Financial Aid office at the Pacific Coast Campus hosted a workshop for future and current students to have guidance about what financial aid is and how to apply on Sep. 25.
At the workshop, financial adviser Angela Fowlkes was responsible to introduce what financial aid is and every step of the process to apply.
“I was not assigned to host this workshop but I love helping students, and so I offered to do it,” Fowlkes said.
Fowlkes showed presentations that introduced attendants what the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is, how to fill it out, the steps to apply for federal work study, and all information about the types of grants, loans and scholarships. She also responded questions from the attendants.
Fowlkes added how helpful workshops are, as “Many students do not even know what financial is.” she said.
In 2016, 25,574 students enrolled at LBCC and 21,090 filled their FAFSA and were awarded financial aid, through grants, loans or both, according to data retrieved from California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office data-mart website. Website has yet to update their data with 2017 and 2018 numbers.
Student Gloria Aguirre attended the one hour workshop and asked multiple questions to the financial aid ad visor to clear all her doubts.
By the end of the event, Aguirre said she felt satisfied with the workshop and that there were some things she did not know and that were helpful.
“I did know what financial aid was, I’m actually awarded but there’s things like loans and their interests or how to apply for federal work study that I did not happen to know. I’ll actually share this information with my friends,” said Aguirre.
Other students like Jasmine Carillo are in the process of applying and did not know there was a workshop that could help her through that.
While waiting in line outside financial aid office, Carillo said, “I am currently applying and I’m just waiting for my award letter. It was a difficult and confusing process, the workshop would have definitely helped me if I had just heard about it.”
The workshop received little advertisement besides being published at LBCC’s news and event section. There was a small group at the workshop.
More workshops are offered by financial aid through all the month of October beginning on Oct. 3 at the LAC. More information can be found at events calendar section at LBCC’s website https://www.lbcc.edu/calendar