Heidi Alexander: “I thank the Senator from Connecticut for his eloquent remarks. Let me offer this different perspective. You don't need a…”

“I thank the Senator from Connecticut for his eloquent remarks. Let me offer this different perspective. You don't need a Perkins loan to go to a 2-year college. The average tuition at a community college--and they are a terrific opportunity in my State and most States--is about $3,300. About 40 percent of the students who attend them qualify for a grant of about, on average, $3,300. So those 2 years are free for most students who need the money. Those students are also entitled to a direct loan if they enroll at the community college. Usually it is $4,000, $5,000, to $6,000. They just walk up and they are entitled to it if they think they need it. You probably don't need a Perkins loan to go to most of the State universities. At the University of Tennessee, the tuition and fees is about $12,000. Many of the best colleges and universities are State institutions. You are entitled to your Pell grant. You are entitled to your direct loan. Then many States and universities have their own programs. For example, in Tennessee there is the HOPE Scholarship, and almost all of the students at the University of Tennessee Knoxville have one. Where the Perkins loan has been useful--and I will grant that--has been at the expensive private colleges. If it is $50,000 a year to go to a private college, you can get your Pell Grant, you can get two direct loans, and then you can get a Perkins loan.…”