Some Mississippi college students are searching for new ways to pay for school. Legislative changes to financial aid are leaving some without enough money. MPB's Alexis Ware reports
"These changes, they're very frustrating."
Lauren Lawhead is a sophomore at the University of Mississippi. She receives both the Mississippi Tuition Assistance and Eminent Scholar Grants.
"I was planning on studying abroad spring of next year, using a lot of the scholarship money that I received from the school to cover the cost, and now because I'm losing that funding I'm going to have to push it back a semester and probably work all of next year."
New changes to the Mississippi Financial Aid will only allow students to receive one state funded grant. This leaves Lawhead without MTAG and short 1000 dollars.
The Office of Financial Aid was hit with a nearly 3 percent budget cut. Now about 3400 students will be impacted by these changes.
Financial Aid Director Jennifer Rogers says other alternatives would have affected up to 26 thousand students. She says they fought for the option that gave more Mississippians the chance to continue their education.
"We supported the changes that they ultimately put in place, because they impacted the fewest number of students and also impacted the fewest number of perhaps vulnerable students students who might drop out without the assistance that comes their way via state aid."
Rogers says that with these changes the state saves about 3.5 million dollars.
