Everything you need to know is online

Seriously. Ok, please be forewarned that this is another work-related rant of sorts. I know some current students read this (aka my friends!) but rest assured that none of you fall into this category. This rant is about the dumb students.

Really, so a student has gone to the website and can’t find the contact information for a particular lender. Ok, well before I judge their ineptitude, I give them the benefit of the doubt. I’ve perused enough bank websites to know that yes, it really can be confusing. So, in giving them the benefit of the doubt, and in hopes of providing them with a link so they can somewhat self-serve, I go to the website. There, on the top right, is a Contact Us link. Click on that, and lo and behold there is a list of services and the numbers for contacting people about those specific services. About halfway down… yep, you guessed it. The number for Student Loans.

Well maybe that was too many steps for the student, or to much scrolling down to find the information. Maybe they have a broken finger/hand/arm/whole body cast? Let’s try option two. Go back to the main page of the bank, **BANK**.com. There are four main categories of service. It took me a little longer to see this one (read– 15 seconds instead of 5) but under Personal Lending is a link to Student Loans. Click. Lo and behold, the banner area of the page contains the bank name/logo, and centered over everything is the phone number. The phone number! The same one found on the Contact Us page.

I realize some aspects of financial aid are confusing. I’ve done it for two years and there’s still stuff that throws me off. But students like this really make me wonder. The Federal government has said they want to simplify the FAFSA. At my conference in Nashville, one employee from a different school said that if you can’t figure out how to fill out the FAFSA, you probably aren’t qualified/ready to attend college. True? Maybe, maybe not.

If you worry about the state of common sense in our world today, check out this great story, courtesy of the 100 Hour Board.

AND… here is the Quote of The Day that was posted for today. So befitting, I think.

No greater injury can be done to any youth than to let him feel that because he belongs to this or that race he will be advanced in life regardless of his own merits or efforts.

Booker T. Washington (1856-1915)