MTHS seniors and their parents are urged to come to Financial Aid Night at 6 p.m. on Tuesday in the MTHS library.
Seniors and their parents should have received an email to set up an account on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) website at http://fafsa.ed.gov. Both student and parent should make an account before attending the event.
All attendants of the event must bring their driver’s license or state ID, income statements (including bank statements, a W-2 or pay stub, and a past tax return), a parent and parental financial information (they should bring a copy of their 2015 tax returns), and any other additional financial information, such as child support statements, TANF or Welfare information, real estate, investments, family business or farm information. If filing for FAFSA at the event, a Social Security card or green card and a parent’s Social Security Number (if possible) are also required.
The FAFSA website is a government secure website which will ask you about social security numbers, past tax incomes, personal investments, and other details. Based on that information and more, the FAFSA will determine what financial aid will be provided for you in terms of money (grants), money loans, or work-study.
“If you see money as a barrier to going into college, [FAFSA] is huge,” MTHS counselor Julie Petterson said. “You really don’t know [how much financial aid you will get] unless you do apply.”
Petterson said that she has known many students who won’t go to college due to money, but signing up for FAFSA could change that decision.
The Financial Aid night will be happening to support students in their post secondary education at colleges, technical training programs, etc.
“We don’t want prejudice towards college,” Petterson said. “Many kids are doing different things, but a huge piece of it is financial. We want to make sure we are trying to increase our [post-secondary education enrollment] rates, trying to make sure more kids have the opportunities that they deserve.”
There will be volunteers work in financial aid from different local colleges who, including University of Washington: Bothell, Central Washington University, and Seattle Central Community College. These representatives will be there to answer any questions, motivate students and give detail about the process of signing up for financial aid.
Students should attend if they need any help figuring out the financial aid process and how it works, or motivating themselves to set up their FAFSA, according to Petterson.
