Access Missouri is our state’s primary need-based college tuition assistance program, enabling tens of thousands of students from Missouri’s working families to achieve the dream of a college education. Through Access Missouri, students with demonstrated financial need can receive tuition support to attend any eligible Missouri college or university of their choice. It is a wise investment in Missouri’s most precious resource – its young people.

Missouri shouldn’t balance its budget on the backs of its neediest students. Missouri working families are facing considerable financial strain. Access Missouri recipients are among our state’s neediest students. They depend upon federal, state and institutional aid to attend college.

We can’t rebuild Missouri’s economy by forcing tens of thousands of needy students to drop out of college.  The current tumultuous economy is challenging for all of us, but particularly so for working and low-income families. Access Missouri keeps the dream of a college education alive for these students.

We must remain vigilant! Keep Me In College members have successfully fought off repeated efforts to dismantle the Access Missouri program. We must let Gov. Nixon and state lawmakers know that keeping need-based aid available to financially deserving Missouri students attending any eligible Missouri college through Access Missouri is critical.

Join our coalition - Signing up will cost you nothing but it could keep you – and your friends – in college.

Kansas City area college students rally against Gov. Nixon's proposed cuts

 

Students Rally in Support of Access Missouri at Missouri Baptist University

March 22, 2010

 

Senate Education Committee Hearing

Wednesday, Feb 17, 2010

 

Access Missouri Funding Protected!

Congratulations Keep Me In College Coalition members! Thanks to your quick action, we succeeded in protecting the $1 million in additional funding for Access Missouri.

We appreciate your calls and emails to House-Senate Budget Conference Committee members. Your good work paid off for financially deserving students across our state. We also appreciate those lawmakers who took a stand in support of students!

Student awards have been drastically cut in recent years, so any additional funding to support the Access Missouri program is critical. Of course, we must remain vigilant as this process continues.

Thank you for your continued support! As always, we will keep you informed.

Student Loans Rates Could Double

Congress could deal a blow to new college students planning to take advantage of the federal Stafford loan program.

Rates on new subsidized loans are scheduled to double from a fixed 3.4 percent to 6.8 percent if federal lawmakers don't stop bickering and take action. The change would only affect those students taking out new Stafford loans from midyear on. Students with existing student loans would not see a rate increase as long they don't take out a new loan after June 30 for the coming school year.

U.S. News reports that Congress is toying with a one-year extension that would hold the current rate steady. Read more here.

If Congress fails to act, the new interest rate would take effect July 1. We will continue to watch this issue.

KMIC President Tells Lawmakers How Access Missouri Helps Students

Misty Todd, president of Keep Me in College Coalition, traveled to Jefferson City in January to testify in support of continued funding for Access Missouri.

Todd told a Senate committee that she – like tens of thousands of other Missouri students – relies on financial aid to attend college.

Her story was so compelling that it was included in news coverage of the hearing by The Associated Press. The story was used by news media across the country. You can read the version posted on Bloomberg Businessweek.com here