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Free virtual workshops to help families complete the recently revised Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, are being offered on selected Wednesdays through April 24.
Registration for the workshops, presented by Hawai‘i P-20 Partnerships for Education and Gear Up Hawai‘i, is open at CollegeIsWithinReachHawaii.com.
“This is a challenging year because the FAFSA application window opened much later than usual, on Dec. 31 rather than Oct. 1,” Angela Jackson, Gear Up Hawai‘i project director, said in a news release. “We have focused our efforts to ensure families in all communities have as many resources available as possible to successfully complete the FAFSA.
“Providing free one-on- one assistance virtually is a unique opportunity for families to speak directly with the experts from home,” she said. “We encourage all high school seniors to complete the FAFSA and explore what kind of scholarships and financial aid is available to help you pay for college.”
State schools Superintendent Keith Hayashi added in the release that students should make completing the FAFSA as soon as possible a priority, “regardless of your financial situation. This will not only open doors to grants and aid to pay for college or career and trade school, but also helps determine eligibility for certain scholarships.”
While some people have reported difficulties with the new version, the U.S. Department of Education has touted the form as “The Better FAFSA” and said it is “streamlined from the form’s previous iterations, allowing many applicants to complete it in an hour on average.”