I come from a middle class family who struggled to put me through an expensive private school education. I have emerged from my undergraduate studies with $47,000 dollars in debt, both private and federal loan options. I want to pursue my dream of becoming a clinical mental health counselor in a masters program but cannot afford it. I just learned that graduate students can no longer be awarded pell grants from the federal government, as it is only offered to undergraduate students. I make less than $24,000 dollars per year and live on my own, and cannot get financial assistance from my parents. How can we expect there to be quality persons in our American workforce when students who live for need based aid cannot receive it? The result is less competent workers. Bring back pell grants!



