Not Too Late For Financial Aid To SCCC/ATS

With the 2014-15 academic year just a month away, it’s still not too late to submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA. Seward County Community College/Area Technical School offers to help incoming students with the form, which determines how much financial aid a student is eligible to receive.

“We’re glad to help our students get this important form filed,” said financial aid director Donna Fisher. “Some of them aren’t sure how to complete it, and we will assist.”

Financial aid office workers are available to help students complete the FAFSA on Thursday afternoons.

Fisher noted that FAFSA information not only determines whether students may receive Pell Grants or student loans, it’s also used to match eligible students with various private scholarships. FAFSA also helps identify students who can participate in college work-study opportunities, earning money from jobs on campus.

Though the form can seem complicated, taking the time to fill out FAFSA can make the difference between being able to afford college or really struggling to balance work and studies, Fisher said.

Classes begin at SCCC/ATS Aug. 19; the sooner students complete the FAFSA, the more likely they are to receive financial aid for the upcoming year.

Students can prepare by gathering their parents’ and, if they filed, their own tax returns, as well as Social Security numbers and details about their address and basic family information. If copies are needed, students may use photocopy machines in the college library, also located in the Hobble Academic Building.

The financial aid office helps students by appointment or on a walk-in basis. Available hours are 2:30-4:30 p.m. Thursdays.