NEWS

Finances frustrate students

Financial aid staff reaches out to try to aid students

by Janet Paskin

American money all looks alike, and the cost of Oberlin is the same for every student. For very low-income students, however, the cost of Oberlin can have more than a dollar value attached.

According to Director of Financial Aid Howard Thomas, Oberlin's financial aid policy dedicates itself to bringing students to Oberlin who couldn't afford to be here without tuition aid. Very low-income students, however, are finding frustration with the financial staff on campus.

"Students feel like they demean themselves when they go in to say they can't make payments," senior Matt Green said. "A lot of times I feel guilty for not having enough money."

Part of the problem comes from Oberlin's financial aid procedures. Students who need financial aid must fill out two forms that detail parental income and expenses.

"Financial aid is based on a piece of paper, not taking into account special circumstances. There are people in my program who send money home to help their parents. It perplexes me that we don't do more to help those students," Director of the Bonner Scholars program Mark Blackman said.

Manager of Student Financial Counseling Todd Rasmussen cited the same circumstances that Blackman called special as reasons that students have trouble with their tuition bills. "Students send money home and then they can't pay their tuition. Or parents don't make payments," he said.

Rasmussen said that he didn't notice any qualitative difference in the problems that very-low income students on financial aid have in comparison with middle income students. "It's my job to treat each case individually, not to generalize," Rasmussen said.

However, the Student Accounts office will be open after regular business hours this year to deal with students who have been placed on registration hold. "Usually people who are in financial straits and can't register are working one, two, or three jobs, and can't get into the office of student accounts during business hours," said Green, who also sits on the Enrollment Management Task Force. "So they extended the hours of the financial aid office."

Thomas said the number of jobs students hold isn't a fair gauge of their effort. "The number of jobs doesn't mean much," he said. "It could be a few hours here, a couple hours there. Money earned on campus is intended to help with college tuition."

Thomas also emphasized the difference in options that middle-income students may have. "In a higher income family, you have more options," he said.

"Usually there is more equity, a better credit history, the greater likelihood of relatives who might be able to help. Students from low-income families are cutting it a lot closer."

Blackman agreed. "When you are a low-income student, there is no room for error," he said. "Every piece of money you receive must be accounted for. When you're in the middle, you have that too, but you could probably call home and say, 'Mom, dad, could you front me for a little more and I'll pay you back.' A low income student can't do that."

First-year Seson Taylor said she worried about her aid package when she thought about her future at Oberlin. "People always say sophomores fall through the hole," she said. "If I don't get enough money, I can't come back here next year."

Both Taylor and Green emphasized that it's more than the dollar figure at the bottom of their package that helps low-income students stay here. Both explained that it can be especially hard for low-income students to know where to go for help.

"When I was a freshman, if I had a problem, I didn't know who to talk to. If I went in to financial aid, all I could do was get another job or get another loan," said Green. "It took me a long time to realize that there are places I can go for help."

Some students don't know how to get money for prescriptions, he said, because those can be expensive and student health insurance doesn't cover them. Some students aren't sure how to get home for breaks, or they don't know where to go if they can't buy their books. "It's as simple as knowing about the reserve room, but sometimes people don't know who to ask," Green said.

Taylor agreed. "If I wasn't a part of the Bonner program, I would have had a much harder time," she said. "For some of us who are very low income, people could have been more accommodating. It's part of the real world, no one is going to tell you 'go here do this,' but I need help sometimes."

To change the situation, said Blackman, "It would take some severe sensitivity training, because unless you have walked in those shoes, you will never know. The core of the matter is that these are students -- are we going to help them or are we going to penalize them?"

Green teaches a class for the Bonner program which in part familiarizes student with on-campus resources. "For a lot of people from low-income background, they've had to overcome stuff, so they're used to working hard to change their environment. There are things the college can do to help them feel supported. Seeing faculty and administrators as role models is one. A more structured experience for freshmen might help."

Green also tied this support to retention. "If you feel committed to the institution, you'll stay. But if getting classes is difficult, if you don't feel like your personal concerns are met, if you feel like you can't get the same education here as people who come from money, I don't see why you would stay."

Blackman agreed with Green. "I am a crusader for low-income students," he said. "If I can help student navigate this school, I will. I went here, and I had a great time. Students don't have to end up bitter."


Did you hold a campus job while you were a student at Oberlin?
Yes 86%
No 43%

About how many hours a week did you work?
under 10 19%
10 hours 32%
10-20 hours 31%
more than 20 8%

Did your campus job(s) affect your studies?
Yes 27%
No 73%

Did your family give you financial support while you were at Oberlin?
Yes 88%
No 12%

Did your financial aid ever affect your studies?
Yes 38%
No 33%

Did you hold summer jobs while you were an Oberlin student?
Yes 92%
No 8%

If yes, did you make enough money to meet college expenses?
Yes 39%
No 39%

Did you ever have difficulty finding a job on campus?
Yes 17%
No 83%

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Copyright © 1997, The Oberlin Review.
Volume 126, Number 8, November 7, 1997

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