Applying for financial aid can be as stressful as doing your taxes, but as far as college help goes, the effort can really pay off.
San Antonio Independent School District says that in 2010 around 42 percent of seniors applied for federal student financial aid. In 2012 they almost doubled that number.
Of the eight high schools in the district, 72 percent to 86 percent of seniors applied for financial aid this year.
The district says the rise in the numbers over the past two years is not necessarily because more students are in need of financial aid, but rather due to their efforts to help students apply.
“All that kind of paperwork is very detailed. Having someone to be able to sit down with you who knows it, to go through it, to get what information you need to do that, is very very helpful,” said SAISD's Leslie Price.
“All that kind of paperwork is very detailed. Having someone to be able to sit down with you who knows it, to go through it, to get what information you need to do that, is very very helpful,” said SAISD's Leslie Price.
High schools in the district have been providing part-time counselors to help students and parents with the paper work. Student loan assistance is limited and granted on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Price says, “Department of Education research shows that 90 percent of students who completed submission of those forms went on to enroll the next year.”
Price says, “Department of Education research shows that 90 percent of students who completed submission of those forms went on to enroll the next year.”
