Financial Aid
Paying for College

What is Financial Aid?

Financial Aid consists of funds provided to students and families to pay for postsecondary educational expenses. It is money to help pay for college, including 4-year universities, community colleges, and career schools. Certain types of financial aid do not need to be paid back, whereas other types of financial aid are borrowed money and must be paid back overtime, often with interest. Grants, work-study, loans, and scholarships help make college or career school more affordable. For the class of 2025, the applications for financial aid will become on December 1st, 2024 and must be completed by March 2, 2025.

Visit the links below for additional resources.

Assistance with the applications (click to expand)

Applying for financial aid can be confusing, but there are various opportunities for assistance. Here are some options that are available:

Let your counselor know if you need help.
Work with Ms. Gil or Ms. Read in the Career Center, located in A222.
Cash 4 College Workshops- held year-round beginning in December. Workshops are held all throughout California, at various sites
- Workshops are hosted by Financial Aid Counselors from local colleges and universities. They will be available to answer your specific questions during the workshop. Parents, families, and students are all encouraged to attend together.
- Visit Cash4College to find a workshop location, date, and time that works for you. Options will continue to be added through the application deadline.
- Each RUSD high schools, including MLKHS, will host workshops. Families are welcome to attend any Cash4College event, even if it is not the student's home school.

MLKHS College and Career Center

Our College and Career Center is located in A222. Students can visit between 8:00am and 4:00.

College and Career Center Website

To access the FAFSA and Dream Act Applications, and for more in-depth information on financial aid, scholarships, and more, visit our College and Career website by clicking the image on the left.

Current juniors and seniors: to stay up-to-date on upcoming deadlines, current & local scholarships, and on-campus events, be sure to join the Google Classroom by clicking the image on the right.

College and Career Center Google Classroom

Class code: 3eyvkrg

Other Resources

FAFSA VS Dream Act Spanish and English.pdf

Most students will fill out the FAFSA, but some may need to fill out the California DREAM Act instead. Click the file above if you're unsure which is the right one for you.

Some common myths are that if your family makes too much money, or if your grades are too low in high school, you won't qualify for financial aid. These are myths! Click the image above to see if you've believed some of these myths in the past.

Did you know?

There was over $4 billion in unclaimed Pell Grant money by the class of 2023. This is money that could have gone to eligible college freshman if they had applied for financial aid. Don't miss out on your opportunity to lower your costs for your college education or vocational training! Be sure to apply for the FAFSA or Dream Act between October 1st and March 2nd each year. (Exception for C/O 2024, deadline April 2nd)

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