CU teams up with Mercer County Schools to increase FAFSA participation

ATHENS, W.Va. (Hinton News) – In an effort to encourage more high school seniors in Mercer County to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), Concord University is working with the county’s four high schools to offer an extra incentive.

Seniors who complete their FAFSA by January 30 will be placed in a drawing for a Prom Package that includes a free dinner for two including transportation by limo, compliments of CU! Concord University will surprise one winner at each participating school.

Dr. Susan Williams, professor of marketing at CU and organizer of this initiative, says completing the FAFSA is a student’s necessary first step towards deciding what the future will look like.

“The FAFSA is the key that unlocks the door to assist in paying for post-secondary education, including tuition for college and trade school. This includes applying for FREE money in the form of grants and scholarships, as well as applying for student loans. Whether you want to be a teacher, doctor, plumber or mechanic, this money can help cover tuition, transportation, a room, meals, school supplies, and even childcare,” Williams said.

Because some students don’t know how helpful the FAFSA is, or that there are free funds to help pay for college and training, they do not complete the application. If a student waits until after graduation to complete the application, some money is no longer available.

Even if students are not sure of their plans after graduation, Dr. Williams encourages them to still fill out the FAFSA and to do it early. The application opens on Thursday, October 1.

“Completing the FAFSA does not obligate a student to go to any particular school or program, but it does ensure that any funds available are reserved for them when they do decide on their next career step,” Williams said.

For more information on FAFSA, visit the website at www.fafsa.gov. Students can also reach out to their school counselors for information on events planned to help families with this process.