Financial aid awareness month

February is national Financial Aid Awareness month and Valdosta State University's Office of Financial Aid is encouraging students to begin their financial aid application process for the 2002-2003 academic year.

College and high school students planning to attend VSU this fall can obtain a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) packet by contacting the Office of Financial Aid at (229) 333-5935 or visiting their office in Powell Hall East.

Applying for financial aid is free and completing the FAFSA is the first step in the process. VSU's Office of Financial Aid can assist students in filing their completed applications electronically to the federal processing center.

According to Tommy Moore, director of Financial Aid, during the current academic year VSU will distribute approximately $41 million in financial aid to more than 70 pecent of the university's student body.

According to the U.S. Department of Education this year $49.4 billion in federal grants, loans, and work-study opportunities will be awarded to an expected 8.2 million students.

Students are being encouraged to complete their application process as early as possible and take advantage of the electronic filing process. This process helps to eliminate errors, which adds time to the application process.

The deadline for submission at VSU is July 1, 2002.