Cash For College Night was held on Wednesday evening in the Milpitas High School Library between 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. and offered both students and families one-on-one help with college financial aid applications such as the FAFSA, with financial aid advisors being available to assist them.
This event was organized to provide direct help and guidance for students who may find the financial aid process overwhelming or challenging, College and Career Specialist Alcina Rosas, said. Having these resources available is especially helpful given the aid application deadlines and college acceptances that are quickly approaching, she said.
“I think it’s really helpful for our students and parents or guardians to have some sort of guidance on how to apply for financial aid,” Rosas said. “A lot of people can find it really daunting and confusing, so to have someone who is there and available to help basically walk you through the entire application step-by-step, can be really helpful.”
The event itself was in part both organized by Rosas herself and with the help of the California Student Aid Commission’s (CSAC) branch called the California Student Access Opportunity Program (Cal-SOAP), Rosas explained. Completing the FAFSA is mandatory for graduation at Milpitas High School, though families can submit an opt-out form if necessary, she added.
“A laptop is all that they need to bring to this event,” Rosas said. “If there’s any other information that might be needed, then the representatives will let them know to help students with the process.”
Assistant Director of Financial Aid at Santa Clara University, Axel Moran, was one of two financial aid representatives who were present at the event to work individually with families to assist them. It’s heavily encouraged that students should take their time and take advantage of needed resources, Moran said.
“I was a student myself before, so I was in their shoes too,” Moran said. “Go and ask questions and don’t think that you’re by yourself. There’s always going to be people willing to help in the process.”
One of the biggest misconceptions that many students usually tend to have is that their aid application wouldn’t yield a large grant due to their families’ high-income bracket, Moran said. Regardless of income, all students should apply for grants and financial aid anyway, he added.
“Don’t be afraid to apply,” Moran said. “It doesn’t matter how big or small the grant or scholarship is, because it’s still contributing to your education.”
Senior Maggie Lau attended the event and was seeking to clarify questions she had about the aid application process, she said. Before attending the event and speaking with financial aid advisors, she was unfamiliar with much of the process, she added.
“They were extremely helpful, and they’re really nice,” Lau said. “I really appreciate them, and I learned a lot from them. I completed the student portion for the FAFSA tonight.”
It was noted that earlier Cash for College events, two of which were held last semester, had much higher turnout, Rosas said. Despite the fact that attendance for this event was much lower than expected, the event was still an important resource for families, Rosas added.
“I hope this event does reduce stress,” Rosas said. “I think that by doing that, or by having these events, it really alleviates a lot of the questions that people have about this process.”
