For those students who are working but not making enough money to pay for school, a workshop took place at the Financial Aid Resource Center on Wednesday, Oct. 12 from 11 a.m. to noon.

Political science major Francisco Acosta said, “The workshop is an excellent tool for students because there are a lot of steps that we probably think we know and we don’t, it’s actually very informative.”

Financial Aid Technician Jenny Mejia said, “We are trying to make that information accessible campus-wide, not just for us, we also try to reach out to high school students and our community, we have campus events and anybody is pretty much welcome to come in and get information on financial aid.

From the 11 students who attended the workshop a student like nursing major Jasmine Perez was pleased with the presentation, she loved the information provided and said it was helpful.

She wished more students would have attended and hopes they go to other workshops like this one, it’s worth the time.

Student like liberal arts major Valeria Servin did not share the same feelings as Perez, she wasn’t completely satisfied with the information provided.

She said, “I’m a AB-540 student, I wish I could have had more information on what AB-540 students can do to apply and what scholarships I could apply for, overall I think it was good information.”

To be eligible for Cal Grants and Financial Aid program student loan, you must have a minimum GPA 3.0 and be enrolled with a minimum of six units.

The workshop provided by Mejia consisted of the following:

• Board of Governors Fee Waiver enrollment fees
• Universities charging part-time student six units and under
• Universities charging full-time student seven units and higher
• Students being able to defer their student loan, the downside is that the interest begins accruing for direct unsubsidized loans as soon as the loan is taken out
• Students deciding not to defer their student loan, have the Federal Government paying the interest for direct subsidized loan

• Unsure if you have a Cal Grant? Want to take your Cal Grant off hold? Check your web grants portal for more information: www.mygrantinfo.csac.gov Contact the California Student Aid Commission: www.csac.ca.gov

• Applying for scholarships every single semester.
• Scholarship not affecting Financial Aid
• Void to fall on default loan, over two-million students are on default, inform yourself in how you can avoid it
• Completing your Financial Aid Application every year
• CA Dream Application AB-540 students only: caldreamact.org

Mejia said, “This is an amazing workshop that can help students, a lot of students specially the first generation don’t understand or don’t know where to go and ask for questions

“They don’t know that they need to ask this questions and get information is how they can transfer.”

She continued, “A lot of students think they can’t effort college because it is too expensive, but then they come to one of these presentations and realize that they can afford it with little or no out of pocket cost,” she said.

Mejia added, “Knowledge is power, the more information we can give out there, the more students we can get here and have them graduate.”

For further information log on to: www.cerritos.edu/finaid Phone: 562-860-2451 Ext. 2397

Allow 48 hours for a reply.

Jenny Mejia, Financial Aid Technician: Ext. 2392

Students who need more information and need assistance, Financial Aid Resource Center will help you Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.