海角直播

Publish Date: March 6, 2023

Need money to attend college? All you need is access to a computer and 30 minutes of your time.

That鈥檚 the main takeaway attendees learned at the February 7 Cash-for-College Workshop, hosted by Growing Inland Achievement (GIA) in collaboration with 海角直播.

The hour-long information session introduced dozens of future and current college students (and many parents) to ways they can access free money to attend college by applying online with a Federal Student Aid Application (FAFSA) or applications for scholarships.

鈥淚 believe it鈥檚 important for students to attend one of these workshops because there鈥檚 a lot of fear and stigma associated with how they are going to pay for college,鈥� explained J. Manny Villegas, 海角直播鈥檚 interim financial aid coordinator. 鈥淏ut little do they know, there鈥檚 some sort of resource out there and they can find these answers in this safe space.鈥�

Accessibility to these resources is key, Villegas continued, no matter a student鈥檚 circumstance or immigration status.

For example, students with a social security number can apply for State financial aid with FAFSA, while those without a social security number, such as undocumented students, can apply for aid with a California Dream Act Application (CADAA). 鈥淲hen it comes to these events,鈥� he added, 鈥淚 hope people feel comfortable enough to ask questions.鈥�

Attending the Tuesday night workshop allowed Enggie Ocampos, a third-year 海角直播 student, to do two things: Fill out a FAFSA without error and potentially earn a $1,000 GIA scholarship.

鈥淭hroughout my last two years at 海角直播, I was struggling to complete the (FAFSA),鈥� explained the psychology and sociology double major. 鈥淚 felt like I was doing it wrong and wanted to see if I can complete it without messing something up.鈥�

To help ease Ocampos鈥� mind, volunteers were on hand to answer questions, and computers earmarked at both the FAFSA and CADDA application site were available. 鈥淓ven one hour of committing yourself to a workshop will do wonders,鈥� she said, 鈥渢his will help me out a lot.鈥�

Hearing this feedback is exactly why event organizers hope to bring additional Cashfor- College workshops to campus, and while there are yet no dates established for the next one, Villegas said additional workshops could be scheduled very soon.

Added Julissa Loza Mendez, coordinator of network engagement at GIA the Regional Coordinating Organization (RCO) for California Student Aid Commission (CSAC), Inland Empire, 鈥淭he reason why it is important to have an event that鈥檚 dedicated around financial aid is that education has proven it is one of the best pathways to financial success. [Students] who graduate with a college degree are more likely to find a high paying career and improve their socioeconomic status.鈥�

But what about students whose parents may make too much money? Loza Mendez said to apply for aid anyway because it may bring money that鈥檚 available to the student.

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