to Youngstown State University could also have much of their tuition and fees paid if their EFC were zero by the full Pell grant and the full OCOG of $1,008.”
“Best of all,” says Rottenborn, “this is ‘gift aid,’ which does not have to be repaid.”
Rottenborn explained that students who have an EFC of zero are eligible for both the full Federal Pell Grant and the Ohio College Opportunity Grant, or OCOG.
“We’re not talking about all students, to be sure,” he notes. “But the ones who do qualify can go to college locally for free or at little cost and, thereby, avoid loan debt.”
Rottenborn also says he feels students don’t understand how much loan debt they incur by going away to school.
“Paying to ‘go away to college’ at a state institution – with tuition, fees, and roughly $7,000 yearly for room and board –can be as expensive as buying or leasing a new car,” he explains.
Dr. Rottenborn says that, often, by the time a parent realizes how much college is going to cost, their child may be left with few choices. “Education rations opportunity,” Rottenborn says. “These particular students have viable financial options for college—if they choose to stay local.”
The Mahoning Valley College Access Program seeks to increase the number of students in the Mahoning Valley who pursue education after high school graduation. For more information, please contact/consult:
Dr. Joe Rottenborn
Executive Director
Mahoning Valley College Access Program (MVCAP)
Offices:
KSU Salem: 330-337-4214
YSU: 330-941-7477
KSU Trum: 330-675-7602
Facebook: MVCAP Financial-Aid Friends http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/group.php?gid=126580419181&ref=nf
Twitter: twitter.com/rottenbornj
YouTube: www.youtube.com/THEMVCAP
Blogspot: http://mvcap.blogspot.com/
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