College Planning Center of RI Expands Hours
Posted on Wednesday, January 11, 2012 - 10:44 AM
More Families Will Receive Help Completing Federal Financial Aid Forms at Local Center
Warwick, RI, January 5, 2012…Beginning this week, the College Planning Center of Rhode Island (CPCRI) has extended hours so more families can get assistance completing their Free Application for Federal Student Aid, more commonly referred to as the FAFSA, and CSS Profile. The FAFSA can be submitted beginning on January 1 and is required by all colleges to award federal financial assistance. The CSS Profile is used by many colleges to award institutional financial aid.
Students and parents often find the FAFSA cumbersome and daunting but it is the key to receiving all federal financial aid and much institutional aid at schools nationwide. Free help completing the FAFSA and CSS Profile is available, in both English and Spanish, through the College Planning Center of Rhode Island. Many schools require students to file the FAFSA by February 1, but students should verify the deadline with each school.
“Each year, we receive requests for more appointments than we can book,” stated Stacy Crooks, Director of the College Planning Center. “Expanding our hours will help us meet the needs of more families this year.” Appointments are booking up fast, so students and parents are encouraged to log on to www.collegeplanningcenter.org as soon as possible to book their appointment online.
“Families - particularly those going through the financial aid process for the first time – can easily become overwhelmed by these complicated forms. We want students and parents to know they have a place to turn to for free help when completing the FAFSA,” stated Charles P. Kelley, Executive Director of the Rhode Island Student Loan Authority (RISLA). The College Planning Center of Rhode Island is a free service of RISLA. “We believe all students, regardless of background or financial situation, should have access to the same higher education opportunities.”
In addition to helping families complete their financial aid forms, the College Planning Center also helps families understand the different types of financial aid, and assists families with comparing financial aid award letters. During the 2010/11 academic year, the College Planning Center made over 10,500 contacts with students and parents looking for assistance with the college planning and financial aid process. Students are always encouraged to fully investigate their free money options prior to turning to loans.
The CPCRI has three convenient locations where families can get assistance. Extended hours for each location are listed below:
College Planning Center of RI - Warwick
The Warwick Mall, 400 Bald Hill Road, Warwick, RI
Location can be accessed by an exterior entrance between Sports Authority and Liberty Travel.
Hours:
Mondays, Thursdays, and Fridays 9 AM – 7 PM
Tuesdays & Wednesdays, 9 AM – 8:30 PM
Saturdays 12 PM – 7 PM
Sundays 12 PM – 6 PM
College Planning Center of RI – East Bay
576 Metacom Ave, Bristol, RI
Hours:
Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays 9 AM – 4:30 PM
Tuesdays & Thursdays 12 PM – 7 PM
College Planning Center of RI – Northern RI
Boys & Girls Club of Cumberland-Lincoln, 1 James J. McKee Way, Cumberland, RI 02864
Hours:
Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays 9 AM – 7 PM
Thursdays & Fridays 9 AM – 4:30 PM
The best way to book an appointment is online at www.collegeplanningcenter.org. Please call 401-736-3170 with any questions.
All of the College Planning Center of Rhode Island’s services are provided free-of-charge by the Rhode Island Student Loan Authority (RISLA), a non-profit state authority. The CPCRI has been providing expert in-person and web-based college planning guidance to students and parents since 1998. The CPCRI offers one-on-one college planning counseling, informational seminars, and online tools to promote college planning and financial aid awareness among Rhode Islanders. For more information, please visit www.collegeplanningcenter.org.
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