It Is Not Too Late to Apply for College - Guidance From RISLA

It Is Not Too Late to Apply for College - Guidance From RISLA

If you think it might be too late to apply for college financial aid for your son or daughter, think again.

A really important first step to unlocking much-needed financial aid is completing one key form known as the FAFSA – Free Application for Federal Student Aid.

The FAFSA is used by colleges to determine your Expected Family Contribution (EFC). In 2018 Nerdwallet estimated that Rhode Island students let almost $6,000,000 in free financial aid go unused by not completing the FAFSA. The FAFSA is the gateway for financial aid such as the federal Pell Grant, state grants, college financial aid, work-study, and federal loans.

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While the FAFSA form may seem long and complicated to fill out, help is available and that’s where the College Planning Center comes in.

For more than 20 years, RISLA’s College Planning Center (CPC) has been Rhode Island’s largest provider of free college planning assistance.

The center typically helps over 16,000 students and families a year navigate the often-daunting task of selecting and applying for college, reviewing college essays as well as hands-on help with financial aid forms. During the prior academic year, the College Planning Center assisted in the completion of over 4,800 financial aid forms.

According to Charles Kelley, Executive Director of RISLA, “the goal of the CPC is to increase the overall FAFSA completion rate for Rhode Island and especially for our underserved and neediest populations.

Last year Rhode Island’s FAFSA completion rate was the fourth-highest in the country, but the pandemic has made this a very challenging year for high school seniors in so many ways, including applying for financial aid.  To help, RISLA’s College Planning Center has developed an array of online video (including in Spanish), texting services and all during the pandemic our expert counselors have been helping students and families complete the FAFSA over the phone.”

Students and parents are invited to schedule a one-on-one telephone appointment with a financial aid expert by going to www.cpcri.org, calling 401-736-3170, texting the word “FAFSA” to 24000 or just emailing [email protected]. Spanish-speaking counselors are also available.

“As always,  the College Planning Center is working with high school counselors, albeit remotely, to communicate the importance of completing the FAFSA, and we are hopeful the use of a variety of channels will help us have a conversation about the array of tools at their disposal, even when some bricks and mortar schools are closed,” explained Stacy Crooks, Director of the RISLA College Planning Center.

All families are encouraged to apply regardless of their family circumstances. Now that’s turning a painful process into a stress-free one.