Print this story |
E-mail story |
This story has 2 comments | Add your own |
iPod friendly | Bookmark this
What is this?
JHS helps students look for financial aid
Published Saturday, January 17, 2009
Finding financial aid for college can be one of the most difficult, time-consuming and stressful for juniors and seniors in high school.
However, one local high school made the process a little easier for its college-bound students and those from other schools last week.
Photo by Brent Maze
Word to the wise: B.J. Pierce, a senior tax advisor from H&R Block in Clanton, shares information on filing taxes. Any college students who wishes to file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid must file their taxes to complete the form.
Jemison High School hosted a financial aid workshop Thursday night that was intended to help high school upperclassmen figure out what to do when they are applying for financial aid.
Jemison senior Meagan Jones took the class last year, and what she learned then has been helpful in preparing for this year.
“It’s really given me a head start in looking for financial aid this year,” she said. “There’s just so much to learn about finding financial aid. More schools should do this for their students.”
The school opened up its distance learning lab for the seminar. The presenter was Dr. Tommy Wilson, financial aid advisor at Auburn University. B.J. Pierce, a senior tax advisor from H&R Block in Clanton, also shared helpful information on filing taxes, which is necessary for filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FASFA).
Three things that Wilson stressed were:
• There is help to fund toward your postsecondary education.
• File the FASFA each year beginning with Jan. 1 your high school senior year.
• Contact the financial aid scholarship offices at the school you will be attending.
Some types of federal financial aid available are grants, employment/work study and loans.
Through the use of the lab’s laptop computers, Wilson walked the students, parents and guardians through various Web sites. They also filled out a dummy FASFA form.
Jemison High School counselor Lecrecia Waters said the response was great from the students and parents.
“Upon conclusion of the workshop, I gave out a survey, and our goals were met. One hundred percent of the participants indicated that as a result of the workshop they now better understand the process of applying for federal student aid, and 100 percent of the participants felt that the overall presentation was either good or excellent,” Waters said.
The school hopes to continue to offer these classes each year.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO SHARE THIS STORY?
Comments
Posted by Tara (anonymous) on January 18, 2009 at 8:45 a.m. (Suggest removal)
As a parent of a junior at JHS, as well a a 2008 graduate of JHS who is attending college without financial aid, it would have been nice to have known this was available. Perhaps if this is available again, you could send a letter to parents or start email alerts which parents can sign up for so that they are aware when great opportunities such as this are available to them.
Posted by dixiedreaming (anonymous) on July 7, 2009 at 3:49 p.m. (Suggest removal)
As another parent of a Junior planning to attend college, I would have liked to be advised also.
Without any knowledge of knowing if the PACT will be any good in a couple of years, this information is vital to some of us.
Use of the automated calling mechanism that JHS has that notifed us the graduation was being moved would have been a fatastic way to let us know this.
Post a comment (Terms of Use Policy)
(Requires free registration.)