Goal Is College. Hurdle Is Finding Financial Aid.

With the huge hit that many colleges took in the stock market over the past year, I can see why the financial aid packages that students are being offered do not compare to that of year's past. Additionally, it seems like more and more students are applying to college these days and that causes less money to be available in the grand scheme of things. Although President Obama has made it one of his goals to increase the availability of loans and grants to students, it is still a very costly expenditure for a student to endure. In Arizona, there is a lot of concern over a tuition increase in the state universities. It has become such a big issue that the state Board of Regents actually has to waiver on whether it can do so without a ton of backlash. The problem I see for universities like this is not only have they seen a hit in their portfolios, but also state budget cuts are forcing colleges to make every dollar they spend more efficient and that comes at a cost to students. In order to maintain some the amenities available on campus tuition increases are a normal endeavor, but when it hits the pocketbooks of students and their families it can become something that makes going to college a stressful situation.