Unlocking college aid: making the FAFSA less daunting
Tuesday, Oct. 18 through Thursday, Oct. 20 are free application days - fees are waived for Colorado residents applying to the state's colleges and universities.
College attendance rates have been down in Colorado and across the country, but one organization is successfully bucking those odds. The Denver Scholarship Foundation this year awarded the most scholarships ever - sending more than 1900 Denver Public School graduates to college.
Via its 15 "Future Centers" located at high schools across Denver, DSF is helping students who are in the midst of filling out the FAFSA, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid.
Desiree Ramirez - a business major at Community College of Denver - has returned to her alma mater Bruce Randolph School to encourage students to fill out the FAFSA. Last year she'd resisted completing the form herself and was thrilled when she saw scholarships and grants come through.
"Scholarships offered within your institution, within your business or your major. The possibilities are limitless really in terms of college, and money's offered everywhere," Ramirez said.
The Casillas family is just starting the application journey for Amaris, who has a high GPA and wants to study engineering. Amaris is excited about this next step but her mom Victoria says she's nervous, "It's a lot of information. Getting everything prepared and just making sure you answer everything correctly so you don't mess up something that can affect something bigger."
The DSF Financial Aid workshops are staffed with advisors who can help answer thorny questions and make all the information gathering less daunting.
DSF Senior Director of Marketing and Communications Olivia Omega said, "Our college advisors are able toguide students, hold their hand, build relationships and rapport with them and that one on one connection I think is what is helping us increase those numbers for our students."
Many families worry they won't qualify, but those who complete the FAFSA stand the best chance of getting free money for school including DSF Scholarships.
"The FAFSA is a huge step. It's that very first step in the process of affording and paying for college, whether that be a two year, a four year certificate or technical degree etc," Omega said.
DSF will be hosting the financial aid workshops through mid November. See schedule below and here:
https://denverscholarship.org/financial-aid/
Northfield High School Tuesday, October 18, 2022 2 - 6 p.m.
East High School Wednesday, October 19, 2022 2 - 6 p.m.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Early College Thursday, October 20, 2022 2 - 6 p.m.
Abraham Lincoln High School Monday, October 24, 2022 2 - 6 p.m.
Thomas Jefferson High School Tuesday, October 25, 2022 2 - 6 p.m.
George Washington Wednesday, October 26, 2022 2 - 6 p.m.
John F. Kennedy High School Thursday, October 27, 2022 2 - 6 p.m.
South High School Thursday, November 3, 2022 2 - 6 p.m.
TBA (community-wide workshop) Saturday, November 12, 2022 2 - 6 p.m.