Hispanics Getting Less Aid for College, Study Finds

Hispanics Getting Less Aid for College, Study Finds
Average Award is Lower Than for Other Groups

BY Dawn Nott
Contribution Writer
Tuesday, October 4, 2005
Hispanic students were found to receive the lowest federal financial aid awards of any ethnic group, according to a recent report by Excelencia in Education, Inc. and The Institute for Higher Education Policy.

According to the report, released in August, although more Hispanics nationally are receiving federal aid than previously, their average aid package is less than those awarded to students of other ethnicities.

Eighty percent of the Hispanic undergraduate population applied for financial aid in 2003-04, while only 63 percent actually received some form of aid. The report highlighted grants and loans, and did not include private sources.

The report showed that the average financial aid award for Hispanics in 2003-04 was $6,250, sitting below the national average of $6,890.

At UC Berkeley, however, 87 percent of Hispanic undergraduates received financial aid in 2003-04.

UC Berkeley does not track sizes of aid packages by ethnicity, since ethnicity is not a determining factor, said Richard Black, associate vice chancellor of admissions and enrollment.

"I feel that we're doing a good job. If a student fills out a FAFSA, they will receive the full package of aid," Black said. "The difference is in where students go to school. All groups showing similar need are getting similar packages at Berkeley."

According to the report, 85 percent of Hispanics were U.S. citizens, compared with 93 percent of all undergraduates. Hispanics were also twice as likely to be resident aliens as all undergraduates.

"Undocumented students need more information on private scholarships, since they are usually not eligible for federal or state financial aid," said Jesse Escobar, recruitment coordinator for Raza Recruitment and Retention Center, an on-campus group that provides outreach efforts to the Hispanic community.

Although citizenship status affects financial aid eligibility, there is a benefit to attending UC Berkeley, Black said.

"The good news is, you don't have to pay non-resident fees, but the bad news is that you don't qualify for federal, state or institutional financial aid if you're an undocumented resident," he said.

Excelencia's report shows that Hispanics had relatively lower family incomes compared to all undergraduates. This is consistent with Hispanic students at UC Berkeley, who had the lowest median family incomes for 2002 freshmen, as reported by the Office of Student Research.

"From what I understand, many (Hispanic) students are going to lower-cost colleges and therefore getting less aid. It could be that they don't believe the resources are out there," Black said.

The report supports his statement, showing that 41 percent of Hispanic students went to lower-cost institutions and paid tuition and fees of $1,000 or less in 2003-04, compared with 30 percent of all undergraduates.

Many Hispanic students are also faced with the challenge that comes with being first-generation college students. Almost half are the first in their families to attend college, compared to one third of all undergraduates, according to the report.

"Many students are disillusioned if they think the government can't pay for it, or their parents can't pay for it, they figure they might as well just find a job," said Daniel Montes, outreach coordinator at Raza. "They're basically going in with a blank slate. I tell them it's not difficult to go to college, but it's a process."

Contact Dawn Nott at dnott@dailycal.org.


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Berkeley, CA
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