Local ‘Cash for College’ financial aid application assistance goes virtual
Beginning Oct. 1, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid and the California Dream Act Application for the 2021-22 academic year will be available for students to complete online.
Nationwide, there are billions of dollars in student aid at stake during any academic year. In 2018, for example, an estimated $246 billion in financial aid was awarded to undergraduate and graduate college students.
And now more than ever, students planning on attending a post-secondary educational or career/technical training institution are encouraged to apply for financial aid. Why? As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, students have experienced shifts in their college plans, with financial concerns being a main cause of the disruption.
A recent survey conducted by California Student Aid Commission showed that more than 70 percent of current college students lost some, or all, of their sources of income, and 71 percent of high school seniors expressed concerns about financial hardships in their family.
California “Cash for College,” an effort of the CSAC in collaboration with approved partnering organizations, helps college-bound high schoolers complete the application process so they can access financial aid for education and career/technical training beyond high school. Local organizations partner with high school districts to host free workshops and one-on-one assistance for high school seniors.
Youth 2 Leaders Education Foundation, an education nonprofit, has been the California Cash for College Regional Coordinating Organization for Kern County since 2007. During the 20192020 academic year, Youth 2 Leaders hosted 68 in-person workshops and was able to serve more than 2,000 students applying for financial aid for 2020-21.
However, due to the limitations of in-person interactions in keeping with public health directives to limit community spread of COVID-19, financial aid assistance workshops will be virtual during the 2020-21 academic year, when applications for 2021-22 financial aid will need to be submitted. Students can access a list of scheduled workshops and Zoom links through their high school counselors.
Financial aid experts will still be able to provide one-on-one assistance in a virtual setting. To protect privacy, students and their family members will be assigned to a Zoom breakout room with a staff member to answer caseby-case questions. Youth 2 Leaders has been training and providing volunteers with the necessary resources in preparation for this individualized breakout support.
If students are unable to participate in a virtual workshop, they can schedule free, one-on-one appointments with Youth 2 Leaders’ staff members. Appointments can be requested by calling (661) 374-8817 or emailing info@y2lef. org.
To learn more about Youth 2 Leaders Education Foundation, visit www.y2lef. org.
To learn more about the California Cash for College Program of the California Student Aid Commission, visit www. cash4college.csac.ca.gov.
Jazmin Reyes serves as program coordinator for the Youth 2 Leaders Education Foundation. She may be reached at jreyes@y2lef.org.