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!

Personal Learning & Career Plans (PLCPs) – I help administrators discover how they can support teachers and counselors work with students to create their PLCPs. Sharing career awareness and exploration activities, college and career training opportunities, financial aid information, and resumes. Let’s face it – I talk about these things a LOT!

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...

We can all agree that college is not cheap. Figuring out a clear plan for you to achieve the goal of finishing takes a great deal of time, energy, and finances. Choosing how to invest your money is something to seriously think about, especially when life happens. Did you know that more than half of people who start a college or training program do not finish? If you fall into that category, or know someone who does, we encourage you to try again. Here’s why:

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 ...

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: