Write your legislators and urge them to support Financial Aid Reform!

What is PHENOM’s Financial Aid Reform Bill (S.2477/H.2461)? And more specifically, what will it do to make students’ lives easier? The Financial Aid Reform Bill (“An Act to Modernize Financial Aid Access”) proposes creating a streamlined, comprehensive statewide financial aid system for students to access, apply to, and stay in the loop about financial aid.

This legislation rests on three pillars of improvement: accessibility, accountability, and advertisement.

The bill will maximize accessibility by creating a streamlined, user-friendly website for all students to apply for and compare different grants and scholarships such as MassGrantPLUS, calculate eligibility, and receive 24/7 live assistance. This addresses the confusion caused by just how many state-funded financial aid programs there are, and makes it easier for students to figure out which programs are right for them.

To ensure accountability, this bill will establish a comprehensive appeals process so students can challenge insufficient financial aid offerings and be compensated in a timely, fair manner. It will include rights to judicial review, reimbursement of lost aid, and a decision within 30 days.

Finally, as for advertisement, the bill will fund training of high school guidance counselors as well as comprehensive ad campaigns to ensure students take full advantage of financial aid opportunities in Massachusetts (by actually hearing about them).

In recent years, Massachusetts has been making commendable investments in financial aid. This is crucial now that a college degree is more important than ever yet also more expensive than ever. Now, the challenge is actually getting that financial aid money to the bright students who need it most. Once enacted, this bill will do just that.

So what are you waiting for? Use our letter campaign to contact your legislators and urge them to support our Financial Aid Reform Bill!