News | VASFAA

Submit articles to
Gary Spoales,
Newletter Editor

Survival Knowledge From...
Graduate and Professional School Perspectives

Submitted by: Stephanie Clements, Radford University

As things started to calm down this past week, I realized that I needed to write an article about Graduate and Professional student issues.

My first thought was, “How in the world did I get talked into this?"

After that, my focus shifted to other things I might write about. I considered talking about reauthorization and loan limits. Then, I thought about exploring how to help graduate and professional students manage their money.

Finally, I started thinking about the wide variety of graduate students that have come through my office and how similar their issues are as compared to undergraduate experiences.

I deal with graduate students every day who.....

I don’t talk to at all because their parents have called for them.
Are trying to determine how this process works, because they have never even seen a FAFSA before. They come into my office and say, “My parents have always completed this form – now they won’t!”
Ask me, “Where is my Pell Grant?”
Look at me like I am crazy when I tell them that the maximum they can borrow is $14,000 a year. They ask, “It is just a loan—why can’t I borrow as much as I want?"
Ask me, “Does my graduate assistantship stipend affect my loan money?”
Have left a great paying job to come back to learn to teach.
Drive several hours back and forth a week to get to their classes, while working full time and having a family.

I am sure those of you who work strictly with undergraduates are saying, “So—I see that too”. I guess that is my point. Yes, graduate and professional students have some special issues and problems that you do need to know about and focus on.

However, don’t forget that these are students, just like all students and looking for an education to improve their lives; or reach a goal; or just because they don’t know what else to do. They have a lot of the same issues, fears, and struggles that our undergraduate students do.

Let’s not forget this as we work with our Graduate and Professional students.

I promise next newsletter we will focus on other more serious issues. Until then, enjoy your graduate students even when they are driving you crazy!

Previous Article | Table of Contents | Next Article