State Tuition Assistance To College Students Runs Dry

By aaroncynic in News on Mar 21, 2012 5:40PM

College students in Illinois looking for tuition help from the state will have to look elsewhere if their applications were after March 13, the Chicago Tribune reports. The Monetary Award Program, money awarded on a first come, first serve basis, was completely depleted of funds by applicants who filed by the 13th. Students began applying on Jan. 1. John Samuels, spokesman for the Illinois Student Assistance Commission told the Trib “What we have said consistently since January is that in all likelihood, it would be the earliest (cutoff) ever. It's a sign of incredible demand more than anything else."

An estimated 140,000 students seeking aid will be denied for the academic year.

Gov. Pat Quinn proposed a $50 million addition to the $387 million the state already provides to fund MAP grants, but Samuels said the state would need to provide $1 billion to cover the cost of all applicants. Illinois Treasurer Dan Rutherford told NBC 5 he hopes the General Assembly will address the shortfall when they reconvene. “I'm not sure that chapter of the book is completely closed yet,” said Rutherford. “The General Assembly will reconvene today down in Springfield, and I know this is an issue very concerning to a number of my colleagues in the legislature.”