By Lindsey Luker
Published on October 24, 2007
Tuition for 12 college credit hours: $800. Books that will only be read for one semester and won’t be bought back: $600. Pens, pencils, paper, and other “odds and ends” for school: $100. Having someone help you pay for it: Priceless.
With all the stresses that come along with college life, finances are the last thing students want to think about.
Unfortunately, the cost factor is a growing concern for those trying to gain an education. With rising tuition costs and interest rates on student loans, college is becoming increasingly difficult to afford.
Josh Brown, a student at Pensacola Junior College, is feeling the pressure.
“I work two jobs while trying to go to school, and I still can’t keep up. Society tells us that we must get a college degree, but it doesn’t help us pay for it,” he said.
There are sources students can tap into to get help paying for college. PJC offers a wide variety of financial aid options. According to the 2007-2008 PJC Scholarship Handbook, there are 11 Academic Merit Scholarships, six Non-Academic Merit Scholarships, and dozens of PJC Foundation Scholarships.
Even though these scholarships are available for many students at PJC, there are a series of steps that must be taken before a student receives financial aid.
First and foremost, students must establish their eligibility for financial aid. The first step a student should take when seeking financial support from the college is to fill out a financial aid application form, also known as a FAFSA form. This form is available in the financial office at each campus. It can also be accessed online at www.pjc.edu.
The second step is making sure that the application is turned in on or before the deadline. These deadlines are very important in the financial aid process.
One way PJC acquires the funds for scholarships is by charging students who attend the college a financial aid fee. This fee is already included in the PJC tuition rate. How much the students pay depends upon how many credit hours they register for.
Anh Seegert in the Burser’s office explained that the Florida legislature requires that PJC participate in financial aid funding at a rate of $2.59 per credit hour. For example, tuition for a schedule composed of 12 credit hours would include a fee of approximately $32.00.
After these fees are collected, 75 percent of the money goes to those students who are in absolute need of the funds.
The remaining 25 percent of the funds goes to students who demonstrate academic merit, who participate in athletics, public service, cultural arts and other extracurricular programs.
According to Virginia Santoni, PJC’s coordinator of scholarships, the number one question students have is “how can I get access to the money?” Santoni strongly suggests that potential financial aid recipients take the time and effort needed to find out what scholarships they could possibly receive.
Another tip that Santoni gives students is to look beyond what PJC offers in terms of financial aid. There are many resources students can access for scholarships.
One Web site that can be used is Fastweb.com. The website offers information about over 600,000 different scholarships and gives tips on how to obtain scholarship money.
While she recommends these online outlets as good tools to use, Santoni does advise students to exercise caution when researching scholarships online, due to the fact that some Web sites may be fraudulent.
There are many ways students can earn money for college. By following directions, meeting deadlines, and researching all options, anyone can be successful. The money is out there, students just have to look for it.