email from Senator, regarding Loans

[Nimmuk]

Dear * ****:

I hope your dad, a good friend of mine, is enjoying himslef.

Thank you for contacting me with your concerns about repaying your student loans. It was good to hear from you. As you know, the nation’s classrooms are facing a crisis. The nation’s urban and rural districts are struggling to fill widespread vacancies in some of the most basic courses. Demand for qualified teachers, especially those teaching math, science, and special education, remains high, with 70 percent, 60 percent and 67 percent vacancy respectively. In some cases, schools must hire unqualified teachers to fill the open positions, or place teachers in subject areas where they lack expertise.

In response to the nations outcry President Bush signed the Taxpayer-Teacher Protection Act of 2004. This Act authorizes up to $17,500 in loan forgiveness for Stafford Loan or PLUS loan recipients who qualify. Additional loan forgiveness programs can be found within Perkins Loans. These programs are designed to provide substantial relief for existing teachers and an incentive for prospective teachers to teach in subjects and schools that have difficulty hiring highly qualified candidates. However, due to the tight budget in Fiscal Year 2006 the President has made education a lower priority than it has been in the past. The President’s proposed budget will make the first cuts to federal education in over a decade and teacher loan forgiveness has not escaped these cuts.

As a parent of two daughters who went to college, I know how much students rely on financial aid to get by. Unfortunately, most students today have to take on debt in order to receive a higher education degree.

I am sorry to hear of your hardship in repaying your student loan. Please know that I will remember your situation when we begin debate on the Higher Education Reauthorization in 2005. As a United States Senator, passing meaningful education legislation that helps ensure that all students have the opportunity to learn is one of my top priorities.

Again, thank you for contacting me. Please feel free to do so again.

Sincerely,


*** ***
United States Senator

***********************************************
TO SMU commuity

It seems that the president have different priorities at this time (War, and Katrina). I guess we will have to wait....Lets see what happends after the debate.

[ES21]

Way to go Nimmuk!!

I wish more students would send letters to their senators and congressman.

Maybe you can post the letter you sent so that other can make small modifications and send it to their respective senators.

Way to take the initiative !! You have done welll by trying to help the SMU community as well as yourself.

[skidoc42]

Hey everyone,

I contacted my reps in PA as well. I got the "thanks for your concern, we love you lots" letter in return. Big props to Nimmuk and all others who got involoved!

skidoc42 ;)

[swimguy23]

Im still confused bc unless you were grandfathered under the old laws you cant get federal loans for foreign schools

[Junito]

Im still confused bc unless you were grandfathered under the old laws you cant get federal loans for foreign schools

That's the whole point. The school is trying to have that law changed in order to allow its students to be eligible for stafford loans.

[ES21]

I still think if you guys posted a generic statement to send to our government reps more people would be willing to send them.

Its not that we are lazy, just busy and it certainlytakes time to say the right words.

Therefore if anyone has a generic letter they can post on valueMD please do so.

[Junito]

Dear Congressman __________:

I am an American student at St. Matthew’s University School of Medicine. St. Matthew’s, which is located on Grand Cayman Island, is a fully accredited medical school recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as meeting the same rigorous academic standards as medical schools in the United States.

I have met the same competitive admissions standards as other medical students studying at medical schools in the United States. I receive my medical education from U.S. Board certified physicians – just like every other medical student in the United States. Before I continue my medical education by participating in required clinical rotations at hospitals located in the United States, I must pass the same medical licensing exams that every other medical student in the U.S. must pass. Finally, upon graduation, I will pass the very same rigorous medical licensing exams that every American medical student must pass before I practice medicine in the United States.

As you know, obtaining a medical education is very expensive. Just like other students at medical schools in the United States, I will have accrued a very large debt from my student loans when I graduate.

However, there is one very significant difference between my debt and the debt of the other graduates of medical schools in the U.S. My loans must be made through private financial institutions, and consequently are at much higher interest rates because federal law does not permit the use of Stafford Student loans at my medical school.

As a taxpaying U.S. citizen, I object to this discrimination. I should have the same access to student loan benefits as other citizens of our country. Although my medical school is not located in the United States, American students around the world have access to Stafford Loans to pay for their education at foreign medical schools: Stafford loans are given to U.S. students studying at medical schools in Mexico, Russia, Poland and the Philippines to name a few.

St. Matthew’s University School of Medicine on Grand Cayman Island meets every criteria in the Higher Education Act to qualify for the loan program except one – the school was not in existence by 1992. The law grandfathered older foreign medical schools, but not mine. My school meets all of the academic criteria for eligibility, and I am receiving a quality medical education so that I can meet the healthcare needs of our country.

I respectfully request that you end this discrimination and correct this problem when Congress considers H.R. 609, the College Access and Opportunity Act to amend the Higher Education Act.

Please let me know how you intend to address this issue.

