Financial Aid Workshop to be held at local library

http://media.www.sanmatean.com/media/storage/paper796/news/2009/12/14/News/Financial.Aid.Workshop.To.Be.Held.At.Local.Library-3853939.shtml

Sharon Ho
Issue date: 12/14/09

The financial aid office will be holding a free financial aid application workshop on Jan. 23 at the San Mateo Public Library located on 55 West 3rd Avenue.

The workshop is open to current CSM students and senior high school students. Parents are also welcome.

There will be two workshop sessions; one student who attended each session will get a chance to win a $1,000 Cash for College scholarship.

"CSM has been participating in the Cash For Scholarship every year since 2005," said financial aid technician Jesenia Diaz.

More than 200 people attended the two workshop sessions last year, said Diaz.

"During the workshop, we will be going through the 2010-2011 Free Application for Federal Student Aid process," said financial aid technician Karen Chadwick. "Like last year, we will go through the whole FAFSA application line by line."

Students are advised to submit their FAFSA application by the Mar. 2 priority deadline so that they will be eligible to apply for the Cal Grant, said Diaz.

The workshop will take place in the Oak Room. The tentative schedule is as follows:

10:30 a.m. to 10:45 a.m.: participants arriving
10:45 a.m. to 11.45 a.m.: first presentation
11:45 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.: open for questions
12:00 p.m. to 12:30 p.m.: lunch break
12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.: second presentation
1:30 p.m. to 1:45 p.m.: open for questions

Light refreshments in the form of pizza and drinks will be provided during the lunch break, Diaz said.

"We ask that students and their parents come in before the start of each presentation so that they will not miss any important information," said Diaz.