Twice as many students seeking financial aid at West Valley College - Brian Babcock, Mercury News

Students waited patiently in line at the West Valley College admissions and records office last Tuesday to discuss financial aid options with one of the staff members. The students, an eclectic mix of races and ages, were among the 3,489 financial aid applicants looking for some type of monetary help so they could attend courses at the school. At this same point last year only 1,493 students had applied for financial aid. Financial aid staff said thousands more have filed in this year, indicating that they have been laid off from their jobs and are receiving unemployment.