Success Story: 1:1 FAFSA assistance available Jan. 17 through end of February

January 10, 2024

In the world of financial aid, 2024 is a little bit like the Super Bowl. And NMC Financial Aid Director Linda Berlin is the kind of confident veteran quarterback you want calling the plays.

After three years in the works, a new, simplified, shorter Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) was just released Dec. 30. More than 17 million students are expected to fill it out, including several thousand at NMC.

Berlin leads the NMC team offering more than 50 years of expertise to anyone who wants help with the new FAFSA, whether they plan to attend NMC or not. And she’s unfazed by the major overhaul that Congress ordered back in 2020, the three-month delay in releasing the online form, and reports of last week’s rocky soft launch, when the form was only available intermittently.

“For the past year, we have monitored the new FAFSA rollout on a daily basis,” said Berlin, right. “We are prepared and ready to help families tackle this critical step to college affordability.”

Berlin’s team intentionally held off scheduling assistance opportunities until next week, so glitches revealed during the soft launch could be resolved. Now, just as the new FAFSA has become available 24 hours a day, go time is imminent.

Current or prospective students and families can take advantage of one-on-one assistance in person and virtually for the next seven weeks.

• Walk-In Wednesdays: January 17 through the end of February
  11 a.m.–2 p.m.
  Timothy J. Nelson Innovation Center, Room 118, NMC Front Street campus

• Virtual Wednesdays: January 17 through the end of February
  4–6 p.m.
  Zoom drop-in help

Financial aid staff are also available from 8 am to 5 pm Monday-Friday in the Enrollment Services office, in the Tanis Building on NMC’s Front Street campus. Walk-ins are served as staff is available, or appointments can be scheduled.

Two additional events are planned. Families can attend either or both.

Meet The New FAFSA… And More

Thursday, January 25, 4–7 p.m.

Timothy J. Nelson Innovation Center, NMC Front Street campus

Rolling repeated half-hour sessions (presentations and Q&A).

• Cost of college - comparing colleges
• Types of financial aid
• Applying for financial aid

Complete The New FAFSA

Monday, February 12, 4–7 p.m.

Timothy J. Nelson Innovation Center at NMC’s Front Street campus

Complete your FAFSA in a computer lab setting.

Students and parents are encouraged to attend together if possible for a smoother FAFSA completion. Assistance offered includes:

• Completing FAFSA
• Checking out state aid
• Applying for scholarships
• One-one planning for financing your college journey — at NMC and beyond
• Student loan counseling

At all events, everyone attending should bring:

• Social security cards
• Digital or paper copy of your 2022 tax return
• Your own laptop/tablet (Limited number of laptops available to borrow)