Eligible applicants have been denied for the 2010-2011 school year’s Illinois Monetary Award Program (MAP) grant because of an increase in demand.
The Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) issued a press release stating an approximate 30,000 applicants were denied after April 19, 2010.
Those denied of the MAP grant applied at the following institutions: 65 percent selected a community college as top choice, 17 percent chose a public four-year school and 10 percent decided on an in-state private college.
However, ISAC encourages applicants to complete financial aid forms in order to receive federal grants, loans and other money for tuition.
Jerry Donna, director of financial aid, said students will have the same access to federal, state and institutional funds by filling out the 1011 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
“Financial aid has been growing at an average rate of 11 percent per year at Eastern,” he said.
Donna said the most important task for a student is to file for the FAFSA each year and provide any documents requested by the Office of Financial Aid.
Donna said with a tight economy and the cost of higher education, some students are choosing to put academic goals on hold or attending lower cost institutions.
He said it is heartbreaking to talk with students who have a dream of going to college but do not have the resources needed to cover the costs.
The Office of Financial Aid will help students understand the processes and try to make the connections in efforts of making an Eastern education possible Donna said.
Donna also said Eastern and other institutions in Illinois have been affected by cut backs because the delay in payments from the state.
“The last information we received was that the state owes Eastern about $21 million dollars for the fiscal year 2010,” he said.
Eastern is being asked to continue a cost reduction avoidance method as the fiscal year 2010 ends and the start of fiscal year 2011 begins, and as long as the state of Illinois is short on revenue schools and students will continue to suffer, Donna said.
Sadie Bear, senior special education major, said it would be nice if students were able to have a system where they would not have to worry about finances every year.
Although she has not personally been affected by the denials of the MAP grant, Bear said she knows many students were denied because of the strict deadline.
“If you didn’t get your forms in, you are just out of luck,” she said.
Bear said if there were no other options for her, the next step would be applying for loans.