Student Resources

Common Application Link

• Students can also apply to universities directly through university websites!

• Financial Aid (FAFSA or WASFA):
  • "What the heck is it and how do I get it?" More great questions! It seems so overwhelming but I'm here to help break it down.
  •  What forms do FA come in? 
    •  Grants: Free money given by an organization (like the government, a company, or a school) to help pay for school. You don’t have to pay it back.
    •  Loans: A loan is money you borrow from a bank, company, or government that you have to pay back later, usually with extra money called interest. People take out loans to pay for things like college, cars, or starting a business, and then make payments over time until it’s fully repaid. (I'm sure you have heard horror stories about loans and student debt but not all loans are evil!)
    • Scholarships: A scholarship is free money you can get for college that you don’t have to pay back. Scholarships are usually given to students based on things like good grades, special talents (like sports or music), or other achievements. Some are also awarded based on financial need or personal background.
    • Work-Studies: Work-study is a program that lets you work a part-time job, often on campus, to help pay for college. The money you earn from your job can go toward your school expenses, and the hours are usually flexible, so they don’t interfere with your classes.

• How do I get Financial Aid? - Fill out the FAFSA or WASFA applications:

• FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid): A form students complete to apply for federal & state financial aid, including grants, loans, or work-study programs, to help pay for college. The money a student is eligible for is based on family income and is used by the government and schools to see how much help you can get. It only takes about 20 minutes to complete!

                 Step 1: Create your account -
                                   https://studentaid.gov/fsa-id/create-account/launch 
                  Step 2: Complete the 2026-2027 FAFSA Form -
                                   https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa 

• WASFA (Washington Application for State Financial Aid): A form similar to the FAFSA, but students that complete the WASFA are only eligible for state aide due to documentation status (Undocumented students, including students with temporary protected status and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) students). The WASFA helps students get financial aid for college from the state.
• Step 1 & 2: Create a "New User" WASFA account & complete form! - https://wsac.wa.gov/wasfa 
• SCHOLARSHIPS: Generally, scholarship season starts in December/January and wraps up by April/Early May at the latest. There are so many scholarship opportunities available to students but sometimes, it takes a little bit of detective work on your end. I have a "Master Scholarship List" that I will be updating throughout the school year as applications start to open. Even though there aren't many scholarships open right now, I encourage you to check out the link below regularly! Additionally, most colleges and universities have a version of their own general scholarship application. I encourage students to apply for those once they have a school picked out.

MASTER SCHOLARSHIP LIST 

• The FAFSA/WASFA applications are currently OPEN!!! If you plan to attend a 2 or 4 year college/university, fill out ONE of these forms

• WUE (Western Undergraduate Exchange) Scholarship:
  • Scholarship program for students planning to go to school out of state in the Western United States - https://www.wiche.edu/tuition-savings/wue/  

 CADRs:

• English-4 Credits
• Math-3 Credits, SR Year Math-Based Quantitative Course,
• Science-3 Credits
• World Language-2 Credits
• Social Sciences-3 Credits
• Arts-1 Credit)

College Academic Distribution Requirements (CADRs)

• WAGAP (Washington Guaranteed Admissions Program)
  • If you meet the requirements below, you are GUARANTEED admission to the following universities: 
    • Western Washington University
    • Central Washington University
    • Eastern Washington University
    • Washington State University
    • University of Washington - Tacoma
    • The Evergreen State College
  • Requirements: 
    • Cumulative GPA of 3.0+ 
    • Meeting all CADRs (English-4 Credits, Math-3 Credits, SR Year Math-Based Quantitative Course, Science-3 Credits, World Language-2 Credits, Social Sciences-3 Credits, Arts-1 Credit) (https://wacollegeguarantee.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/CADRs-CollegeAcademicDistributionRequirements.pdf)

WAGAPs Webpage:

Application for all WA State 2-Year Colleges