Rising Barriers, Shrinking Aid: Social Toolkit
Thanks for lending your support to making affordable college education a reality. Here are some post suggestions to keep your caption game strong! You can take from our list or create your own captions to urge policymakers to make affordable college education a priority by telling them that NOW is the #TimeToCommit!
You may choose to pair some of these captions with the graphics provided as well.
Join us in supporting the release of our newest report on February 1st, 2023. Together, we can make a difference by raising awareness about the lack of funding and the resulting complicated system of grants and scholarships. For more info, visit www.hildrethinstitute.org/ or https://bit.ly/3WY1ag6
Hashtag:
#TimeToCommit
TAG the Hildreth Institute on your posts. This way, we’ll see and engage and share.
Facebook: @HildrethInstitute
Twitter: @hi_Hildreth
Instagram: @hildrethinstitute
LinkedIn: @hildreth-institute
Suggested Post Copy (General):
Raising our voice to say it's #TimeToCommit!
We are joining @hi_Hildreth to raise awareness about the need for increased state funding for student financial aid #mapoli https://bit.ly/3WY1ag6
Suggested graph: Dwindling Aid.png
Raising our voice to say it's #TimeToCommit!
With the cost of attending college rising yearly, state financial aid now only covers a fraction of students’ costs #mapoli https://bit.ly/3WY1ag6
Suggested graph: Percentage of College Cost Covered by Total State Financial Aid.png
Raising our voice to say it’s #TimeToCommit
We are joining @hi_Hildreth to raise awareness to tackle the student debt crisis in MA. Help us make education a true engine of upward social mobility #mapoli https://bit.ly/3WY1ag6
Suggested graph: Loan Necessity.png
Raising our voice to say it's #TimeToCommit!
We are joining @hi_Hildreth to raise awareness about the complexity of the grants and scholarships process. We demand MA simplify the confusion #mapoli https://bit.ly/3WY1ag6
Suggested graph: Funding Labyrinth.png
Suggested Post Copy (General/MA Specific):
Raising our voices!
Despite being one the wealthiest states in the country, Massachusetts ranks just 37th in terms of the financial aid it provides to students! We believe MA can do more. #TimeToCommit #mapoli https://bit.ly/3WY1ag6
Suggested graph: MA 37TH.png
MA needs to make a commitment to public higher education students and reform their efforts in terms of financial aid. A centralized, well-funded program with clear eligibility criteria will improve the outcomes of all students. #TimeToCommit #mapoli https://bit.ly/3Dfy1FR
Other states have boosted their financial aid to students by an average of 15% since 2001, MA has cut it 47%! We are joining @hi_Hildreth to ask for more support for students, not less. #TimeToCommit #mapoli https://bit.ly/3WY1ag6
Suggested graph: Chronic Disinvestment.png
State financial aid has declined steadily in the last two decades covering only 12% of the cost to attend college. Growing reliance on student loans results in far-reaching implications for racial equity and socio-economic stability. #TimeToCommit #mapoli https://bit.ly/3Dfy1FR
Suggested Post Copy (Unmet Need/MA):
The majority of public higher ed students in MA are left with a large financial gap each year. Cost of books, supplies, computer and internet access as well as living costs are often disregarded parts of the total cost of attendance. #TimeToCommit #mapoli https://bit.ly/3WY1ag6
Suggested Graph: Unmet Need (2).png
Thread:
Once seen as an affordable alternative, community colleges leave students with an unmet financial need similar to those attending four-year public college #TimeToCommit #mapoli https://bit.ly/3Dfy1FR
Due to chronic state underfunding, the price of MA community colleges is 47% higher than the national average #TimeToCommit #mapoli https://bit.ly/3Dfy1FR
9 out of 10 community college students have an average unmet need of $8,557 per year which they must cover by working while studying and/or taking out student loans. #TimeToCommit #mapoli https://bit.ly/3WY1ag6
Thread:
8/10 students attending four-year public institutions have $12,000 in unmet financial need per year. #TimeToCommit #mapoli https://bit.ly/3Dfy1FR
That’s $48,000 in unmet need over the course of their four years – not including the yearly increases in tuition and fees and the rising cost of living. #TimeToCommit #mapoli https://bit.ly/3WY1ag6
Thread:
