With many questions in the air and an ambition for a successful future, both parents and students gathered in the theatre for an informational meeting on financial aid, FAFSA Night, on Jan.14th.

FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid Workshop) is an application that provides students coming out of high school the opportunity to file for financial aid. FAFSA is a completely free application that is easy to complete.

“Filling out the application was a piece of cake, but I wasn’t aware of the various scholarships I was eligible for,” senior Carmen Escalante said, “Also, I couldn’t explain certain things to my parents, like the difference between loans and grants.”
The Financial Aid Office, located at Cerritos College, offers a variety of free presentations to schools to motivate students to aspire for a college education. Downey High School held its own financial aid workshop on Jan.14th, in the school’s theatre.

“Close to one hundred people showed up,” said Instructional Service Technician, Tina Campos.

“The night went smoothly and many questions were answered.”

Financial Aid Specialist and Outreach Coordinator, Yesenia Ramirez gave a presentation to students and parents, informing them about financial aid resources available, both state and federal, and assisted them with the financial aid process, and completing the FAFSA application.

“She was very informative and straightforward,” senior Jacquelyn Velez said about Ramirez,

“And she worked well with my parents, answering any questions they had.”

The Financial Aid Office Outreach Program encourages students to apply for financial aid even if eligibility is in question. Students have more to lose if they don’t apply for financial aid rather if they do. So pick up that pen (a typed application is preferable), answer a few questions, and turn in that application! It will make obtaining your goal for a higher education that much easier and more affor