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- Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Archives Revels Classifieds Real Estate Guide Weather Subscribe Contact Us January 7, 2005 'Tis the season to apply for financial aid By Bill Choy Ashland Daily Tidings For high school seniors and their families, January can be a very stressful month that entails figuring out what college the teens will go to and how they will pay for it. Beginning Jan 1., students have been able to apply for the Federal Application for Federal Student Aid for the 2005-06 school year. With colleges awarding financial aid on a first-come, first-served basis, submitting applications early is vital to receiving the best financial aid available. Steve Smith, an academic advisor at Ashland High School, said the school tries to encourage parents and students to turn their FAFSA forms in early. "We try to tell students and parents to have that FAFSA out early because the money does run out," he said. "After February, things start to thin out and you could lose out because the pot can run dry." Peggy Nistos, director of financial aid at Southern Oregon University, said students and their families often do not realize the importance of getting their forms in early. "Many students are very involved their senior year and are not thinking about aid packages," she said. "Obviously, we want them to receive the best aid package possible. ... Hopefully, we're getting out the right information and resources, so they can get the funds for their education" Ben Kaplan of Portland, author of the book "How to Go to College Almost for Free" and a nationally known paying-for-college expert, said families who submit their applications before Feb. 1 enjoy a significant monetary advantage. He said each year, many families wait too long to submit their applications and lose out on this funding. "The key is to take action right away," Kaplan said. "The number one mistake is they get busy and forget about it." He said once an application is turned in, it take several weeks to get sent to their schools of choice. With many universities starting to hand out financial aid and scholarship packages by mid-February, its vital to turn the forms in early to receive the best chance of getting a good offer, Kaplan said. Vital resources Ashland High officials said they try to provide seminars and resources such as the financial aid office at SOU to help students and parents understand financial aid and the importance of getting their FAFSAs in early. On Thursday, the ASPIRE Program at AHS is offering a program at the high school on applying for financial aid, scholarships and the FAFSA. And on Dec. 10, AHS and the SOU financial aid office held a seminar on the FAFSA and how to apply. Smith said a vital resource for helping AHS students and parents with these questions is the financial aid office at SOU. He said they will meet with AHS students and parents, even those that do not plan to attend SOU. "They are very generous with their time and are the experts on financial aid and are the ones on the front lines and have all the information they need," Smith said. Kloe Williams, 18, a senior at Ashland High, said she plans to turn her FAFSA forms in shortly. She attended the school's seminar on financial aid last month and said it's important for students to turn their forms in early. "I think it's a great way to help go to college," she said. "It's definitely valuable and can help you." Private schools Wendy Harris of Ashland recommends parents and students look carefully at universities throughout the country, especially private schools that have the resources, such as an active alumni association, to give generous scholarship and financial-aid packages to students. Her oldest son, Aaron, 22, who previously attended Lewis & Clark College in Portland, recently received a generous financial aid package from Hampshire College in Amherst. Mass. "It paid for almost his entire tuition," she said. "It would cost me more to send him to UO (University of Oregon) than sending him to Hampshire." Her other son Adam, 18, received a financial aid package to attend the Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle. Harris said if students have attributes private schools are seeking, many times, they will give financial aid and scholarships packages that are more generous compared to public institutions. "Some of these schools have so much money to give away," Harris said. "Kids in Ashland need to open their eyes and look to go away." 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