Breanna Steele

 

 

 

 

Get the Help you Need with Financial Aid

     Succeeding in college is one of the biggest challenges that everyone eventually has to face if they really want to make something of themselves. Going to college, though, is easier said than done.  Becoming a student guarantees a lot of stressful times and hard work, but in the end it is really fulfilling for most people. Before most students can even get to all the hard work, though, they have to figure out how they are even going to pay for college. With our economy falling apart, I can understand why a lot of people are saying, “Is college really worth all of this stress?”I have personally asked myself that very question a million different times. The conclusion I have come to full heartedly is yes. Going to college is so important especially in today’s cut throat world. Without a good education most people can kiss a comfortable life good bye.

     I am a seventeen-year-old girl who works two jobs, and went to Gavilan full time until recently. I would not be in this situation, though, if I would have done my research. Because I didn’t do my research, I work two jobs and had to drop a class I was passing because I just couldn’t swing the time or the money to get from work and school. Doing this research showed me that anyone can go to school if they really want too because there are so many different ways to pay for college. Until I started writing this paper I was unaware that there was a way to actually get money for college that I didn’t have to work incredibly hard for. There are a couple different things that can help students pay for college. They include grants, merits, loans, (FAFSA), and employment benefits.  

     A grant is a scholarship, or a gift aid. Getting a grant is something most students would prefer to get because it is free money to pay for school. In order to get a scholarship, you have to work for them. When I say work, I don’t mean the kind that involves manual labor, annoying costumers, or a uniform with a nametag. I mean working as in actually finding a scholarship that is available. Thankfully as time as progressed, finding scholarships has become easier because there are a hundreds a websites to help college students find them. After locating a scholarship, an applicant is one stop from getting free money. The last step is usually telling the foundation that’s giving you a scholarship, why you are in great need of it.

     A merit is something that a student can earn by being good at something that involves school in some form. Good grades or being talented in music or sports is a way for a student to earn a merit. Getting a merit doesn’t just go to any student though; it goes to the students that really try hard. Without determination a merit is easily given. Finical help can also be given to students who fill out their FAFSA, FAFSA stands for Free Application for Federal Student Aid. After filling out a FAFSA students can possibly get their fees wavered, or work in the school they are going too. Working in the school is called work study. Work study is a nonprofit job for students that help them pay for school. This program is funded by the federal government.  Another way students can get free money is by having employment benefits. Getting employment benefits can happen if a student or their relatives qualify for tuition assistance through ether parties’ employer.

     If none of these options are possible, then students can take out student loans. Student loans are loans that students get in installments well they are going to the college of their choice. After they are done with college and making a certain amount though they have to pay off all the money they borrowed. You can get and find student loans in a lot of different ways. I found that using the internet was the easiest way to find student loans. One of the first student loans I found was with the bank Wells Fargo. When you get a loan from Wells Fargo website, they ask you to pick a category. These categories involve “undergraduate, undergraduate health professional, Law, MBA, or other graduate programs, Graduate health profession, Career Technical and Continuing Education Program, Parent Loans for undergraduate, Parent  Loans for kindergarten-12^th grade student(s), Consolidation.”

     After you have selected one of the choices, the website asks  what state you are located in and what school you go too. After you fill that in, it will show you different types of loans, and all the information you need to go with it.  I honestly thought this was the easiest thing to do out of all the things I tired. Looking up all this information can be really tiring and confusing at times but this website broke up everything up into steps. The website also made everything easy to understand which was nice.

     I think that the reason a lot of people don’t even try to get any of these things is because reading through all of the websites, magazines, and books can be really confusing and tiring. I know that part of the reason I didn’t look into financial aid was because I was too lazy. Also a lot of people think that their parents make too much money to even qualify for it. In many situations, though, that isn’t the case.  I personally know many people who thought that but later on learned that it wasn’t true. Mistakes and assumptions like that can cost students thousands of dollars.

     A good example of someone who lost money because of this mistake is my cousin Cecile. She went to De Anza community college for one quarter before she dropped out because she couldn’t afford it. After wasting a year of her life outside of college, she finally did her research. After spending time filling out her FAFSA, she was able to get most of her school fees wavered, and she got a five hundred dollar scholarship. 

     I think a lot of people could be in the same situation as my cousin if they just made the effort to look up all the information necessary to get the scholarships, grants, student loans, employment befits, or merits they need.  I hope that students to be that read this are inspired to actually make the effort to find the things they need after they read this paper. Because like a said previously anyone can go to school if they want too.