California university students left more than $50 million in state scholarship funds untouched in the 2014-2015 school year, according to Diana Perez with Central Coast Cal-SOAP (Student Opportunity and Access Program).
The state set aside $107 million in scholarship funds for middle-class students last year, and only handed out an estimated $54 million.
“It didn’t hit that number, and I think the question is why?” Perez said. “And I think part of that reason is because middle-class families think they’re not eligible for scholarships.”
The California Middle Class Scholarship program was implemented for the 2014-2015 school year, and it provides undergraduate students whose families make up to $150,000 with the opportunity to receive partial scholarships to attend a University of California or California State University school.
Perez said more money will be available for the upcoming school year, with $152 million allocated to Middle Class Scholarship coffers. Scholarship applicants could have up to 20 percent of their tuition covered through the program for the upcoming school year. Eventually, middle-class students will have the opportunity to get up to 40 percent of their tuition funded.
Students can find out if they’re eligible to receive a scholarship by filling out a Federal Application For Student Aid (FAFSA) and applying for a Cal Grant.
“In general, only half of a senior class of high school students fill one out,” Perez said, adding that many students think their families make too much money to qualify for any sort of federal aid.
“They don’t really know that until they fill it out,” she said.
Central Coast Cal-SOAP will be holding 12 workshops throughout the Central Coast in February to help students and their families fill out FAFSAs, as well as apply for state and federal grants. The Cal Grant program is the California Student Aid Commission’s merit- and need-based financial aid program. In order to be eligible: High school students must be seniors or recent graduates, have at least a 2.0 GPA, meet other eligibility and financial aid requirements, and submit two forms by the March 2 deadline.
Workshops will be held on Feb. 4 at Cabrillo High School from 3:30 to 7 p.m., on Feb. 5 at Santa Ynez High School from 5 to 8 p.m., on Feb. 9 at Nipomo High School from 4 to 8 p.m., on Feb. 17 and 24 at Santa Maria High School from 3 to 8 p.m., on Feb. 19 at Lompoc High School from 3 to 7 p.m., on Feb. 25 at Pioneer Valley High School from 3 to 7 p.m., and on Feb. 26 at Righetti High School from 3 to 8 p.m.
For more information about the local workshops, call the local Cal-SOAP office at 922-6966, Ext. 3710. To learn more about Cal Grants, visit calgrants.org.
This article appears in Jan 29 – Feb 5, 2015.