(Thanks to Enid Mastrianni!)
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 ADVICE TO STUDENTS
A Project in Process
The research is not yet finished, but
I can tell you so far I have found the big state schools, such
as University of Florida at Gainesville, or University of California
at Davis, the best because they have received the federal grant
to provide subsidized day care (sometimes free for Pell grant
recipients or based on a sliding scale). I went to the University
of Arkansas and had to fight, fight, fight the whole way, but
was grateful that I had the on campus experience. My work study
job was drawing bugs for the Entomology Department, still my
very favoritest job ever!
About welfare, Taniff assistance: Now
most states let you count class time and work study jobs as the
workfare requirements. Ask for help locally--at state senators
or representatives, city councils, benefits resource centers.
Try to ask your questions anonymously so you can gather the information
to make the best decision.
Approximate Pell grant---$4,050
approximate SEOG---------$4,000
approximate Work study---$5,000 (varies)
Approximate state grant--$5,000 (varies)
Perkins Loans: $4,000 /Federal Stafford
Loans $2,625 (I do not recommend loans if you can avoid them,
see below)
Financia l aid information: fafsa.ed.gov
Information about the Supplemental Education
Opportunity Grant. Although a student could be eligible for the
maximum award, now about $4,000 per year, the schools often only
give several hundred dollars. They are allowed to spread the
amount over a large group of students, rather than give the maximum
per student. However, I needed the full amount when I was a student
back in the 70's at the University of Arkansas, so I asked for
the full amount and was told the money was "all gone."
However when I returned with a lawyer from the Legal Aid office
at the Law School on campus, they miraculously found the money.
Sometimes we have to fight.
Now, some small private schools will admit students, then give
them huge loans to pay their exorbitant tuition. We single moms
do not want that. We do not want poor people to be the ones paying
for the expenses of the colleges.
That is why I recommend applying to several schools and comparing
the financial aid package.
Our research so far has shown that the main campuses of the land
grant state colleges, the University of Florida at Gainesville,
the University of Indiana at Bloomington, etc are the best in
accomadating single moms. They have non traditional student support
centers on campus, they have received the grant to give subsidized
day care (based on income and sometimes free for Pell grant students)
and they have good on campus student housing if you put in your
application at least nine months before (put in the housing application
even if you are not sure you are going there). For example: UC
Davis takes Section 8 vouchers in the family housing, University
of Indiana at Bloomington has a sorority for single moms. Ask,
ask, ask, and then demand, demand, demand. Know that Title 9
is a law that says that any service offered one student can not
be denied another according to gender, and although that statute
has only been applied to sports, it includes all programs. So,
fight knowing you are backed by laws and you know that they know
it. If not, we have to compassionately bring the institutions
up to our level of responsibility. We have to help them to get
it right.
So: avoid loans, go for the maximum Pell grant and SEOG grant
and state grants and work study and ask, ask, ask and then demand,
demand, demand. Be prepared to write letters, make phone calls,
get a lawyer from the legal services on campus, contact your
state and regional representatives and camp out in housing offices
with your children until they honor your rights.
-----Katherine Arnoldi
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