Experts Available to Discuss Simplifying Federal Student Aid Forms

Business Wire, March 22, 2007

ExpertSource:

TOPIC: The Department of Education estimates it takes one hour to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), but one study found it can take up to 10 hours for a student to complete the 8-page form, according to an article by The Associated Press. A 2004 study found 1.5 million low-income students who were eligible to receive financial aid forfeited the money because they did not complete the form. Democrats proposed legislation in Congress to shorten the FAFSA form to two-pages and to allow students the option to have family tax data transferred directly from the IRS to the Department of Education to streamline the process.

EXPERTS: ExpertSource can offer several highly qualified experts to comment on this story:

When it comes to having a wide range of knowledge about the entire college-going process, there are few people with more experience and knowledge than Don Betterton of Betterton College Planning. Don served as the director of financial aid at Princeton University for 30 years. During that time, he was the architect of Princeton's innovative no loan program and gained recognition as a national leader in his profession. His range of knowledge is extensive, including all aspects of both need-based and merit aid.

Don has written two books (and numerous articles) on financial aid and given many in-person presentations to groups both large and small. Don has been recognized for his accomplishments in various ways. He has been a trustee of the College Board, chaired the policy committee for an association of the country's most selective colleges, and recently was honored by being named the College Scholarship Service Hall of Fame for outstanding contributions to the aid profession.

As an expert on enrollment management (the interplay of admissions and financial aid), Don has been a consultant to more than 30 colleges. Don also served on Princeton's admission committee and is familiar with college admissions from policy level discussions to the evaluation of student credentials. He has done individual and group counseling sessions on how a student should prepare both inside and outside the classroom for admission to a selective college. In addition, Don has recently become a Certified College Planner. As a CCP, Don is qualified to assist families in three different areas - enrollment (admissions and financial aid), tax incentives for higher education, and college funding strategies.

Don is also Chairman of the Board of Advisors for SimpleTuition.

For his leadership of the financial aid office as well as his service to the University as a whole, Betterton has received the Bressler Award for outstanding support of Princeton athletics, the Alumni Council Award for Service, and has been made an honorary member of the Classes of 1960 and 2005.

Betterton is a magna cum laude graduate of Dartmouth where he was a regional All-American in soccer. He received a M.A. from Rutgers in 1974. Before arriving at Princeton, he served on active duty as a Naval Aviator, eventually retiring with the rank of Captain.

609-737-7377

dbett@Princeton.edu

With almost 35 years' experience in higher education, Bruce Gardiner, of Lehigh University, is an expert in all topics related to admissions and financial aid. He can speak to topics such as, writing college admissions essays, SATs/ACTs, how to get the most out of college tours, applying for financial aid, grants and scholarships, choosing the right loan, smart ways to pay for college, and more. Gardiner can offer a unique perspective as he understands both sides of the process -- having lived through the experience both as a parent of a prospect, as well as having a deep understanding of the inner workings of the office of admissions.

PR Contact: Dina Silver

610-758-6656

dis204@lehigh.edu

A well-researched and experienced education "myth buster," Steve Peha, founder and president of Teaching That Makes Sense, Inc., sees a more troubling problem here: reading comprehension. One reason kids have trouble navigating college applications and financial aid forms is that their reading skills are so low. With better reading instruction at all grade levels, students can develop solid skills for navigating complicated texts of all kinds. Peha has used best-practice instruction and brain research to develop effective reading strategies that boost comprehension. An avid researcher, he can speak authoritatively on current best practices, how kids learn and what teaching methods are truly effective. His in-school work with teachers and kids, real-world orientation from his years as an entrepreneur, and in-depth investigation of education issues and current research enable him to offer an informed and unique perspective on what we're doing right - and wrong - in education in America. Peha is the author of "Be A Writer: Your Guide to the Writing Life," a book for 12- to 18-year-old kids and their parents.

PR Contact: Margot Lester

919-967-3712

margotlester@earthlink.net

Paul Wrubel, an education finance expert, has provided college tuition funding advice to over 4,000 students and families in his 20-year private practice. He has recently extended his successful financial aid tactics to millions of college-bound students and their families, with the founding of the new personalized internet-based program TuitionCoach (http://www.tuitioncoach.com). Paul has served as a consultant with schools and service organizations wishing to create college support programs. He has been much in demand for workshops in the educational field and is an influential participant in national professional organizations such as California Society of CPAs, College Counseling Center, CollegeTrack, CollegeWorks, Kaplan, Financial Planning Association, National Council of Educational Opportunity Association, The Princeton Review, TRIO national, amongst others.