BIRMINGHAM – Each year thousands of dollars are offered to graduating high school seniors to offset the cost of college, but few in Alabama fill-out the required documents needed to qualify for assistance.
Alabama Possible’s Blueprints College Access Initiative, in partnership with the Alabama Career Information Network, is hosting two free workshops on April 3 and April 5 at the Southside Baptist Church (1016 19th Street South, Birmingham) to raise awareness about and ensure area high school seniors fill-out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA is required for students to receive federal and state grants, loans, and scholarships at most two- and four-year institutions. In addition to qualifying for cash to pay for college, families that complete the FAFSA at one of the upcoming workshops will be entered into a drawing for a free Wal-Mart Gift Card.
“The Free Application for Federal Student Aid is one of the most important college documents prospective students need to complete, but have never heard of it,” said Kristina Scott, executive director of Alabama Possible. “As a result, each year tens of thousands of Alabama families don’t file their FAFSA in time to meet the various deadlines for financial assistance. These workshops will provide hands-on, expert assistance that can make college tuition more affordable.”
Blueprints is a statewide initiative that matches current college students with high school students from low-income families. The college mentors work with their younger peers to guide them through the college-going process and connect them with the numerous resources available to make college more affordable. Currently, students from nine high schools and eight colleges take part in this effort.
This is the third year in a row that Blueprints has hosted FASFA workshops. Last year, 100 percent of students who completed a FAFSA form at one of Blueprints’ workshops qualified for Pell Grants. According to the U.S. Department of Education, nine out of 10 students who file a FAFSA attend a two- or four-year college that fall.
When:
Thursday, April 3: 4 to 7 p.m.
Saturday, April 5: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Where:
Southside Baptist Church
1016 19th Street South
Birmingham, Alabama
Alabama Possible is a statewide nonprofit organization dedicated to reducing systematic poverty and its root cause across Alabama. AP educates Alabamians about poverty, collaborates with colleges and faith-based institutions on poverty-reduction activities and advocates for fact-based policy decisions. AP was founded in 1993 and is based in Birmingham, Al. For more information visit www.alabamapossible.org.