Sincerely,

[Junito]

Dear Senator __________:

I am an American student at St. Matthew’s University School of Medicine. St. Matthew’s, which is located on Grand Cayman Island, is a fully accredited medical school recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as meeting the same rigorous academic standards as medical schools in the United States.

I have met the same competitive admissions standards as other medical students studying at medical schools in the United States. I receive my medical education from U.S. Board certified physicians – just like every other medical student in the United States. Before I continue my medical education by participating in required clinical rotations at hospitals located in the United States, I must pass the same medical licensing exams that every other medical student in the U.S. must pass. Finally, upon graduation, I will pass the very same rigorous medical licensing exams that every American medical student must pass before I practice medicine in the United States.

As you know, obtaining a medical education is very expensive. Just like other students at medical schools in the United States, I will have accrued a very large debt from my student loans when I graduate.

However, there is one very significant difference between my debt and the debt of the other graduates of medical schools in the U.S. My loans must be made through private financial institutions, and consequently are at much higher interest rates because federal law does not permit the use of Stafford Student loans at my medical school.

As a taxpaying U.S. citizen, I object to this discrimination. I should have the same access to student loan benefits as other citizens of our country. Although my medical school is not located in the United States, American students around the world have access to Stafford Loans to pay for their education at foreign medical schools: Stafford loans are given to U.S. students studying at medical schools in Mexico, Russia, Poland and the Philippines to name a few.

St. Matthew’s University School of Medicine on Grand Cayman Island meets every criteria in the Higher Education Act to qualify for the loan program except one – the school was not in existence by 1992. The law grandfathered older foreign medical schools, but not mine. My school meets all of the academic criteria for eligibility, and I am receiving a quality medical education so that I can meet the healthcare needs of our country.

I respectfully request that you end this discrimination and correct this problem when Congress reauthorizes the Higher Education Act.

Please let me know how you intend to address this issue.

Sincerely,

[Junito]

Copy, paste, and sign the letter. Mail it to your Congressman/ Senator. Hope this helps.

[swimguy23]

Dear Congressman __________:
I have met the same competitive admissions standards as other medical students studying at medical schools in the United States. I receive my medical education from U.S. Board certified physicians – just like every other medical student in the United States. Before I continue my medical education by participating in required clinical rotations at hospitals located in the United States, I must pass the same medical licensing exams that every other medical student in the U.S. must pass. Finally, upon graduation, I will pass the very same rigorous medical licensing exams that every American medical student must pass before I practice medicine in the United States.


come on thats not true.....maybe met prerequisites, but not the same standards. I'm not trying to belittle anything but i'm saying there are good reasons for the law to exist and doubtful it will change.....and also seeing how military budget overexpense causes a decrease in education spending, pretty doubtful while the war goin on anything will change

[Junito]

I don't know about you, but I sure did have a competitive GPA, and a graduate degreee under my belt. My scores were competitive enough to get me into a Puerto Rican school (which is LCME accredited), haven't the competition been fierce. Point is that we are in Medical School, and US citizens, which happen to be studying outside the US. If Ross, SGU, & AUC all have stafford loans, why shouldn't we?

[swimguy23]

I don't know about you, but I sure did have a competitive GPA, and a graduate degreee under my belt. My scores were competitive enough to get me into a Puerto Rican school (which is LCME accredited), haven't the competition been fierce. Point is that we are in Medical School, and US citizens, which happen to be studying outside the US. If Ross, SGU, & AUC all have stafford loans, why shouldn't we?

Ross, AUC, and SGU have stafford bc of a loophole and being grandfathered in. I'm not saying you might not have qualifications for a US school.....but the admission standards of SMU can not even come close to those of US schools

[Junito]

Ross, AUC, and SGU have stafford bc of a loophole and being grandfathered in. I'm not saying you might not have qualifications for a US school.....but the admission standards of SMU can not even come close to those of US schools

Just trying to give a different perspective. I recall attending a seminar for Ross where one of the graduates there stated that he had a 1.7 GPA when he applied to Ross and was accepted. This was three years ago. Now, Ross may have raised their standards, but only after they had a large applicant pool. Same for SGU and AUC. Once the school is established, the admissions standards will increase also. Give it a year or two, and I'm sure they'll require the MCAT. Just like Ross did. Heck Ponce School of Medicine only required an 18 on the MCAT for entrance.

[swimguy23]

Just trying to give a different perspective. I recall attending a seminar for Ross where one of the graduates there stated that he had a 1.7 GPA when he applied to Ross and was accepted. This was three years ago. Now, Ross may have raised their standards, but only after they had a large applicant pool. Same for SGU and AUC. Once the school is established, the admissions standards will increase also. Give it a year or two, and I'm sure they'll require the MCAT. Just like Ross did. Heck Ponce School of Medicine only required an 18 on the MCAT for entrance.

i understand what youre saying.....but i dont think mentioning admissions standards being the same is a good way to go because its not correct. I agree US citizens who go out of the country should be eligible.....i think its going to be one hell of an uphill battle tho with the lack of money for education due to the war