According to @MassINC only 22% of low-income students complete community college compared to 56 percent of their peers from households with greater means #TimeToCommit #mapoli https://bit.ly/3Dfy1FR
If Massachusetts wants to close persistent achievement gaps, it needs to provide all students with adequate funding #TimeToCommit #mapoli https://bit.ly/3WY1ag6
If we're serious about closing persistent achievement gaps and serving those who stand to gain the most by higher education, MA needs to provide all students with a pathway to a degree without forcing them into debt. #TimeToCommit #mapoli https://bit.ly/3WY1ag6
Suggested Post Copy (Growing Student Debt Burden):
Thread:
Students graduating with debt from one of the MA’s public institutions has increased significantly in the last decade #TimeToCommit #mapoli https://bit.ly/3Dfy1FR
A whopping 105% increase among those graduating with a Bachelor’s Degree and a 45% increase among those graduating with an Associate’s Degree. #TimeToCommit #mapoli https://bit.ly/3WY1ag6
Students enrolled at MA public schools are borrowing more than ever before. In 2009, a student graduating with a Bachelor’s degree borrowed $21,587 and in 2021 that same degree meant borrowing $32,871. That is a 52% increase! #TimeToCommit #mapoli https://bit.ly/3WY1ag6
Suggested Post Copy (Growing Educational Gaps):
The complicated financial aid application process disproportionately impacts low-income and underrepresented minority students and reinforces persistent socioeconomic and educational gaps #TimeToCommit #mapoli https://bit.ly/3Dfy1FR
While there have been improvements in educational outcomes in the last decade, achievement gaps still persist. Only 31% of Hispanic residents and 42% of Black residents hold a degree compared to 65% of white residents. #TimeToCommit #mapoli https://bit.ly/3WY1ag6
Did you know that 4 out of 10 student borrowers are paying off debt for a degree they never received? The burden of student loans forces many to discontinue their education leaving them worse off than if they had never enrolled. #TimeToCommit #mapoli https://bit.ly/3WY1ag6
Suggested Post Copy (Negative Impact on Economy):
MA is expected to lose about 10% of its college educated workforce by 2030, which could have detrimental effects on its local economy. We must tackle this by removing financial barriers for attending and completing college. @MassInc #mapoli https://bit.ly/3WY1ag6
According to one study by @EdNCES, 60% of MA graduates were working in MA 4 years later. Shutting out students from higher education opportunities due to financial burdens could have devastating consequences on the economy. #TimeToCommit #mapoli https://bit.ly/3WY1ag6
Suggested Post Copy (Learning from other States):
Thread:
More than 33 states plus Washington D.C. have made bigger commitments to increasing college affordability and closing persistent achievement gaps #TimeToCommit #mapoli https://bit.ly/3WY1ag6
As a state which prides itself on its public education system, Massachusetts can learn a lot from the lessons of other states #TimeToCommit #mapoli https://bit.ly/3WY1ag6
While MASSGrant+ is a step in the right direction, it is based on a last-dollar award indexed solely on tuition and fees. MA needs to commit to provide all residents with the resources needed to attain a quality public higher education. #TimeToCommit #mapoli https://bit.ly/3WY1ag6
Suggested Post Copy (Recommendations):
As the birthplace of public education MA is falling short on its commitment to students passed grade 12. It is time for MA to recommit to its pledge that all residents will have the resources needed to access a quality higher public education. #TimeToCommit #mapoli https://bit.ly/3Dfy1FR
Thread:
Students who can navigate the system of higher education grants and scholarships have a greater likelihood of pursuing their education.
It is time for MA to commit to reliable funding for financial aid so that students know they have a path to affordable higher ed. #TimeToCommit #mapoli https://bit.ly/3WY1ag6
Any commitment made by the state needs to be targeted in order to assist those who stand to gain the most from a higher education degree - Namely, underrepresented and marginalized students. #TimeToCommit #mapoli https://bit.ly/3WY1ag6
We stand with @hi_hildreth that MA should establish a reliable source of funding, expand MASSGrant+, invest in OSFA, and commit to wraparound services to improve outcomes for the most vulnerable populations and close the growing equity gaps. #TimeToCommit https://bit.ly/3WY1ag6