Scheduled Financial Aid Night set to guide students applying for FAFSA

Nicholls State University’s department of financial aid is scheduled to host a Financial Aid Night on Oct. 16 at 5:30 p.m. in Peltier Auditorium.

Students are able to afford a college education with the help of state programs, university scholarships and university programs. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), the Taylor Opportunity Program for Students (TOPS) and student loans can make the transition into college life less stressful.

Brandy St. Pierre, assistant director of financial aid and university scholarships, said while the event brings mostly incoming freshman, she encourages all students to attend the event.

The Financial Aid night is a tool to help students understand FAFSA and how to independently operate the system. St. Pierre said students will not be completing their forms at the event, instead, they will be given information and tools necessary to fill out the forms on their own.

Many times, students need guidance to complete their FAFSA forms accurately.

Sarah Daniels, elementary education freshman from Franklin, said with the help of her high school counselor, she was able to independently fill out all of the necessary FAFSA forms.

Daniels receives TOPS through the state to help pay her college tuition. While TOPS does not cover the full amount needed for her schooling, she has set up a payment plan through Nicholls.

Nicholls offers a payment plan option for students to pay their remaining balance for the semester in smaller increments. For students like Daniels, who owes a portion of her tuition at the end of each semester, setting up a payment plan is a viable option instead of applying for student loans.

Many students fear the idea of having student loans, so they avoid them as much as possible.

Hayden Robichaux, secondary education junior from Bourg, said that while the process of applying for FAFSA is very time consuming, the process is relatively easy and is definitely worth the time.

Robichaux said he received a Pell Grant from the state that allowed him to attend college without the need of getting loans.

Robichaux said financial aid has helped him throughout his entire college career. While he would have been able to attend college without any financial aid, financial aid helped him.

“It just made my life easier, and it helped me avoid taking out a loan,” Robichaux said.

When student apply for FAFSA, this allows them to apply for many different financial grants and scholarships. FAFSA also offers loans from the state to students who need them, but students need to apply in order to find out.