<p><a href=“http://www.opm.gov/oca/08tables/locdef.asp[/url]”>http://www.opm.gov/oca/08tables/locdef.asp</a> this explains it
<a href=“http://www.opm.gov/oca/08tables/indexGS.asp[/url]”>http://www.opm.gov/oca/08tables/indexGS.asp</a>
these are the pay scales</p>
<p>the federal government could (should) apply the same logic they use for paying their employees as they use for determining the FAFSA EFC </p>
<p>For many years, federal employees in certain localities have had a wage adjustment based on where they live.</p>
<p>Applying the same logic to the family’s income protection allowance at FAFSA time could help to take into consideration the different costs of living in different areas of the country</p>
<p>there are lots of things that should be taken into account for the FAFSA – but that would just increase the amount of aid that is distributed, and they don’t want that to happen! </p>
<p>Some other things I think need a second look: how self-employed parents and those who own farms are assessed, the expectation that a step-parent is expected to pay for his spouses children while the natural father is not, the amount of income protection a student is given (makes it hard for them to earn the efc when every penny over $3000 just increases the efc for the next year).</p>
<p>FYI – none of these things affect me, I don’t live in a high cost area, am not self-employed nor own a farm, nor am I remarried – but I see this things as patently unfair when distributing federal aid.</p>
<p>[FY</a> 2009 ED Budget Summary: Student Financial Assistance](<a href=“Archived: FY 2009 ED Budget Summary: Student Financial Assistance”>Archived: FY 2009 ED Budget Summary: Student Financial Assistance)</p>
<p>according to the president’s budget, the total for all Federal education grants and loans for 2008 is 91 Billion dollars</p>
<p>Think of it as 5-6 months of IRAQ war costs. Now tell me, what has the better ROI ???</p>