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:

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.

While looking up the Cost of Attendance at any given school, you will find it made up of direct costs (tuition, books, fees) and indirect costs (housing, food, transportation). It is spelled out pretty simple, but sometimes life isn’t that simple, and the ability to pay for an education could be challenging. We recommend that you complete your FAFSA, apply for scholarships, and talk to your financial aid office to find as many options as you can. Additionally, there may be some local resourc...

Adapting to college life can be challenging. To make the best of your experience rely on the “go-to” people who can be a valuable resource to you. There will be a number of people you will meet throughout your college life but a few key people to keep in mind as you start your journey include the following:

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 ...

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, I had seen more and more advertising about online classes and education. However, moving forward, does an online education fit your learning style? Is it the best option for you? I am sure some of you have figured out that there is more to it than staying in our pajamas all day (or any other stereotype people can think of). Let’s look at some quick pros and cons to online education:

Wow! COVID-19 is probably giving you more time to reflect on your current employment status. Do you like what you do? Do you have a postsecondary credential you’ve been interested in getting, or finishing? Are you balancing your work life and home life well? Are you looking to move from a job to a career? Maybe you are looking for a promotion, or you’re looking to provide an example of life-long learning to your kids. Not sure where to start or how to make the right decisions for you? A...

Paying for college can turn out to be a scavenger hunt for funds, but when it comes to achieving your goals, nothing should stop you, not even the net cost. Financial resources for college or career training are in place to help you effectively pay for your postsecondary education. Here are a few helpful tips to get you started on your own financial resource scavenger hunt:

Whenever I present on postsecondary options, I always start by explaining what I mean by “postsecondary education” – any educational program after high school or GED such as: workforce skills & career training, vocational/technical program, apprenticeships, associate & bachelor degrees, or military career/ROTC.

Have you read about registered apprenticeship programs and thought it could be the right education/career pathway for you, but aren’t sure if you have enough skills to be successful in it? Have you wondered if an occupation you’ve set your sights on and want to pursue as a registered apprentice will be the right fit for you? If you’ve answered yes, the solution to these dilemmas/challenges may be a pre-apprenticeship program, and here are the reasons why.