About 50 students and parents gathered in the Comanche Suites Feb. 7 to learn about the availability of financial aid and the admission requirements for incoming students.
The Financial Aid Night’s main speaker, Kathy Pennartz-Browning, director of financial aid, made her presentation visible to the audience while she spoke about the importance of planning ahead for your finances.
Financial Aid Night is the first time the university has held an event like this.
“We [the financial aid office] have been doing similar presentations since the November time frame,” Browning said. “We’ve probably [hosted] and will [host] 75-100 events.”
Browning and nine other staff members travel to areas reaching out to high schools about the importance of financial aid. The start up date for Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, changed from Jan. 1 to Oct. 1.
“President Obama put this into place as part of his initiative for students to know information sooner, so they could be better prepared in making college choices,” Browning said.
Although the start up to complete FAFSA was pushed back, March 1 remains as the priority deadline for applicants.
Prospective student, Jabril Escutia, said she found this event helpful and was able to broaden her knowledge on some financial tips, but was mainly concerned on the scholarships offered.
According to the MWSU website, the university offers students more than $2 million in merit scholarships each year. Scholarships range from $500-$2500 per academic year with the amount depending on everything from standardized test scores to the student’s academic ability.
According to Mandi Peterman, assistant director of admissions, students need to be informed and educated by their high school guidance counselors in every aspect. Nevertheless, the students also have to reach out to those connections to be prepared ahead of time.
