The Money Tree
Posted by financialaidguy on April 2, 2008
I remember back in the 80’s when Reebok came out with their new “pump” style sneakers. The shoe had a rubber ball shaped pump at the top of the tongue, and when you squeezed it, the sneakers would inflate around your heels. If I was ever going to dunk the basketball, the Reebok Pumps were my ticket. Of course when I presented the situation to my parents, I got the same response I always got when I asked for money…”do you think money grows on trees?” I was 11 or 12 at the time, and pretty sure that money didn’t in fact grow on trees. So.. my dreams of playing professional basketball were shattered. I never got the shoes, thus my 3′11″ body never got to dunk the ball.
Now that I’m taller, and a financial aid director, I’m starting to believe that money does in fact grow on trees. It’s becoming painfully obvious that for almost every student out there, there are funds somewhere to help that student pay for college. I talk with countless foundation directors and secretaries and they all tell me the same thing. “We have millions of dollars in funding to help students and a large shortage of applicants.”
Today, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S. Bernanke reported that the U.S. is experiencing a recession. I don’t think this surprises anyone, but it provides a great point about our economy. If our GDP is not growing as fast, or is even shrinking, it affects our economy. Basically, lots of people lose jobs because the companies they work for aren’t producing the same level of products or services, and the companies can’t afford to keep them employed. If people are losing jobs, they aren’t making any money, and if they’re not making any money, their not buying products and services..and the cycle continues.
Our education system is an essential tool for a strong economy. Turning out quality graduates that are able to go into the workforce, either with a company or on their own, and use their education, benefits the economy and the country as a whole. That’s why it’s so important for people to understand that just because they are not eligible for any federal or state grants, it doesn’t mean money’s not available.
The money tree is real, and it’s getting bigger every day.
