Cost of higher education

When it comes to  a college education a new study finds that Louisiana is lagging behind in funding public higher education. Since 2008 more than $625 million dollars has been cut from higher education in Louisiana  but  tuition cost rose only by $331 million.

In 2009 there was nearly a 12 percent increase in tuition cost across the state. Except for the District of Columbia, we've had the highest tuition growth rate. Even so,  the Southern Region Education Board found that Louisiana students pay the second -lowest tuition rate in the south for in-state enrollment. 

Currently there is a push by the state's higher education commissioner for lawmakers to give college and universities more ability to control their own tuition rates. But some law makers say they can't allow that to happen because  students in the Louisiana won't be able to afford any more tuition hikes if schools have control.But some law makers say they can't allow that to happen because  students in the Louisiana won't be able to afford any more tuition hikes if schools have control.

The Director of Financial Aid at Southern University of Shreveport says students cant afford to wait till they are seniors in high school to start looking at students aid and families should start seeking options as early as their freshman year of high school. She also recommends that students should look at  duel enrollment classes with local two year colleges so  by the time they graduate from high school they will also have an associates from a college leaving only 2 years left at a 4 year university. She also recommends asking about work study programs. For Plain Dealing student Kaino Long says he is nervous about how he and his family will pay for college but he knows he will be attending a university somewhere in Louisiana.

For help navigating through the world of student financial aid check out these sites.

http://studentaid.ed.gov/

http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/

http://www.usa.gov/Citizen/Topics/Benefits.shtml

http://trends.collegeboard.org/home