College Aid for the Asking

The economy is rough, state and federal budgets are being cut and college fees are going up. Yet there’s one bright spot amid the gloom for high school seniors: The state’s Cal Grant program is giving more money this year to students who need financial help to attend a public college or university.

The deadline is near, and there’s some daunting paperwork. But the grants are worth it, covering all Cal State and UC fees and providing funds in excess of community college fees.

All qualified students are guaranteed to receive a Cal Grant, and the money doesn’t have to be paid back. There are still two free workshops coming up in Southern California to help families fill out the forms.

For four-year schools, applicants need at least a 3.0 grade-point average and have family incomes below a certain level -- for instance, no more than $69,600 a year for a family of four. For the community colleges, the GPA must be at least 2.0 and the income limit for a family of four is $36,300. There also are grants to help with private college costs.

All qualified students should apply, even if their family incomes are now too high. Finances can change between the time the application is submitted and the start of school, but all applications must be in by March 2.

The workshops will be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at Compton Community College, and Feb. 26 at Jordan High School in Long Beach. Students and their parents should bring financial papers, including federal income tax forms, W-2 forms or paycheck stubs, and bank statements.

The workshops are sponsored by the California Student Aid Commission, www.californiacashforcollege.org or (866) 476-8787. For more information on the Cal Grant program, go to www.calgrant.org.