Financial Aid Reflection

1. Federal Financial Aid- What are the different types of federal financial aid available to
students? How do you apply for federal financial aid? What benefits do students receive
from this type of financial aid?
The three different types of federal financial aid are loans, grants, and work-study
programs. You can apply for federal financial aid by using fafsa.gov website. The benefit
of getting a grant or work study is that students do not have to pay the money back. The
benefit of having a loan is you can go to college if you don’t have the money to pay for it,
but you eventually have to pay it back.

2. State Financial Aid- What are the different types of state aid available to students? How
do you apply for state financial aid? What benefits do students receive from this type of
financial aid?
The three different types of state financial aid are loans, grants, and work-study
programs. You can apply for state financial aid by using the fafsa.gov website. Oregon
does offer several grant and scholarship options. One option I was interested in is the
Oregon Promise Grant. This grant is for GED students. The main benefit of this grant is
you can be rewarded money and don’t have to pay it back.

3. School Specific Financial Aid- Which schools did you research? Describe one grant or
scholarship that is offered at each school. What benefits do students receive from this
type of financial aid?
I researched financial aid options at Southwestern Oregon Community College. One
scholarship that this school offers is the Andy Toribio Scholarship. This scholarship is
designated for any Southwestern student with financial need, and there is no additional
criteria. The main benefit of this type of school-specific aid is that you would not need to
pay the money back.

4. Private Scholarships- Describe two scholarships that you found interesting during your
research. What are the benefits of using this type of aid to fund your education?
I found both the Scholarship Usa and Species on the Edge scholarships interesting during
my research. I discovered that the first scholarship is open to all college students. It is
worth $2,500, and it is sponsored by Goodwall. The other scholarship I researched is the
“Species On The Edge 2.0” Social Media Contest, which is offered to students who need
help with financial college coverage. This scholarship is worth $1,000. The main benefit
of both scholarships is that you would not have to pay back the money.
5. Military Financial Aid- Do you or your family plan to or have served in the military? If so,
describe at least one military financial aid program that is available to you? What
benefits do students receive from this type of financial aid?
No, my family nor I have served or plan to serve in the military.

6. Personal Financial Aid Plan- After reviewing the different types of financial aid available
to students, what plan do you have for covering the costs of post-secondary education?
Write a paragraph that summarizes the total cost you expect to pay for post-secondary
education, the sources of aid you plan to use to cover these costs, and when and how
you plan to apply for each program. You may also need to consider alternate sources of
income such as a college fund or savings plan that has already been set aside.
I will be moving from California to Oregon after high school. So, I am not sure of exactly
what my financial situation will be or how I will pay for my first year of college. However,
I am aware of opportunities, like scholarships. For example, the Andy Toribio Scholarship
is available; I would qualify for it and consider it as an option.