Counselor’s Corner

by KATHY ARENDT
College and Career Counselor

Education beyond high school can give you choices that may not otherwise be possible, open doors to better paying positions, and give you the opportunity to do the things you enjoy most. By advancing your education, you can expand your possibilities and increase your career choices.

The challenge is to find money to finance this education. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is one resource for high school seniors to help finance their higher education. FAFSA is the form used by virtually all two and four-year colleges, universities and career schools for the awarding of federal student aid and most state and college aid.

Check out the FAFSA website at www.fafsa.ed.gov and view the new Financial Aid Estimator Tool – FAFSA4casterSM. The FAFSA4caster provides students with an early estimate of their eligibility for federal student financial assistance.

Students considering furthering their education beyond high school can use this free tool to: 1. Calculate their eligibility for federal financial aid, including grants, and 2. Reduce the time it will take to complete the FAFSA.

Hays CISD seniors of 2010 may now go online at www.fafsa.ed.gov and apply for financial aid for college. Hays High School has set up two FAFSA Saturday workshops on Feb. 6 and Feb. 13 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the Hays Library to assist parents and seniors in completing the FAFSA on-line. Lehman High School also has two Saturday FAFSA workshops planned, Feb. 20 and Feb. 27, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. All four Saturday events are open to all Hays CISD students. 2009 tax documents should be brought to the workshop for use in completing the FAFSA. Please contact Kathy Arendt at Hays HS or Allison Tillotson at Lehman HS if you have any questions.

Kathy Arendt is a counselor at Hays High School.