Elliot Golan / Roundup
More Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) forms have been received so far this year than were received for the entire financial aid period last year.
Anafe Robinson, Pierce College financial aid director, said that while 14,230 applications have come in during the first five months of the June 1 – July 30 period, 13,257 came in a year ago.
Though accepted until June 30, Robinson urges students not to delay their submissions.
“Do not disqualify yourself,” Robinson said. “Just apply.”
Robinson hears complaints about check delays daily. She said students are often intimidated by the process and do not get their paperwork in on time.
May 1 is the deadline, according to Robinson. She added that eligible students who meet the deadline are deemed “priority” and are guaranteed to receive their check during the first week of the semester.
Robinson, a former Pierce business major, has been in financial aid for more than 20 years. She has worked for Pierce on several occasions, initially as a student worker in 1987. She also worked for the state of California and Mission College in the same field.
As such, Robinson is aware of all the costs college can bring.
“There are costs associated with going to school,” she said. “Books are expensive.”
Financial aid is broken down into several subcategories.
The majority of money is handed out in Pell Grants. A Pell Grant is a federal program geared mostly to low-income undergraduate students. Of the more than $14 million distributed during the 2007-08 financial aid year, $7.2 million was in Pell Grants, which do not need to be repaid by the recipient.
Another abundant source of financial aid comes from Cal Grants.
Though some aid has limitations in available money, Cal Grant funds are unlimited, according to Gladys Rodriguez, financial aid technician. Rodriguez is in charge of the Cal Grant files for Pierce.
“We have more applications,” Rodriguez said. “Probably because of the economic times.”
Funded by the state, Cal Grants are available to first-time college students. Rodriguez said though it is slightly harder to qualify for the Pell Grant, more than 23,000 Cal Grant student awards will be handed out.
A Cal Grant is guaranteed to every high school senior who applies on time and meets income, eligibility and GPA requirements (2.0), according to the California Student Aid Commission Web site.
Loans and scholarships make up smaller portions of aid.
Robinson said students underutilize scholarships.
“Students don’t want to…apply and search for them,” Robinson said.
She said she has been posting scholarship information on Pierce’s financial aid Web site.
Allie Beswick, 23, a student worker at the financial aid office, is also a recipient of financial aid.
“Students think you get paid magically,” Beswick said.
Beswick said filing paperwork on time and contacting the office is the best way to ensure a student receives their funds in a timely manner.
“It can be kind of an alien idea since everything is taken care of until you graduate high school,” she said.
A recipient of a Pell Grant and fee waiver, Beswick suggests students read everything handed to them and “work” for their aid.
“The responsibility is really with the student,” she said.
Although the amount of money handed out has risen about $4 million each of the last three years — and considering the record number of applicants in the first four months this year — financial aid will likely get more competitive.
“Students need to apply between Jan. 1 and March 1,” Robinson said. “Those are the critical dates.”
This past spring, the district and the financial aid office at Pierce conducted a workshop with the goal of “demystifying” financial aid.
It was a town hall-style meeting where students had the opportunity to ask any questions they wanted about financial aid.
Robinson hopes to conduct another similar meeting in the coming spring.
Until that day is announced, Robinson invites students to take advantage of the student workers and technicians at the financial aid office to answer any and all of their questions.
Beswick said financial aid does not need to be a difficult process.
“You have to seek out your financial aid,” Beswick said. “Nothing is handed to you.”
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