As high school seniors start to hear back from college admissions offices, determining the cost of a college education will soon become a reality for many families. Students and their parents can help ease the financial burden by filling out a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FASFA) or applying for a Cal Grant.
To help with the application process, the California Student Opportunity and Access Program (Cal-SOAP) office at Allan Hancock College is co-sponsoring a series of free “Cash for College” workshops on the Central Coast. And according to a press release from Cal-SOAP, high school seniors attending the workshops could win a $1,000 scholarship.
The first workshop in Santa Barbara County will be held on Feb. 4 from 3:30 to 8 p.m. at the Santa Maria High School cafeteria and computer labs. On Feb. 10, there will be a workshop from 3 to 8 p.m. at Lompoc High School, room B-3. Additional workshops in the Santa Maria area will be held Feb. 11 from 3 to 8 p.m. at the Pioneer Valley High School library, and Feb. 17 from 3 to 8 p.m. at Righetti High School, rooms 621 and 622. There will also be a workshop on Feb. 18 from 4 to 8 p.m. at the Nipomo High School library. Spanish-speaking staffers will be present at all of the workshops.
Students and parents planning to attend a workshop must bring the following information:
• a student’s Social Security number and driver’s license or other government-issued ID
• parents’ federal income tax return or W-2 forms from tax year 2007 or 2008
• records of untaxed income such as TANF, veterans benefits, or Social
Security benefits
• a student’s W-2 forms, pay records, or records of income earned during 2007 or 2008
• bank account records or statements
• records of stocks, bonds, and/or investments
• business records
• permanent residency card (if not a U.S. citizen)
• a list of preferred colleges
The Cal Grant program is a merit- and need-based financial aid program run by the California Student Aid Commission.
To be eligible, high school students must be seniors or recent graduates, maintain at least a 2.0 GPA, and meet certain financial requirements. Current college students and any adult 18 years or older interested in attending college may also apply to receive a Cal Grant. Find applications online at csac.ca.gov. The deadline to submit an application is March 2.
The FAFSA program is run by the U.S. Department of Education and offers financial aid to high school students and their parents. It provides access to federal grants, as well as low-interest loans. Applications can be found online at fafsa.ed.gov. The deadline to submit a FAFSA is June 30.
For more information about the local workshops, call the Central Coast Cal-SOAP office at 922-6966.
This article appears in Jan 29 – Feb 5, 2009.