Financial Aid Awareness Day Attracts Crowd

March 25, 2009

On Wednesday, March 25th, The BMCC Office of Financial Aid held its annual Financial Aid Awareness Day in the Richard Harris Terrace. The event gave students the chance to learn about the many different resources available to help pay for college, via grants, loans, work study and scholarships.

Representatives from Financial Aid set up shop, answering BMCC students’ burning questions about FAFSA, TAP and Scholarship opportunities. Some students were able to file their 2009-2010 FAFSA application on the spot, as long as they had their 2008 income documents.

FAFSA is the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. In other words, the federal government uses it to determine a student’s eligibility for federal financial aid, which includes grants and scholarships.

Currently, students can complete FAFSA on the Web, which greatly reduces the amount of time it takes to process their FAFSA from 3 to 4 weeks to just a few days. Pamphlets about FAFSA on the Web, and other helpful financial aid options, were distributed at the event.

All day long, BMCC students trickled in and out of the Richard Harris Terrace, grateful to have the opportunity to speak with a financial aid representative on a one-on-one basis.

Since so many BMCC students juggle work, schoolwork, classes and home life, it can be hard for them to schedule time to wait on line at the on-campus Financial Aid Office, which has made ‘Awareness Day’ so beneficial.

Students Curious To Learn More
LaShonda Young, an Early Childhood Education major, had questions for the Financial Aid representatives about her financial aid options. “I want to be aware of what’s available to us,” she said.

Student Jennifer Helligeo came to Richard Harris Terrace in the hopes of changing some information on her online aid application. “I accidentally put down some incorrect information online and couldn’t change it,” she said. “I hope they can help me in person.”

Science major Ismael Valenzuela said he came to Financial Aid Awareness Day because, as a Texas native, he needed to change his tax forms and wondered how they’d affect his financial aid, now that he is living in New York. “I want to apply for financial aid; for TAP,” he said.

TAP is New York State’s Tuition Assistance Program (TAP). The New York State Higher Education Services Corporation (HESC) is the state agency that helps people pay for college by administering the TAP, guaranteeing student loans, offering guidance and administering a College Savings program for students and families.

John Anderson, who is studying nursing, stopped by to learn more about BMCC’s Performance Based Scholarship program (PBS). An international student, he cannot apply for federal financial aid, but can apply for a scholarship or loan.

In 2008, BMCC was chosen by MDRC, a nonprofit, nonpartisan research firm, to receive $1.4 million to participate in a performance-based scholarship study. BMCC currently has 742 students participating in this PBS study, and is looking forward to attracting 1,100 students over the next three semesters. This is just one of many scholarships available to students at BMCC.

Grants and Loans Currently Available to Qualified Students
According to Mayra Yepez, Associate Director of Financial Aid, these are the Federal Grants & Loans available to students: Federal PELL Grant, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG), Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACG), Federal Work-Study (FWS), Federal Perkins Loan and Federal Direct Loan Program.

At this time, both eligible part-time and full-time students can receive full financial aid for the summer, spring and fall semesters.

Rossi Alvarado, also of the Financial Aid Office, said that this year she was surprised by the number of students who did qualify for financial aid—even if they thought they would not be applicable. “It never hurts to just put in an application,” she said.

share this story »