In my economics class I was assigned as homework to bring in
with me on Friday some very personal financial information about my
parents and myself.
In my economics class I was assigned as homework to bring in with me on Friday some very personal financial information about my parents and myself.
The information was to be used to fill out the Free Application of Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). I came home and asked my parents for things on the list of information I needed – like how much money they made last year, their checking and savings account balances and their Social Security numbers.
My parents said that they would not give out that kind of information and that it is no one’s business unless they decide to fill out financial aid forms. I began asking myself why the school was making students fill out these applications and not just letting us come in on our own to fill them out.
We spent almost 90 percent of the class period filling out the applications because it was a very long process. I didn’t have most of the information when it came to money for my parents or I, so I just made up numbers just so I could keep up with the rest of the class.
At one point, I needed to put in my parents’ Social Security numbers, and I didn’t know them, so I told the supervisors that I didn’t know them. The woman told me to just save it where I was and that I would have to come in next week with my parents to fill the rest out with all the correct information.
I asked why I personally needed to fill this out because I am going into the Army and they are going to pay for 100 percent of my college. The man told me that the Army is going to still charge me $2,000 to take classes on the base where I will be stationed. He said when they do that I will be glad that I filled this application out so I can get financial aid for all that money.
I have no idea where this man got that information. I have looked up many things to find out the answers to all my questions about the Army and never once had I seen that or had anyone tell me anything like that.
Just to be sure I asked my recruiter, Sgt. Chock, who has a degree while in the Army. He said that he was never charged any money and has no idea where that man got that information.
I think that this application is a great thing for students that need help with getting money for college because I think college should be available to everyone who wants to go. But I didn’t think that it should be required that our whole class go into this room, fill it out and waste a whole class period where we could be learning.
Again, as one of my previous columns contended, not everyone is going to college right after high school.
So, this application could have been done at a different time. Students should be able to get information about the application process and be given a chance to fill the application out, but it isn’t necessary to take class time to do it. Maybe the school could set up times for students to come in after school to fill them out.
This whole process makes me feel as if the school is telling us what is right for us and that we – myself and my family – can’t make the right decision when it comes to financial aid. Many counselors and teachers at Gilroy High have a lot of good, sound advice for us, but to make this a mandatory homework assignment makes no sense.
It would make more sense if my family and I asked for advice. Financial aid is a wonderful way for many kids to be able to afford college. However it should be left up to each individual’s family to decide what they may or may not need.
