Private college financial aid to be available

Unlike many state assistance programs, you don't even have to prove you need it. And you don't have to pay it back as long as you collect your degree in five years.

What's more, you can ask for another $2,000 next year, and this year's winners get to go straight to the front of the line.

The program, tucked into one of the budget bills approved last weekend by the Legislature, is a victory for Rep. Laura Knaperek. The Tempe Republican has been pushing for years to make state dollars available to those who choose to get their college education at somewhere other than the state's three universities but want a little bit of financial help.

The $4.8 million available will be given out, $2,000 at a time, on a first-come, first-served basis. Applications have not yet been printed, and no timetable for distributing and returning them has been set, although they're targeting the fall semester.

While the Commission on Postsecondary Education has yet to craft the rules, and doesn't have the staff to process the applications, commission director April Osborn said a process will be in place for this coming year.

Rep. Ted Downing, D-Tucson, called the program "a boondoggle." He said the lack of any requirement to provide financial need means rich and poor compete on equal footing for the dollars, with the cash going to the swiftest.

Knaperek said the state does have a role in providing financial help to its high-school graduates, even the ones who do not want to attend a community college or state university. She said that becomes particularly important as those universities reach a point where they don't have space for more students.

"We're trying to allow anybody and everybody to go," said Knaperek.

The flaw in that, according to Downing, is that this won't help those with the most needs.

He said, for a very poor person, "$2,000 isn't going to help them go through a major expensive private university. A very wealthy person (who) gets the money didn't need it in the first place."

But Knaperek said she doubts those with lots of money will apply because applicants must fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid form, detailing their assets, and the assets of their parents if they are financially dependent, to be considered for the $2,000 grants.

Knaperek said in filling out the application, students may find they quality for money from other programs, reducing their need to seek cash directly from the state.

She also said there is precedent for the program.

Arizona currently provides $180,000 a year in financial aid to students who have graduated from public community colleges who want to complete their baccalaureate degree at a private institution.

That aid, limited to $1,500 a year for two years, is based on need. Osborn said given the cost of private schools, most students are deemed sufficiently needy.

Don Isaacson, who lobbies for the Independent Colleges and Universities of Arizona, said that program has been successful, with 80 percent of recipients getting their degrees within the three years allowed.

● Preliminary list of institutions:

American Indian College of the Assemblies of God

Anthem College

Apollo College

Argosy University

Capella University

Chaparral College

College of the Humanities and Sciences

Collins College

DeVry University

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

Everest College

Frank Lloyd Wright School of Architecture

Grand Canyon University

ITT Technical Institute

International Import-Export Institute

International Institute of the Americas

Metropolitan College

Midwestern University

Northcentral University

Nova Southeastern University

Ottawa University

Park University

Prescott College

Remington College

Scottsdale Culinary Institute

The Art Center Design College

The Art Institute of Phoenix

Tucson Design College

University of Advancing Technology

University of Phoenix

University of St. Francis

Walden University

Wayland Baptist University

Western International University

Westwood College of Technology

— Source: Arizona Commission for Postsecondary Education