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Thursday, April 10, 2008
$456 million in State financial aid an all-time high, but so is demand
SPRINGFIELD, IL – The State of Illinois pumped a record $456 million into various college student assistance programs in 2007. The total payout of Monetary Award Program (MAP) awards - the State’s successful need-based grant program - was $383 million, an all-time high, while the number of MAP applicants - 576,557 students - was also unprecedented.
These and other statistics showing “How Illinois Pays for College” may be found in the 2007 Data Book issued by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC). The comprehensive snapshot of the State’s many financial aid initiatives and loan programs offers a unique insight into how Illinois college students and their families are able to afford college.
“The 2007 Data Book paints a fascinating picture of the state of financial aid in Illinois,” said Andrew Davis, ISAC Executive Director. “This is a valuable resource for policymakers, taxpayers and anyone interested in how much the State is investing in college students.”
The 2007 Data Book contains yearly and historical information on ISAC’s appropriations, and details how each sector and school benefits from ISAC programs. Some interesting “factoids” found in ISAC’s 2007 Data Book:
The 4-year public schools with the most MAP recipients are University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, University of Illinois at Chicago and Northern Illinois University. The 2-year public schools with the most MAP recipients are Harold Washington College in Chicago, South Suburban College of Cook County in South Holland and College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn. The 4-year private schools with the most MAP recipients are DePaul University in Chicago, Robert Morris College with seven campuses and Columbia College in Chicago.
- The average MAP grant was $2,613, 37 percent of MAP recipients were freshmen, 42 percent reside in Collar Counties and 29 percent attended 2-year public schools.
- The largest average award is to students in the Nurse Educator Scholarship Program ($15,957); the smallest average award - $246 - came from the Higher Ed License Plate program (HELP).
- In 2007, 71 students benefited from grant programs for dependents of police, fire or correctional officers killed or permanently disabled in the line of duty.
- $1.5 million went to 1.037 Illinois students through the Robert C. Byrd Honors Scholarship, a federally-funded program administered by ISAC for academically exceptional high school graduates.
The summary tables from the 2007 Data Book can be found on the collegezone.com website; click on “Resources” or go directly to:
http://www.collegezone.com/informationzone/3438_4203.htm
To order a hard copy, e-mail your request to ccrawford@isac.org.
HOW ILLINOIS PAYS FOR COLLEGE
Facts from the Illinois Student Assistance Commission 2007 Data Book:
The Monetary Award Program (MAP), the nation’s 4th-largest need-based college assistance program.
- Last year, 146,635 Illinois students received MAP grants. The average MAP grant was $2,613.
- About 37 percent of MAP recipients were freshmen, 42 percent reside in collar counties and 29 percent attended 2-year public schools.
- The 4-year public schools with the greatest number of MAP recipients are University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (6,387 students), University of Illinois at Chicago (5,824), Northern Illinois University (5,638), Illinois State University (3,834) and Northeastern Illinois University (3,286).
- The 2-year public schools with the most MAP recipients are Harold Washington College in Chicago (2,848 students), South Suburban College of Cook County in South Holland (2,822), College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn (2,452), Illinois Central College in Peoria (2,260) and Southwestern Illinois College in Belleville (2,244).
- The 4-year private schools with the most MAP recipients are DePaul University of Chicago (4,453 students), Robert Morris College with seven campuses statewide (3,282), Columbia College in Chicago (2,786), Loyola University Chicago (2,643), and Saint Xavier University in Chicago and Orland Park (1,586).
The Silas Purnell Illinois Incentive for Access (IIA) Grant, a one-time grant of up to $500 for college freshmen who have limited family resources.
- A record-high $8.0 million in IIA grants was issued last year to 20,708 college freshmen, up from $6.9 million going to 17,812 students the previous year.
- $5.5 million of the IIA grants went to 2-year public school students.
Other ISAC Scholarship and Grant programs
- The Minority Teachers of Illinois Scholarship Program issued 601 awards and the Illinois Future Teacher Corps issued 564 awards.
- The largest average award is to students in the new Nurse Educator Scholarship Program ($15,957); the smallest average award - $246 - comes from the Higher Ed License Plate program (HELP).
- 11,781 veterans received an Illinois Veteran Grant; 1,821 students claimed the Illinois National Guard Grant, both numbers down slightly from previous years.
- Ten students each received $5,000 through the Illinois Optometric Education Scholarship.
- In 2007, 71 students benefited from grant programs for dependents of police, fire or correctional officers killed or permanently disabled in the line of duty.
- $1.5 million went to 1.037 Illinois students through the Robert C. Byrd Honors Scholarship, a federally-funded program administered by ISAC for academically exceptional high school graduates.
College Illinois! (SM), the state’s prepaid tuition plan administered by ISAC which offers Illinois families an affordable, tax-advantaged way to save for college
- Of the 4,113 College Illinois! (SM) contracts sold last year, 407 were sold to grandparents.
- Nearly 60 percent of the beneficiaries of new College Illinois! (SM) contracts were between age 6 and 13.
Contact
Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC)
1755 Lake Cook Road
Deerfield, Illinois 60015
800.899.ISAC (4722), extension 3116
About ISAC
The Illinois Student Assistance Commission is the State’s centralized provider of financial assistance aimed at helping students and families access postsecondary education and/or training. Each year, the Commission awards an estimated $400 million in scholarship and grant aid to nearly 185,000 qualified students, and also provides an additional $740 million to borrowers through its student loan programs. The agency offers credit-based alternative loans, a 529 prepaid tuition program known as College Illinois!, and a broad array of outreach and informational services to ensure that families have access to the information they need to pay for a college education. More information is available by calling toll-free 800.899.ISAC (4722) or visiting the agency’s Web site at www.collegezone.com.
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