Did you know that the FAFSA is going to be new and even better than the current FAFSA for the coming year?
With the end of the school year approaching and a new one beginning, those preparing for their first year in college might be wondering where to find support. Similarly, those entering their last year of high school might be concerned about where to begin seeking support. Some students might be exploring scholarships or the FAFSA for financial assistance, while others might be seeking alternative ways or the Alternative FAFSA, which was created to help undocumented students apply for financial aid. In a random survey of Morton East students, out of 100 students, 43 said yes, they had begun filling out the FAFSA but mentioned having trouble completing it.
When facing difficulties with the process of filling out the FAFSA or the Alternative application here at Morton, we have a College and Career Center located in room 120. At the College and Career Center, workshops for FAFSA are available to help students and their parents or guardians with any problems or questions they may have about the FAFSA or the Alternative application process, ensuring that when students and their guardians leave, they have completed their financial aid application. Morton not only offers workshops for FAFSA but also has ISAC, which stands for Illinois Student Aid Commission. ISAC aims to provide Illinois students not only with information but also with assistance to make education beyond high school more affordable and accessible. There are two ISAC representatives here at Morton: Ricardo Ramos, who is available on Mondays and Wednesdays during supervision periods, and Stephanie Ramirez, who is available on Thursdays during supervision periods; both speak Spanish.
The first year of college is approaching for many seniors, but they might be stressed about where to get more money to help make college life easier and more affordable. The College and Career Center has multiple scholarships available for this month and into the beginning of next month as well on their team’s page, all with the same deadline. Additionally, some websites where you could apply for scholarships are GoingMerry.com and APPLY, also on their team’s page. Wondering why FAFSA only gives out so much money? It is because it is based on how much the state and government are willing to give, and it also changes every year. When applying to some scholarships, you will be required to answer a number of questions, such as if you have a social security number, and based on your answer, you will be matched with scholarships. The average number of scholarships awarded to Morton East students was “a lot, can’t get a number off the top of my head,” said College and Career Center Mr. Ryan Smith. Most scholarships are based on merit, so there are not many non-merit-based scholarships, but those that are have requirements such as GPA or academic performance.
“Yes and no, yes I have started to fill out the FAFSA, but I have not completed it. It is because of the trouble I’ve been having confirming the identity of my undocumented mother. They’re always saying to call this number, but also saying that it can’t be done. It’s all very confusing,” senior Alma Romero said.
When looking for help with college expenses, FAFSA isn’t the only option. There is an alternative to the FAFSA, and there are scholarships available, including those listed on the College and Career Center’s team page on Microsoft Form, to assist students.
“I have applied to a scholarship here and there, but it’s just that you get tired of doing it when the scholarships ask for the same things, especially for the form to apply for scholarships that the college and career center put out. It’s a little hard for me to find the time when I’m working and have to come home from work to do homework right away. I’ve also had a little time to see it and how much I have to answer and the essays that I have to write for the majority. It just all looks so tiring. Sometimes I dislike being a senior when I’m reminded of all the stuff I have to do,” Senior Esperanza Pinon said.
With the new FAFSA and being a first-time student filling it out, there are bound to be mistakes or stumps along the way, even as the FAFSA is making changes and figuring itself out.
“Literally no, I realized that I messed up when I was done filling it out, so now I’ve been waiting for one of the days when they give out opportunities for those who made mistakes to go and fix them. I’ve been checking every day to see if it’s open or not,” Senior Emeli Salinas Leanos said.
