The start of yet another college/training school year is upon us. If you’re one of the many students who have completed your Free Application for Federal Financial Aid (FAFSA) and are anxiously waiting for your federal financial aid funds to be transferred to your student account (to help pay your tuition, fees and books), here’s a little advice – be patient. There are a few things to keep in mind to ensure your financial aid is moving. First, know that it is your college or training school t...

One of the most common questions I hear at financial aid offices is, “have you completed your FAFSA?” Most students, this time of year, have. However, there may be other requirements that you need to complete before receiving your federal loans. Your financial aid is sent to the institution, but before they disburse the funds, you may need to sign the master promissory note and complete entrance loan counseling. Here’s what you need to know:

Navigating your path to postsecondary education can be confusing and challenging under ordinary circumstances. Many can agree that nothing about our current circumstances is ordinary. There have been many new challenges and changes to our daily life and routines, as well as changes to our plans. While things remain uncertain, we also want you to know that your postsecondary goals can still become a reality, it might just mean taking a new path to get there!

The Success Center offers free resources to all Alaska postsecondary students and their families. For those unfamiliar with the Success Center, we’d like to share with you about our services.

You completed the FAFSA, you received the Student Aid Report (SAR), now what? Many students aren’t aware but one out of three students will be selected for verification, and if you are chosen don’t worry, its routine.  Verification is to ensure that the information is accurate, because people are human and mistakes can happen.  Simply putting down the wrong birthday, social security number, or putting tax information in the wrong box can make it difficult for financial aid offices to give you ...

Still thinking of continuing your education online or virtually? Something to think about is your Cost of Attendance (COA) and whether or not it has changed for the upcoming 2020-2021 school year. You may recall a previous blog called Net Cost: Beyond the Sticker Price in Schools, where we covered the basics of COA. However, things may have changed a bit since you filed your FAFSA. Three things to review are the following:

COVID-19 has probably thrown a wrench or two into your plans for the 2020-2021 school year. Travel plans may not be in the cards for you this school year. There are still so many options to make the most of your time and to prepare from your region and from your home.

The price of colleges can seem a bit daunting, and some families spend years preparing to pay for college. Of course, cost is something to consider when choosing a school. But if you see an expensive price tag for a university and think you can’t afford it, don’t be intimidated just yet. In your journey to obtain a college degree, the first thing you’ll probably see is the schools’ published Cost of Attendance (COA), or as some may call it – the ‘Sticker Price’. But what really matters ...

Filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) can be daunting – especially if it’s your first time completing the FAFSA. However, fear not, there are free FAFSA completion assistance events offered year-round.

As we are about to descend upon FAFSA season, a question commonly asked is where does your Alaska Permanent Fund Dividend(PFD) go on your FAFSA? Well, it all depends if you filed taxes or not, and who filed them.