Hancock Offers Cash For College Workshops
SEPTEMBER 28, 2002-- Parents and students can significantly reduce the cost of college attendance by taking advantage of free Cash for College workshops beginning this October.
The Central Coast Cal-SOAP Consortium at Allan Hancock College and Cuesta College are co-sponsoring a series of in-person and online workshops to help students and parents complete and submit financial aid forms that could result in students being awarded thousands of dollars for college.
More than 50 workshops will run from October 2022 through February 2023 throughout Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties. Spanish-speaking staff will be available at all locations. Students and their parents can choose to take these free workshops in-person or online via Zoom. The free workshops are intended for high school seniors and their parents. No reservations are required for in-person workshops, and the application process takes about one hour to complete.
At each workshop, staff will be available to help students fill out a FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) or a California Dream Act application. Students will also be able to apply for state and federal grants, including a Cal Grant, which offers cash for college and does not have to be repaid.
Students and parents can attend any of these workshops, even if the workshops are not held at the high school campus they currently attend. Current Hancock students can also attend the workshops to renew their FASFA applications.
Students can find the free FAFSA application online at www.fafsa.ed.gov and the California Dream Act application at www.caldreamact.org.The Cal Grant GPA verification form is available at www.csac.ca.gov, but students should check with their high school counselor before submitting the form. Because counselors are required to complete part of this form, some high schools may submit a Cal Grant GPA verification for the student. Both forms must be postmarked and sent to the California Student Aid Commission by March 2, 2023.
To view a list of all workshops dates and to sign up to attend, visit https://www.hancockcollege.edu/calsoap/index.php.
Those planning to attend a workshop should bring the following information and items with them:
- Completed income tax forms from 2021 for parents and high school seniors, including W2’s
- Student’s and parent’s Social Security Number (if available)
- Records of untaxed income such as welfare benefits (optional)
- Social Security benefits, or child support payments
- Bank statements (optional)
- Business records (optional)
- Permanent resident or DACA card (if a student is not a U.S. citizen)
- A list of colleges the student is interested in attending
In addition to grants, the FAFSA and California Dream Act applications may also provide an opportunity for low-interest loans. Current high school seniors, college students and any adult 18 years of age or older interested in attending college should apply to be considered for grants and scholarships.
For information about the local workshops, email Diana Perez at dperez@hancockcollege.edu, or call the Central Coast Cal-SOAP office at 1-805-922-6966, ext. 3710, or toll-free 1-866-DIAL AHC (342-5242), ext. 3710. To learn more about Cal-SOAP visit www.hancockcollege.edu/cal-soap.
For additional information on Cal Grants, log on to http://www.calgrants.org or call toll-free 888-CA-GRANT (224-7268).
