2/10/2023
Minnesota currently is in the bottom third of states the lowest rates of completion for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), with only 28.5% of eligible students having completed their forms. Given that the FAFSA is the gateway to all federal aid including grants, scholarships and student loans, ECMC’s The College Place Minnesota has teamed up with the Minnesota Office of Higher Education, the Minnesota Department of Education and the Minnesota Association of Financial Aid Administrators to help boost completion and get students on track to postsecondary education with a virtual event series starting in February.
The events take place Tuesday evenings in February, with each virtual workshop walking students and families through a different step in completing financial aid forms and understanding offer letters, scholarships and paying for college. Interpreters will be available in Spanish, Hmong and Somali. Students who attend the sessions will have an opportunity to win one of two $500 scholarships.
The virtual events are free to students of all ages and their families. Anyone interested can register online: https://ecmc.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_EZ1AhdrMScWM6S5_4-KgAg.
Schedule:
- Feb. 14, 7 p.m. — Apply for Financial Aid: FAFSA
- Feb. 16, 7 p.m. — Apply for Financial Aid: Dream Act (student ineligible for FAFSA)
- Feb. 21, 7 p.m. — Understand Your Offer Letter
- Feb. 28, 7 p.m. — Search for Scholarships
Registration: https://ecmc.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_EZ1AhdrMScWM6S5_4-KgAg
ECMC’s The College Place provides free assistance and resources to students as they navigate the path to and through college. The Minnesota Office of Higher Education provides students with financial aid programs and information to help them gain access to postsecondary education.
The Minnesota Association of Financial Aid Administrators is an association of professionals committed to the principle that no one should be denied access to higher education for financial reasons.