Seniors, the time has come to start planning for the future. It is scary for some to think about the future, but it is a matter that everyone has to experience at some point in their lives. Students who desire to have a prosperous future must follow some crucial steps to achieve it, which can be difficult, but there are various resources available to aid students through this process.

Those who are already planning their futures have their mind in the right place, but those who have not started may find it difficult. Thankfully, there is one crucial task that all students can and must do. It does not matter how far into the planning a student is, every student needs to fill out the FAFSA.

For those who have no clue what the FAFSA is, it is Free Application for Federal Student Aid. FAFSA is an application that allows students to get financial aid and will be a student’s best friend when it comes to the future.

FAFSA, along with scholarships, can help students pay for their desired colleges and the numerous expenses that come with them. Some colleges actually require students to fill out the FAFSA as part of their entry requirements. By filling out and submitting the application in a timely manner, which depends on the colleges it is being submitted to, the benefits will be monumental.

FAFSA may sound complicated, but it is not, and there are people available to help. CHS’s counselors will be holding a FAFSA completion night that is open to all seniors looking to attend a two or four year college.

All of the counselors will be in attendance, including Ms. Vatalaro, the counselor for students with last names beginning with Cm-He. Ms. Vatalaro looks forward to the event and sees its importance, which is why people who have plenty of experience working with the FAFSA will be in attendance as well. “ FAFSA night gives students and parents two hours of time to complete their FAFSA with guidance from financial aid representatives from PPCC.  These are individuals whose job it is to review FAFSA information at the college level. They are well versed in unique circumstances that can come up when families fill out the FAFSA,” Vatalaro explains.

PPCC offers a variety of financial aid options, including the FAFSA. Ashley Dutton, one of PPCC’s financial aid experts,encourages students to fill out the FAFSA. One of the many ways they provide this encouragement is by working with families in a way that will alleviate the stress of filling out the FAFSA. “Every year we work with the high school counselors to schedule FAFSA completion events at as many high schools as we can to help alleviate the stress and worry of completing the FAFSA. Upcoming high school graduates and their families have enough to worry about, the FAFSA should not be one of them,” Dutton stated.

FAFSA completion night is on November 6th from 6:00 to 8:00 in the media center, room 222.

If students have questions, they should talk to their counselors. PPCC will be there if students have any questions about making PPCC part of their FAFSA. For students who want more information about the FAFSA, any of the links below provide plenty of it. Planning for the future can be difficult, but CHS is here to support its seniors and make it easier.

FAFSA Information:

https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/fafsa

https://blog.ed.gov/2018/09/7-things-you-need-2019-20-fafsa/?utm_content=&utm_medium=email&utm_name=&utm_source=govdelivery&utm_term

http://scholarship.d11.org/financial-aid/fafsa

http://coronadocounseling.weebly.com/financial-aid.html

https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/sites/default/files/financial-aid-myths.pdf

https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/sites/default/files/fafsa-overview.wmv

http://scholarship.d11.org/financial-aid/aid-101

Ms. Vatalaro:

[email protected]

PPCC’s financial aid office:  

[email protected]

719-502-3000

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