The Coastal Compass Education and Career Resource Center will once again host free workshops each Saturday this February from 10:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. to assist high school seniors and current college students in filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). As one of the most important tools for receiving financial aid, the FAFSA is used by the U.S. Department of Education to determine a student’s eligibility for federal student aid and the earlier students apply, the higher their chances of being awarded financial aid. The goal of each workshop is not only to guide students through the process of applying for financial aid, but to also complete each FAFSA application for the 2015-2016 academic year on-site.
Though many students wait to apply or do not apply at all because they believe they or their parents earn too much income, many different factors are considered in addition to income when assessing eligibility. Therefore, it is highly recommended that all students who are enrolling in a college or university fill out the FAFSA as early as possible each year as many schools have financial aid deadlines that are much earlier than the tax-filing deadline of April 15.
In addition to the Coastal Compass staff, representatives from local colleges and universities will also be on hand to help answer questions about admission and types of aid available including from Texas A&M Kingsville on February 7, Texas A&M Corpus Christi on February 14, Coastal Bend College on February 21 and Del Mar College on February 28. Students may attend any session regardless of the school they plan to attend and can also receive assistance with admissions applications and all other Coastal Compass services free of charge during each workshops. It is recommended that each student bring a copy of their 2014 Federal Tax Return and W-2(s) or their parent’s 2014 Federal Tax Return and W-2s.
For more information on our free FAFSA Saturday workshops, contact Coastal Compass Education and Career Resource Center today at 361.906.0703.
