Workshop Arms Students and Parents with Information to Access
Financial Aid
MERCED, CA— For college-bound students, the
Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is a master key
that unlocks the doors to valuable resources of financial support.
To help students and their parents learn more about available
forms of financial aid and provide step-by-step assistance with the
FAFSA application, UC Merced will host a free Cash for College
workshop from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday, February 4 at the UC
Merced Fresno Center, 550 East Shaw Avenue. Bilingual assistance
will be available.
A multitude of financial resources are available to make a
college education affordable for all students, however, too few
Central Valley students are taking advantage of these
opportunities. According to recent statistics from the Central
Valley Higher Education Consortium (CVHEC), only 28 percent of
students in the region who qualify for Cal Grants even submit an application.
The Fresno workshop is one in a series of workshops that will be
presented throughout the Valley as part of California Cash for
College, a statewide campaign sponsored by the California Student
Aid Commission to increase the accessibility and affordability of
higher education for all students. Promoted regionally by CVHEC,
the campaign is presented in partnership with community volunteers,
organizations and educational institutions, including the
University of California.
Cash for College workshops are designed to help students
successfully complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid
(FAFSA) and Grade Point Average Verification Form. Both forms are
required for students to apply for Cal Grants and most other types
of financial aid.
California’s deadline to submit the FAFSA and Cal Grant GPA
Verification Form for the 2006-07 academic year is March 2, 2006.
Students and their parents are encouraged to attend the
workshops. Those attending should bring their 2005 federal income
tax return or W-2 forms; other records of income for 2005; records
of investments and back accounts; driver’s license and social
security card. Non-United States citizens should bring their alien
registration card. In addition, students are encouraged to bring a
list of the colleges they are interested in attending.
For more information about the February 4 workshop in Fresno or
to obtain information about other Cash for College workshops
planned in the Central Valley, please contact Belinda Garcia in the
UC Merced Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships at (209)
724-4384 or by e-mail at
finaid@ucmerced.edu. To
learn more about financial aid services and resources at UC Merced,
please visit our
Financial
AidWebsite.
