With the high price of school today, students often must get creative to find money beyond financial aid. Students often turn to available options like loans, grants, scholarships and FAFSA to come up with the funds to finance their education.
“The Financial aid process starts online with the FAFSA,” said Kevin Multop, director of Financial Aid at Central Oregon Community College.
Students can apply for financial aid before the beginning of fall term, the application asks for the students personal information and members living in the household.
“For students who need extra help with their applications COCC also offers FAFSA workshops,” Multop added.
These workshops are offered in every campus regularly, the advisors can help you fill your application or in special cases.
The most common question about financial aid is about refunds, the FAFSA process and the requirements, explained Multop.
New this year however, is a special partnership COCC has forged with US bank, according to Seana Barry, director of admissions and records for COCC.
“COCC has partnered with US Bank starting this term,” Barry said, “students can now choose their refund method and they have the choice of direct deposit or a checking or savings account or a pre-paid debit card issued by US bank or they can go by check mailed to their address.”
The new change this year, according to Barry, was prompted by the departure of COCC’s old partner Sallie Mae which pushed the school to find a new, modern alternative for refunds.
“We had a partner ship with Sallie Mae, then sally mae was bought out by HigherOne and that prompt it us to go out and research and see and look at what other options are out there including HigherOne. But we out and found US bank as a better partnered better options for us,” Barry said.
COCC and the financial aid department encourage students for apply for financial and scholarships. Although not all students are eligible for grants or scholarships, all students can get loans, and some can get a federal work-study job which in the long run helps offset the overall coast.
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