Testimony of Trinity
(Washington) University Catherine H. Geier
Associate Vice President for Student Financial Services
Before the Council of the District of Columbia Committee on Education,
Libraries and Recreation
On Bills 16-248 and 16-384 Concerning Higher Education
Financial Assistance
September 22, 2005
Chairperson Patterson, council members, and guests, thank you
for giving me the opportunity to address this committee in support
of this crucial legislation. You have already heard from several
distinguished panelists about the many challenges that DC residents
with financial need face in trying to achieve their goal of a college
degree, and about the enormous difference that college degree can
make in their lives and in their communities. I am here to give
you the view from the college financial aid office, where we are
helping students every day through the daunting process of finding
the financial means to achieve that goal.
The financial need with which DC residents arrive at our door is
overwhelming. In our full time undergraduate program, Trinity enrolled
this fall about 241 full time DC residents who applied for financial
aid. The cost of tuition, room and board, and books and supplies
for these students is about $6,000,000. Based on their financial
aid applications, these students and their families were able to
contribute only $660,000 towards that total cost, or an average
of $2,740 per student. This means the initial aggregate need for
DC residents this year was $5,340,000. Trinity makes the largest
contribution towards that need from any source, awarding $1,436,000
in grants and scholarships from university funds. We receive about
$600,000 in need-based grants from the federal financial aid programs
for DC residents who are full time undergraduates. 147 out of the
241 DC residents in our full time undergraduate program have been
awarded DC LEAP and DCTAG, totaling $468,000. These students were
awarded a total $238,000 in scholarships from outside donors, such
as the DC College Access Program. From all sources, these DC residents
received $2,740,000 in grants. This is only about half of their
total need of $5,340,000.
How do our students make up that difference? Many are borrowing
from the federal student loan programs. Just this year, that group
of 241 full time undergraduates has borrowed $1,113,000, or an average
of $4,600 per student. Even with the federal loan programs, this
group full time undergraduate DC residents are left with almost
$1,500,000 of unmet need.
We have difficult conversations with students every day about how
they can possibly make up this gap in funding. We arrange flexible
payment plans, and help students search for more outside funding.
Many are forced to work full time while they are trying to attend
college full time, which can lead to less study time and lower grades.
Many decide to live at home rather than on campus to save money,
and are therefore at greater risk for dropping out.
Given the enormous level of unmet need, it is amazing how many
of these determined young people do meet their goal of earning a
degree. It is a testament to their courage and resolution that they
believe enough in themselves and in the value of a college degree
that they find a way to make it through. But it is heartbreaking
to see the number of students who are overcome by the obstacles
they face and who are not able to make it. These are the painful
facts we face every day in the financial aid office at Trinity and
the painful choices our students are facing.
We look forward to working with all of you to give more DC residents
a chance to realize their dreams.
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