Choices and Alternatives!!

This is probably the longest I have gone without posting to this blogsite and for that, I apologize!!! This month seems to have flown by with semester end activities and the preparation for summer 09 and fall 09 in the financial aid world.

In the regulatory world of financial aid, things are always a buzz. With President Obama's budget package on the table and the FFEL Program under governmental and public scrutiny, it should be a very exciting couple of months.

The job outlook for recent college graduates is grim. So the best time to be in school is right now, while the economy tries to regain momentum and strength. However, the cost of education is still rising and it is becoming more and more difficult for families to handle the costs.

In a recent article on MSNBC, some colleges may look to switch to a three-year bachelor's degree program, instead of the traditional 4 years. This is a model that is popular in Europe, especially in England. However, schools in the U.S. have been reluctant to push this type of program. However, in this economy, colleges will have to begin to think a bit outside the box in order to get and keep students at their institutions. Saving anywhere between $15,000 to $50,000 per year may be a good incentive for families to look at a particular school with this type of program. And for colleges, it might mean getting students whom may not have considered their institution in the past. Click here to see the MSNBC article.