October 19, 2022

Triton College Hosting FAFSA Family Night

Triton College’s Financial Aid Office is hosting FAFSA Family Night on Wednesday, Oct. 19, from 5:30-7:30 p.m., in the Student Center Cafeteria (B Building). The free workshop will give families and students information about FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) and the Alternative Application. Students can sign up for half-hour time slots.  

Thomas Panas, Triton’s director of Financial Aid, said this workshop is significant because the new 2023-2024 FAFSA and Alternative Application year will open on Oct. 1, allowing eligible undocumented students that are disqualified from federal financial aid to apply for all forms of state financial aid. 

The Alternative Application is offered by Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) from the state of Illinois. According to the ISAC website, the Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid “provides a way for qualified students to apply for Monetary Award Program (MAP) grants, the state’s largest need-based grant program for low-income college students.” 

“The Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid is essentially FAFSA for undocumented Illinois students,” Panas explained. 

All students and potential students are invited to attend the workshop if they would like assistance in completing their FAFSA or Alternative Application. Parents and guardians are also welcome to attend. The workshop will accommodate Spanish speakers and those who are hearing or sight impaired.  

During the workshop, students and families will create a FAFSA account and will learn how to complete the FAFSA application. Triton feels that properly setting up an account is very important, especially if students continue to reapply for FAFSA throughout their college careers. Triton staff members and advisors will be available to assist throughout the workshop. 

Additionally, the Office of Admissions will provide presentations regarding admission into Triton College every half hour during the event. 

“This workshop is the first step in receiving financial aid for college,” Panas explained. “We encourage students to complete FAFSA as soon as possible to optimize financial aid eligibility and to qualify for as many federal and state resources as possible.”   

FAFSA is a free application to receive federal and state funding for education to receive loans and federal work-study. Students can utilize FAFSA for their entire higher education career.    

To register visit http://www.triton.edu/finaidevents.