FAP435: Who is an independent student on the FAFSA, recalcitrant parents, 2005 IPEDS statistics, genderblind housing, Iona

Student Financial Aid News
+ Boy is it quiet out there!
+ Nearly 2.3 million students received degrees from four-year colleges and about 557,000 earned degrees from community colleges in the 2004-5 academic year, according to a report released yesterday by the U.S. Education Department.
+ The report, âPostsecondary Institutions in the United States: Fall 2005 and Degrees and Other Awards Conferred: 2004-05,â provides a first look at the latest data on college costs and degree attainment that the Education Department has collected through the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System. The system, commonly known as Ipeds, compiles information from reports that colleges that receive federal funds are required to file.
+ According to the report, in the 2005-6 academic year the average tuition and fees charged were: $16,888 for students at private four-year colleges, $13,894 at for-profit colleges, and $2,514 at community colleges. Out-of-state students at public four-year colleges paid an average of $12,652, while in-state students paid an average of $5,206.
+ Meanwhile, according to the report, the overall average price of attendance for undergraduates living on a campus was the highest at for-profit colleges, at $28,250. That was about 2 percent more than the $27,754 that students at private four-year colleges were charged, on average. Out-of-state students at public four-year colleges paid an average price of $22,791, while in-state students paid an average of $15,114.
+ Not surprisingly, community colleges offered the lowest price of attendance over all in 2005-6: $6,200 for students living off campus.
+ Need financial aid to cover the cost of attendance?
+ Federal student loans at StaffordLoan.com
+ Private student loans at AlternativeStudentLoan.com
+ The National Student Genderblind Campaign â a new, student-run organization dedicated to sharing resources for students seeking on-campus âgender-neutralâ housing options â counts about two dozen institutions with a mixed-gender rooming alternative already in place, and many more actively discussing the option. Students often push for these policies not so Jack and Jill can tumble around, but to provide a housing alternative that some gay, lesbian and transgender students may be more comfortable with.

Scholarship Update
+ A nice directory of scholarships for women and non-traditional students, returning students
+ Fairly large awards, like Datatel's 5+ year gap award
+ 50 scholarships of $1,500 each
+ Details at our free scholarship search site

Focus on Financial Aid
+ More FAFSA stuff
+ FAFSA: What to do with non-responsive parents
+ FAFSA: Who is independent?

Podsafe Music
+ Iona, Ocean
+ Music via the Podsafe Music Network
+ Stop by our MySpace page!

Reminders
+ Private student loans available at any time - visit AlternativeStudentLoan.com
+ Stafford federal student loans at StaffordLoan.com
+ Student loan consolidation at StudentLoanConsolidator.com
+ FAFSA form online filing at FAFSAonline.com
+ Financial Aid Podcast Show Notes at FinancialAidPodcast.com.
+ The Financial Aid Podcast is a publication of the Student Loan Network.

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