Adviser shows money
by Tori Wilson, Reporter

   During Show Me the Money, Susie Olmos-Soto, NW Campus academic adviser, told students how to get loans, scholarships and grants for school.
   “Many students can start by using the campus resources. The TCC financial aid department is a good place to find information on getting help,” she said.
   Soto said students can receive Pell Grants and state grants by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid form on-line or in the financial aid office. It is also the basis for some scholarship programs.
   “It’s much quicker to fill out the FAFSA on-line than it is in the office. On-line it takes three to four weeks for a response, and by mail it takes six to eight weeks,” she said.
   Soto also said the financial aid office provides a scholarship guide that is updated every year; a scholarship book, updated weekly, and Web site information, updated annually.
   “Be ready to do research, but try not to get frustrated,” she said.
   Campus libraries have books with information on scholarships based on certain characteristics or qualifications, Soto said.
   “You can look up scholarships based on having an associate degree, your major, your ethnicity, your gender, disability, religious affiliation, a parent’s job or even your sexual orientation,” she said.
   Soto gave several tips for researching for scholarships.
   “Make sure you fill things out in a reasonable amount of time so that you meet the deadlines. Make it as if you were applying for a job,” she said.
   Joining student organizations and keeping your GPA at or above 3.0 help,” she added.
   Soto warned students to stay away from scams, describing a young woman who paid $2,500 to get money for school.
   “Follow the guidelines; never pay money to get money,” she said.
    To lighten the mood, Soto said she had printed handouts with tips and information on green paper to represent money.
    Soto said she is planning to conduct a similar presentation in the spring for new students.