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June 20, 2005
Illegal Immigrants and Financial Aid
Another example of how the the tuition/financial aid cycle is insane (though I have another question).
This is a tear-jerker college admissions story from the New York Times which I fear will not resonate entirely with its readership. Whatever their politics, they're probably delighted to find out that at least their children aren't competing with bright, atheltically talented, illegal immigrants for Princeton admission. Nevertheless, this is an interesting problem -- what should be done about it? Should illegal immigrants be allowed to receive financial aid from the federal government (which is where most of the loans come from)? If so, what does citizenship mean? Should universities be able to give scholarships out to these students without endangering their position on the federal teat?
My further question is this -- if Princeton wants a student can't they afford him? With $9.6 billion in the endowment as of March 31, 2004? Are they telling us that they can't find a group of alumni willing to fund a "but it's not Princeton money" scholarship so that they can present a happy face to federal regulators? Please. Let's not be as disingenuous as that. "[A]ccording to several people with knowledge of his situation" colleges didn't process his application? What, did he write at the top of the first page "Warning! I am an illegal immigrant!!" I thought the NYT was trying to get away from anonymous sources.
Posted by CrankyProfessor at June 20, 2005 6:58 AM