Education/ Educación What is the FAFSA and How Do I apply?

BY CHRISTY MARTINEZ-GARCIA FOR LATINO LUBBOCK MAGAZINE

LOS HERMANOS FAMIL IA 2023 SCHOLARSHIPS you do. Find your state financial aid deadline on the Federal Student Aid website. f I find myself in stagnant waters, I feel the urgency to jump out and dive into an ocean where I may find the opportunity to expand on my strengths. In other words, I really desire to be in places that encourage me to grow, but I ought to be careful with what I wish for!

I found myself in an unfamiliar environment in July. Feelings of hopelessness overcame me as I approached new learning curves. I felt inadequate for not being able to successfully talk patients into participating in my lab's eye imaging study. Now, five months later, I feel more confident as a contrib-

Iuting team member at one of the top research programs in ophthalmology at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Time just needed to take its course!

Since starting the program, I have not only grown to love patients, but I even traveled to Puerto Rico to give a presentation on my research project that I did last summer! Thinking about 2023, I look forward to earning the opportunity to overcome fears and weaknesses and be the best version of myself. I'd like to revamp the saying, "life is a gift, that's why it's called the present." Life is not only a gift, but my life can also serve as a gift to God!

Plan how to pay for college before you start. Ask school counselors and the college financial aid office about state, college, and nonprofit grants and scholarships you can apply for. Be sure to meet application deadlines. Start saving before you get to college. Consider prepaid tuition and education savings (529) plans. Next, complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) form allows you to be considered for federal that student aid. In addition, states and colleges use FAFSA information to award their own grants, scholarships, and loans. But, since aid is limited, you have to meet the deadlines and apply as soon as possible!

Submit FAFSA for each school year to qualify for grants, scholarships, federal work-study and federal student loans. Deadlines vary for federal, state and institutional aid. For the 2023–24 Academic Year, the FAFSA form must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. Central time (CT) on June 30, 2023. Any corrections or updates must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. CT on Sept. 10, 2023.

The federal government gives students a deadline of June 30 after the school year in which they need aid — for instance, June 30, 2023, for the 2022-23 school year or June 30, 2023, for the 2023-24 school year — to file the FAFSA. But you have to submit the form much earlier to meet financial aid deadlines for your state and college and to get your aid dollars in time for the start of the school year.

States and individual colleges set their own FAFSA deadlines that are typically much earlier than the federal one. You have to file your application by these deadlines to qualify for state and institutional grants and scholarships.

If you’re attending an out-of-state school, you may not qualify for state aid — check with the state to see if is now accepting its next round of scholarship applications. The application will close on March 15, 2023, at 11:59 p.m. These scholarships are designed to assist area students to obtain a higher education and to encourage retention. For more details and to apply go to: www.loshermanosfamilia.org/universityscholarship

The federal deadline is your last chance to submit the FAFSA each year. If you need financial aid for the 2022-23 school year, you can submit the form until June 30, 2023. Workstudy dollars and most state and institutional aid will run out the fastest for 2022-23, but there will still be time to qualify for federal grants and student loans. Even if you wait until June 30, you can receive these grants and loans retroactively to cover what you’ve already paid for the spring and fall semester. Or, depending on your school, you may be able to apply the funds to pay for 2023 summer school. Track colleges’ financial aid deadlines. Priority deadlines at individual schools often fall the earliest, so those deadlines are the most important to track. Those dates are also the best chance to get the most aid. Look up the deadlines for all of the schools you’re applying to and write them down in one place — try using your phone’s calendar, a spreadsheet or a notebook dedicated to your college search. Submit any other financial aid applications. Many schools require additional or alternative financial aid applications, such as the CSS Profile, to qualify for state or institutional aid. You’ll need to submit all the required paperwork before the deadline to be considered for aid.

Above all, remember Oct. 1. It’s not a deadline, but if you submit your FAFSA soon after that day, you’ll cover all your bases. So don't procrastinate, and don't rely on others to do your work. After all, the early bird truly gets the worm!

Wait for your financial aid award letter, which details how much free aid you qualify for and how much in federal loans you can borrow.

For more information visit www. fafsa.gov and of course speak with your school counselor as soon as possible.

Good luck from Latino Lubbock Magazine! Don't wait!

SCHOLARSHIP INFO ONLINE

Fastweb.com - This website claims to be the most complete source of local, national, and college-specific scholarships on the net. It lists thousands of scholarships. When you sign up, you can get email updates when new scholarships become available. Good and free resource.

DON’T MESS WITH TEXAS SCHOLARSHIP CONTEST, in partnership with Keep Texas Beautiful (KTB), recognizes the achievements of high school seniors who have taken a leadership role to prevent litter in their school and/or community. Any Texas high school senior planning to pursue a two- or four-year degree in the state of Texas for the Fall 2023 semester may apply at www.dontmesswithtexas. org/education-overview/scholarships until March 31, 2023.

2023–24 FAFSA FORM AVAILABLE The new 2023–24 FAFSA form is here! Some states and schools have limited funds, so don’t delay! Additional forms might be required. Private and two-year institutions may have different deadlines. Check with your financial aid administrator. To begin your application, go to https:// studentaid.gov/.

"HACER® MORE SCHOLARSHIP" Se invita a los estudiantes hispanos del último año de la escuela secundaria que tengan deseos de ir a la universidad, y a sus padres, a que visiten mcdonalds.com/hacer para obtener recursos universitarios adicionales en inglés y en español y para conocer todos los detalles sobre cómo solicitar la Beca Nacional HACER® de McDonald's. El período para solicitar la beca para el próximo año académico comienza el 5 de octubre de 2023 y finaliza el 3 de febrero de 2024.

FALLEN HEROES FUND Scholarship to assist with educational expenses of dependent survivors of service men and women and first responders who have died on active duty since September 11, 2001. Dependent survivors would include spouse, sons, and daughters (biological, adopted or step children). The scholarships are available as supplements to financial aid and survivor educational benefits. The applicant may be registered as a full or parttime student. Use the following link to apply: www.grantrequest.com/ SID_6007?SA=SNA&FID=35040

CHARLES A. & GRACE GUY SCHOLARSHIP for Students majoring in Journalism Office of the Dean, School of Mass Communications P.O. Box 43082, Lubbock, TX 79409-3082