5 financial aid tips new students need to know

Posted: October 19, 2016

Whether you’re a new student or a seasoned student, financial aid is often the source of frustration. For some, navigating financial aid can be a discouraging experience that adds excessive stress to an already tough schedule.

Recently, I spoke with Bates Technical College’s Financial Aid Specialist Jamie Huey to find out the most important pieces of financial aid information new students should know.

Top 5 tips students should know as they start their college career

  1. Fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as soon as possible in order to beat the deadline for financial award.
  1. A confirmation email from FAFSA is NOT the same as an award of financial aid.
  1. Washington state students interested in free scholarships may enroll in WashBoard.org. This is a non-profit service that connects thousands of eligible students with scholarships for school.
  1. SALT (SaltMoney.org) is a useful free tool for students to track loans and grants, learn important financial skills, search for jobs, and learn about debt repayment.
  1. The financial aid student portal webpage (bates.ctc.edu/FAPortal) lists forms, as well as tracking tools, that help students complete loan documents, calculate cost of attendance, and other necessary loan information.

For more information about Bates Technical College’s Financial Aid office, go to www.bates.ctc.edu/FinancialAid.

Submitted by Greg Kares, Electronic Equipment Service Technician student