Services for College Students

TRIO EOC FRLV serves college students of all ages, from age 19 and onward. Below are our services for you.

For our students, college can mean a few different things. It could be:

Career and technical education
Community college program
Four-year university.

Additionally, our students come from a variety of backgrounds:

Some are older individuals with families and jobs seeking a career change.
Some are veterans or the family members of veterans.
Some are reintegrating after incarceration.

In any case, our mission is to align you with the post-secondary path that meets your goals and provide you access to the financial resources available to help cover the cost of your education.

Admissions

We can assist you in navigating college or technical school admission forms and help you determine if entrance exams are needed. We write letters requesting that application fees be waived and provide computers for participants to fill out their paperwork.

Financial Aid

Cost is one of the biggest obstacles to pursuing more education; closely followed by fear of debt from student loans.
We can help you and your family find ways to finance post-secondary education through scholarships and grants.
Loans may become a part of the equation for some, but we can help explain the costs and benefits associated with certain degrees and career paths.
Many non-traditional students assume financial aid is not available to them. However, even if you’ve had a long career and are exploring a new career path or educational goal, there likely is assistance available.
Let us explore your particular situation.

What Kind of Financial Aid is Available?

There are many financial aid programs at the federal, state, and local level in place to assist individuals in pursuing their post-secondary goals.
Additionally, your school and the program you chose may have financial aid available.
Your financial aid package will depend on your unique situation; however, in general, the lower your income, the more likely you will receive need-based aid, which often includes grants.

Where to Start?

To begin exploring your financial aid options, you will want to fill out a FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid FAFSA).
This form is used by federal, state, and local entities to determine your financial aid package. Educational Opportunity Centers assist students in completing the FAFSA form, see "FAFSA Assistance" below.

FAFSA Assistance

See FAFSA Assistance for complete details about TRIO EOC DSW FAFSA Assistance services, including appointments in-person and online via Zoom to help you complete and submit your FAFSA application accurately.

Create Your Federal Student Aid Identification (FSA ID)

See FAFSA Assistance for a list of the information you will need to create your FSA ID.

Scholarships

Scholarships are not just for students attending college right out of high school. In fact, there are scholarships available for students of all kinds, from low-income, first-generation, older applicants, veterans and their families, and more.

We direct students to organizations offering scholarships and provide assistance completing scholarship applications. Here are a few recommended organizations and scholarships:

Student Loan Assistance

It is our mission to help our participants/students pay for their education with grants and scholarships (no money out of your pocket).

We understand some will require loans for more advanced education, and we are here to help you understand how loans work.
If you took out an education loan in the past and defaulted (failed to pay), we can help you through the process.
Being in default on previous student loans can block your financial aid.

Financial Literacy

Financial literacy is important for your post-secondary education experience and your life after. Use the resources below to learn valuable concepts and principles.

Additionally, we host workshops and fairs on financial literacy throughout the year. Visit our Workshops page for more information.

School Selection

We help students create an educational plan based on their chosen career path. Our desire is to help participants pursue post-secondary education (any education beyond high school; not just a college or university). We seek to limit or eliminate the financial demands of education by helping students choose the path most convenient and sensible for them.

Choosing a school involves:

Cost
Location
Transportation
Major/occupation
Climate
Culture
Services offered
And more

We recommend and offer free campus visits, taking groups of students to visit technical programs, colleges, and universities. These trips include lunch, transportation, and the support of your EOC advisor.

Transfers

Attended a community college or university and seeking to transfer to another institution? We can help in the transfer process, including coordinating transcript delivery and getting fees waived.

Workshops

We regularly conduct workshops in the community, including:

ACT/SAT Prep
College 101
FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid)
Financial Literacy
Finding My Passion
SMART Goal Setting
Time Management
And more

We also regularly feature speakers on various topics throughout the year.

See Workshops for complete details.