Groups host FAFSA completion workshops

by La Risa Lynch
Brandon Williams knew he wanted to go to college, but worried about paying for it.

“It was just me and my grandmother,” said the 2010 Julian High School graduate.

Williams was lucky. His teachers informed him that he could receive grants and scholarships by simply completing the free application for federal student aid (FAFSA) form. His high school worked with the Center for Economic Progress (CEP) to walk students through the application process. Williams now attends Moraine Valley College in Palos Hills, on a full scholarship. He is the first in his family to go to college.

“Without this program, I probably wouldn’t be in college right now, because we don’t have the means, the money or the financial support for anything like this,” said Williams, who plans to transfer to Southern Illinois University.

“To succeed in life, college is a good thing, but if you don’t have the money for it, it is very hard to go forward. Financial aid really has been a blessing for me,” added the 19-year-old Maple Park resident.

Lack of money does not have to defer dreams of going to college. But research shows many students do not take full advantage of need-based financial assistance to pay for college.

According to the College Board and the American Association of Community College more than 40 percent of community college students who are eligible for Federal Pell Grants did not apply for it in 2007. Nearly 25 percent of eligible students attending four-year public colleges also did not apply for aid.

To get the word out that college money is available for low-income families, CEP partnered with Ladder Up and Illinois Student Assistance Commission to hold FAFSA outreach events. The events aim to help students fill out the FAFSA application, which is the first step in applying for grants, student loans and other financial aid packages. The effort is part of Financial Aid Awareness Week. Visit www.economicprogress.org/FAAW for times and locations.

CEP’s President David Marzahl said a knowledge gap exist where many families just are unaware that need-base aid is available or don’t know how to apply for it.

“What we typically find in a lot of families where a parent hasn’t gone to school is there is a bigger gap of information about the affordability of school and cost,” Marzahl explained.

He noted higher education is affordable and obtainable with federal Pell Grants, subsidize loans and the state’s Monetary Award Program (MAP) grants. But Marzahl stressed time is crucial. Grant money, especially, MAP grants have limited funding and are doled out on a first come first serve basis.

Last year, a limited number of MAP grants were awarded because of funding cuts. Marzahl does not expect that this year. But he added need-based aid usually runs out in March.

“You have to get in your application and paper work in a timely fashion,” he said. “There is money left on the table each year if people don’t apply early enough.”

While there are several funding options, including student loans, Marzahl urged students to apply for need-based aid first.

A determining factor in securing need-based assistance is a students’ EFC or expected family contribution, said Megan Ballard, program manager for Ladder Up. That is what FAFSA calculates to determine eligibility for financial aid or how much a family can afford to pay for one year of college.  Ladder Up holds in-school workshops to walk students through the FAFSA process.

“For most of CPS high school student is it zero,” Ballard explained, noting that over two-thirds of CPS students have a zero EFC. “This means that you can get the maximum Pell grant, the maximum MAP grant if you stay in Illinois. It means you can get additional grants, loans and scholarships as long as you are eligible for it.”

All of Edna Williams’ three children went to college thanks to grants secured by completing the FAFSA application. Her youngest son, James, a freshman at Beloit College in Wisconsin, received more than $200,000 to pay for his tuition. He is going to school debt free. And even Williams was able to find grant money to complete her bachelor’s degree.

Williams contends many parents forgo applying for grants, because they think that won’t qualify. But she said parents will be surprised at what they could get just by letting go of their fears.

“This really is free money,” the Woodlawn resident said. “You don’t have to pay it back. That’s one of the big things a lot of parents don’t realize.”

For additional information, visit chooseyourfuture.org; studentaid.ed.gov; or fafsa.gov