K-State helping more students get money for college

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K-State helping more students get money for college
Story by Lindsey Elliott (Contact)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED 05:30 P.M., JUNE 23, 2009
UPDATED 09:05 A.M., JUNE 24, 2009

Right now, 70 percent of K-State students receive some sort of financial assistance, but at the financial aid services at Fairchild Hall, they say they’ve been receiving calls everyday from students needing help to pay for college.

"We’ve seen a dramatic increase in applications," Director of Student Financial Assistance Larry Moeder said. "At one point in time we were up 50 percent over the same time last year in the number of financial aid applications we received from students."

He says because of the recession, many families have fallen on hard times.

"They’re finding themselves without a job, without savings, and so it’s becoming more and more of an issue for a lot of families," Moeder said.

It’s not just incoming freshmen but all levels of students, even graduate students, searching for more money so they can stay in college.

"The good news is we can help a lot of those students," Moeder said.

He says first they adjust the loan applications after a job loss and recalculate how much money the student can receive. "The first goal is to get some grant assistance," he explained. "Something they don’t have to pay back after they get out of college."

He also helps students get federal grants, federal loans and even find employment.

"So far I’ve not heard from a student that simply could not, after we’ve worked with them, afford to go to college," Moeder said.

He says more students will be receiving aid this year, not just at K-State but at most colleges around the country, but there’s still money to go around.

"Federal grants and federal student loans are basically unlimited," he said. "The funds are there for any student that is eligible."

He says students can also apply for loans throughout the school year if someone loses their job or the student is running out of money.