Filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) can be a tedious and time consuming process for students, but Sinclair Community College is now offering free online FAFSA workshops to make it easier for students, according to Candace McGowan, financial aid officer.
“Financial aid is important to help bridge that gap between those who can afford college and those who cannot,” McGowan said. “Financially it helps those who cannot pay out of pocket, the opportunity to attend college and educate themselves.”
For those students wishing to attend the FAFSA workshops, McGowan suggests first picking up a copy of the 2010-2011 FAFSA worksheet located in Building 10, outside of Room 324. Then, McGowan said students should fill out all the questions and bring that worksheet to the workshop.
“Many students feel that filling out the FAFSA is tedious,” she said. “But taking 30 to 40 minutes on something that is going to fund your education is worth it. By having that worksheet already filled out during the workshop can make the process that much smoother.”
For the next three months, the Financial Aid office will be assisting students in their “financial journey,” McGowan said. Students can get personal interaction and visual step-by-step help from the Financial Aid staff.
The staff will also be available to answer questions concerning the FAFSA, how to apply for the FAFSA and be able to explain the different types of financial assistance that can be available to students, she said.
McGowan said all workshops will be held in computer labs, so that students who complete their FAFSA during the workshop can submit their FAFSA application to www.fafsa.gov, according to Sinclair’s website sinclair.edu/services/finaid.
For those students who are completing their financial aid on their own, McGowan said to watch out for the common errors that students often make which, includes leaving fields blank, forgetting to sign and date and failing to register with the Selective Service, McGowan said.
“All of these errors create a time lag and can delay your application process,” she said.
Another option for students this year is FAFSA on the phone. FAFSA on the phone is an alternative for students who don’t have access to the Internet, to fill out their FAFSA with the assistance of Federal Aid Information Center customer service representatives, according to the website, www.ifap.ed.gov/announcement/attachments.
“This service is aimed at students who are pressing deadlines and have no other option to complete the FAFSA,” according to the website.
While the phone process may be convenient, students must have the proper information: federal tax forms, social security number, driver’s license number (if available) and other important documents to make it easier to relay information over the telephone.
For more questions or assistance regarding FAFSA over the phone students can call 1-800-4-FED-AID.
“We all have to do a little something to get something.” McGowan said. “The FAFSA is just like the tax form and you just have to sit down and complete it because the reward in the end is worth it.”
Service Box
The following dates and times are for the workshops and will be held in Building 11, Room 323:
Monday, Jan. 31 at 2:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 8 at 10 a.m.
Monday, Feb. 21 at 2:30 p.m.
Thursday, Mar. 3 at 10 a.m.
Wednesday, Mar. 9 at 5:30 p.m.