Give Our Youth Broad Horizons

I was interested in the editorial by Ty Handy and the letter by Barb Baumann regarding VSAC money for college students. Both dovetailed with a recent article in Atlantic Monthly about a national trend of college grads to ever smaller groups of Urban areas. It is caused by economics.

Trying to keep Vermont’s grads in Vermont by not letting VSAC money transport out of state is foolish. To begin with, VSAC state grants are already less if a student goes out of state and they top out at around $2000—not a large sum given the cost.

All the other loans and grants procured through VSAC are federal. These funds are all need-based, so any curtailment would only affect low income students. Why would we want to limit their choices?

We live in a small state. Shouldn’t we want our youth to broaden their horizons? With a strong economy and reasonable housing, I think many more than our young adults would return to this beautiful state.

Stephanie Loeffler

Chelsea

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