WARWICK, RI – On Monday, November 23, 2015 at 6:00 p.m., U.S. Senator Jack Reed will hold a college financial aid workshop at Community College of Rhode Island’s (CCRI) Knight Campus in Warwick.  The free, annual workshop will give college-bound high school students and their parents an opportunity to learn first-hand from student aid experts about how to access available financial aid for college.

“Education is a great equalizer that can open a world of opportunity.  But the cost of a college education is too high, and as tuitions have ballooned, trying to pay for college has become increasingly complex.  This workshop will give students a better sense of the financial aid options available at the state and federal levels.  My goal is to ensure Rhode Islanders know all their options and have a chance to ask experts questions so they can achieve their education goals in the most cost-effective way possible,” said Senator Reed.

The informational workshop is a 90-minute seminar designed to help high school students and their families get a better sense of the financial aid options available at the federal and state levels; the eligibility criteria for these different types of aid; and the application process.  It is never too early for students and their families to begin focusing on how to pay for college, and Reed is encouraging current high school seniors to begin the process now so they can take full advantage of all available resources.

Financial aid can help reduce student loan debt, but many families don’t even realize they are eligible, and never apply.  A January 2015 study by the website NerdWallet found that Rhode Island students left $7.6 million on the table in the 2013-2014 school year because they neglected to apply for federal aid.  Rhode Island students were not alone — nationwide, more than $2.9 billion in grants were not accessed by students across the country, according to the report, including: $41 million in Massachusetts, $23 million in Connecticut, $12.5 million in Maine, $8.7 million in New Hampshire, and $6.4 million in Vermont.

During the workshop, financial aid and education experts will offer tips and discuss the loan and grant application process; what to expect when applying for financial aid; the process of paying back student loans; and tax benefits to assist with college expenses.  This year’s panelists include representatives from the Rhode Island Student Loan Authority (RISLA), the College Planning Center of Rhode Island, the Rhode Island Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators, the Office of the Postsecondary Commissioner’s Division of Higher Education Assistance, and the Rhode Island Society of Certified Public Accountants.

WHO: U.S. Senator Jack Reed

Student Loan & Financial Aid Experts

WHEN: Monday, November 23, 2015 at 6:00 p.m.

WHERE: Community College of RI – Knight Campus

Bobby Hackett Theatre (Auditorium)

400 East Ave.

Warwick

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