Financial help offered in NW seminar
by Elizabeth Ventura, Reporter

   A session for students in search of financial help will be Wednesday, Feb. 19.

   Show Me The Money! will be presented by Susie Soto, academic advisor on NW Campus.

   This presentation will help students learn how to get financial help through scholarships and grants.

   Students will get to look at different aspects of obtaining financial assistance and will hear about ways they can get help to pay for college.

   Students who intend to transfer to a four-year institution or who plan to get a degree at TCC should attend this session to gain information about sources that provide financial help, Soto said.

   The workshop will be on NW Campus in C-112 at 12:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.

   "A lot of students don't understand the process of how they can gain financial help; there is money available," she said. "The resources are there. It just takes effort or what I call foot work."

   Financial help is available; it just takes a step, Soto said.

   Through research, students will have better knowledge of how to minimize their search.

   Some students currently attending TCC as well as new students entering TCC in summer or fall do not know they can receive financial help. Learning more about how to receive help will open more doors for students.

   Soto recommends students with questions about the whole financial process attend so they can find out if their needs can be met.

   Many students do not understand or are not aware they can receive help.

   Many students come from homes that are either first-generation college students, are disabled and/or come from lower income populations. These students simply do not realize that by showing academic responsibility, they can achieve help.

   This session will greatly benefit those who have questions, the academic advisor said.

   After attending this session, Soto said, students will feel more comfortable in seeking financial help, especially if the student is considering transferring.

   "I want to see students with bachelor degrees," she said. "I want them to receive help for a university, not just here at TCC."

   Soto will provide handouts on scholarship Web sites and major colleges.