Three California Organizations Collaborate to Kick Off Financial Aid Awareness Month
STATEWIDE - To kick off February as Financial Aid Awareness Month, the California Community College Student Financial Aid Administrators Association (CCCSFAA), the Community College Public Relations Organization (CCPRO), and the Community College League of California (League) are collaborating to ensure all current and future students are aware of their financial aid opportunities and reduce any debt as a higher education is pursued.
College affordability continues to be an urgent concern.
Nationally, student loan debt has reached a record high of over $1.3 trillion; exceeding credit card and personal loan debt combined. Nationally, about two in three (65 percent) college graduates had student loans. Their average debt was about $30,000, a 2 percent increase from the prior year. Furthermore, student loan debt is not borne evenly across all university graduates. Those with the highest debt tend to come from low-income communities.
Throughout the month of February, CCCSFAA, CCPRO, and the League will provide California’s community college trustees, CEOs, financial aid officers, and public information officers with strategies for removing financial aid barriers for its 2.1 million students across the state.
Since February is Financial Aid Awareness Month, it is the perfect time for California Community Colleges to:
- Explore the opportunity of your local community college’s Promise Program
- Understand the different types of aid available
- Review: 8 Steps to Filling Out the FAFSA® Form & The Parent’s Guide to Filling Out the FAFSA® Form
- FAFSA or California Dream Act Application (CADAA) form.
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The California Community Colleges Student Financial Aid Administrators Association (CCCSFAAA) represents financial aid staff and students at the 115 California Community Colleges. CCCSFAAA provides training to its members throughout the year and advocates for students on financial aid related matters. Their annual training conference will take place on March 24-26, 2020 at the Hyatt Regency in Monterey.
The Community College Public Relations Professional Organization (CCPRO) is a professional development and service organization that seeks to promote excellence in California’s community college public relations and related professions. The organization serves as a central resource of information and provides counsel and assistance relating to the advancement of community colleges statewide and the professional growth of its members. Their annual conference is scheduled for April 15-17, 2020 in South Lake Tahoe, where speakers will educate and update on a series of topics related to the communications profession.
The Community College League of California (League), whose vision is Quality Public Community Colleges for All Californians, is a nonprofit public benefit corporation with a voluntary membership of the 73 local community college districts in California. The League promotes student access and success by strengthening colleges through advocacy, policy development, leadership development, and district services.
