Tech students should complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid soon or they may miss out on a chance to get financial aid.The Office of Financial Aid says the window will not be open for long on several grants that are offered only on a first-come, first-serve basis. Assistant Director Adriane King said aid funds start to run out during Feb., although students won’t actually see any money until the next semester.
The two grants that usually go the fastest are the Tennessee Student Assistance Award and the Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant. Work-study positions are also distributed first-come, first-serve. The SEOG has been worth about $2,300 per student in the past, although the value may go down this year, according to King.
King says one of the department’s most common hang-ups is students not completing their federal aid applications on time.
“It’s about procrastination,” she said.
The financial aid staff doesn’t waste any time during the spring semester; they begin processing incoming high school seniors in mid-March. If current students don’t start planning now, they might be in for a rude awakening.
The final deadline for the FAFSA is June 30.
