In the realm of college each semester, many students encounter the giant of the struggle of finances looming before them. Though it may seem hopeless, there are many different ways to help ease the load of paying for college.
Grace Schmidt, a senior Psychology major from DeSoto, Texas is one of them.
“My first semester the leftover expenses I had to pay was greater than what my family expected to pay,” Schmidt said.
In the midst of financial challenges, Schmidt pays for school in numerous ways.
“I receive financial aid and I received a Federal Pell Grant because I have a sister who is just starting college,” Schmidt said. “I have a scholarship from Opportunity Plan and I have an academic scholarship. I applied for these scholarships through WT.”
Jim Reed, the Director of Financial Aid at West Texas A&M University, explains the process of applying for financial aid.
“Financial aid known as FAFSA (Federal Student Aid) is a free application that can be done online,” Reed said. “It takes between twenty minutes to a half hour.”
There are additional documents needed to complete a FAFSA form and the Financial Aid Office encourages students to wait until all these documents are in place.
“Wait till you have your W2s in place,” Reed said. “W2s are documents that report an employee’s yearly wages and the taxes that were taken from their paycheck. FAFSA must be completed by June of the following year. Try to complete FAFSA by the middle of April.”
“There is not a specific financial amount that students have to have in order to be eligible for financial aid. There are many variables involved when you are applying and you are not only applying for grants but for federal loans,” he said.
Tia Hunt, a freshman Spanish major from Jasper, Texas offers financial advice to incoming freshmen.
“Contact the financial aid of the school you are going to and get advice from them on how to fill FASFA out. Get your FAFSA application done super early,” she said.
Scholarships are another way to receive financial assistance.
“Be active in looking for scholarship opportunities outside of the school” Schmidt said. “There is a lot of opportunities for scholarships in Canyon and throughout Texas. Be active in applying for scholarships. It’s ok to ask about them. That is what they are there for.”
Students can even receive extra money when they are attending college. If students receive an excess of funds, they are entitled to a refund. This happens if they receive more money than they own on their bill.
With the distribution of financial aid and scholarships the student’s bill is totaled and they get their financial aid dispersed and additional funds are given directly to the student. In order to receive financial aid and scholarships efficiently, students are encouraged to do things in a timely fashion.
“Respond to emails sent from the Financial Aid Office,” Reed saud.
If the Financial Aid Office asks for additional documents from students, they should bring them to their office located in Old Main, Room 108. Students are encouraged to fill out and return documents in a timely manner.
