Transitions: Financial Aid 101

One of the priorities at Literacy Source is to provide educational access to low income and marginalized residents of King County. Some students choose to apply those skills in achieving longer term goals at a post-secondary institution - a university, trade school, community or technical college.

However, the transition to paying tuition can be a tough one, especially if students have not familiarized themselves with the campus they intend on applying to. Where do students find information on financial aid? And what can you do as tutors to help them?

1. Contact the Financial Aid Office at the Institution the student wishes to attend. It’s better if the student does the talking so he/she feels empowered to talk to FA offices at other schools.
2. Look at the FAFSA. This is one of the most common forms of financial assistance. There are deadlines and it can be tricky to fill out alone so plan ahead!
3. Look online for scholarships. Avoid websites that offer to find scholarships for a fee. There are many scholarships posted online to increase access to students from the demographics that we serve here at the center. A little research and an articulate application can yield good results.
4. Ask your intended institution if there are special funds for students. For instance, the state has created Opportunity Grants to support low income students in moving past the ”educational tipping point” where they can then break into high-wage, high-demand careers.

Do you have additional ideas on where students can access funding?