Newswise — As college costs increase across the United States, more students and their parents are concerned that they will not be able to get a college education.
"Kansas State University is the number one choice of Kansas high school graduates," said Pat Bosco, associate vice president and dean of student life. "With this leadership comes responsibility. To keep college accessible and affordable for our undergraduate students, K-State is committing $151 million in annual assistance from federal, state and private programs to student aid. This year's financial award letters, which are going out this week, reflect an additional $11 million annually to assist our students."
Bosco said K-State expedited the financial aid awards this year to ease anxiety among students who need financial aid in order to attend school.
"This is the earliest we have ever made financial aid awards," Bosco said.
"We want to ensure that a high quality college education remains attainable for students at K-State. Over the past three years, K-State has worked hard to balance the increasing cost of attendance at our institution and to make sure we are taking care of our students and families. We have developed a plan to do even more."
The new K-State plan includes:
* A continued commitment to ease the financial burden of a K-State education by increasing need-based assistance, increasing on-campus minimum wage, and awarding more merit-based scholarships than ever before. As a result, K-State graduates will leave the university with an educational loan debt below the national average.
* Students who met K-State's March 1 Free Application for Federal Student Assistance -- FAFSA -- deadline will receive a financial aid award package meeting 100 percent of their federal financial need.
* Over the next four years, K-State will work hard to hold increases for required tuition and fees to single digits.
* Attention will be given to unexpected or unusual financial hardships.
* Every student is assigned their own student financial assistance adviser.
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