Seniors who plan on going to college must begin prepping and planning for their futures. One of the most important ways to do so is to apply for financial aid. Seniors have several opportunities to apply for financial aid to fund their college education instead of paying out of pocket, but it is most important that they fill out either the FAFSA or the ORSAA and apply for the Oregon Promise before the June 1st deadline.
The FAFSA, or the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, provides college financial aid opportunities for seniors and college students with a social security number. By filling out the application, applicants will gain insight as to what financial aid programs they are eligible for, potentially including scholarships, loans, grants, and work-study funds. To fill out the form, according to Studentaid.gov, applicants are required to have a verified account and password, income and asset information, and a parent contributor’s name, social security number, and email address. Typically, filling out the application only takes about an hour, including the time it takes to gather all the necessary documents and other information. A few weeks after the application is submitted, a submission summary will be available, including financial aid opportunities and your Student Aid Index (SAI). Your SAI, ranked between -1500 and 999,999, provides insight into how much financial aid you are eligible to receive based on financial qualifications. You will receive an estimated score on the confirmation page of the FAFSA and a final score on the submission summary. All seniors with a social security number should apply for the FAFSA before the June 1st deadline, regardless of financial status to ensure they get as much financial aid as possible.
The ORSAA, or the Oregon Student Aid Application, is the alternative to the FAFSA for Oregon high school seniors or college students who do not have a social security number. The application is essentially the same, but, as a state application, it only provides state scholarships and grants rather than federal. All Barlow seniors without a social security number should apply for the ORSAA before the June 1st deadline, regardless of financial status to ensure they get as much financial aid as possible.
The Oregon Promise is another opportunity for high school seniors in Oregon to receive financial aid, specifically for community college. The Oregon Promise is a grant that provides Oregonian high school seniors with $2,124-$4,422 of financial aid, with the goal of encouraging more Oregonians to go to college. To apply for the Oregon Promise, students must have applied for and received the results of either the FAFSA or the ORSAA. To be eligible for the Oregon Promise, according to Studentaid.gov, students must be an Oregon resident for a minimum of 12 months prior to college attendance, have a cumulative grade point average, or GPA, of 2.0, list at least one community college in their FAFSA or ORSAA, have no more than 90 college credits, attend community college by the required term, which is fall for Barlow seniors, and, for the Class of 2024, receive an SAI of 25,000 or lower on the FAFSA or ORSAA. The Oregon Promise must be submitted by June 1st.
For more information on financial aid for college, visit Mrs. Molony in the College and Career Center.
