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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Central Valley Higher Education Consortium connects Valley students with Cash for College Fresno – As part of its commitment to increase the number of area students who go on to attend colleges and universities, the Central Valley Higher Education Consortium is promoting a series of upcoming local “Cash for College” workshops to help students apply for financial aid. “Cash for College” is a statewide effort sponsored by the California Student Aid Commission. As part of the campaign, CSAC partners with regional organizations to offer workshops aimed at helping students successfully complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid and Grade Point Average Verification Form, which are necessary to apply for Cal Grants and other types of financial aid. The deadline to submit the FAFSA and Cal Grant GPA Verification Form is March 2, 2005. Several workshops, including some Spanish-language sessions, are scheduled throughout the Valley during the months of January and February. Please see the attached list for a schedule. “We want students to know that college is possible and affordable,” said Allen Carden, executive director of the Central Valley Higher Education Consortium. “Resources are available to help students pay for their education. They just have to apply for it.” According to a consortium report, only 28 percent of the students in the region who qualify for Cal Grants submit an application. A list of “Cash for College” workshops by ZIP Code is available online at http://californiacashforcollege.org or by calling the Central Valley Higher Education Consortium toll-free at 1-877-ITS-POSSIBLE (487-7677). Students and parents should bring their 2004 federal income tax return forms, W-2 form or other relevant 2004-income information to a workshop. They also should bring their driver’s license or other form of state identification, and know their Social Security number. The Central Valley Higher Education Consortium, established in March 2000, is a nonprofit organization aimed at promoting programs, policies and performance designed to increase higher education attainment in the 10-county area including Fresno, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Tuolumne, Merced, Mariposa, Madera, Kings, Tulare, and Kern. The consortium comprises 24 public and private institutions of higher education from Stockton to Bakersfield. For more information about the consortium, please visit www.CollegeNext.org
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