Need Money for College? MSCC is Ready to Help

Going to college can be financially challenging, even at an affordable institution like Mid-South Community College, but MSCC's Financial Aid Office and Educational Opportunity Center stand ready to help.

With the College’s fall semester scheduled to start on Aug. 18, the time is now to find out what assistance may be available. Over the next month, MSCC is concentrating on assisting students in applying for money to help pay for college. Application hours are 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday. 

“The best time to fill out a financial aid application is today,” said Carol McHann, interim director of Financial Aid. “Applying for financial aid is really easy, and it’s completely free.”

Mid-South offers a variety of federal and state grants, public and private scholarships, and work-study opportunities. Almost every form of assistance requires completion of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

The most common source of aid is the Federal Pell Grant award which is based on a student’s financial need, cost of attendance, and enrollment status (full or part time). For this school year, the maximum award is $5,730.

“We don’t want anyone to think they can’t attend MSCC solely because of financial concerns,” said Sandra W. Mabry, director of the TRiO Educational Opportunity Center on the MSCC campus. “We will make every effort to find a way to help people who really want to attend college.”

“Money should not be a deciding factor. If money is the only thing standing between you and college, you need to talk with us.”

Students coming to the MSCC campus for help with the application form should bring a copy of their 2013 federal tax form (or their family’s federal tax form) if possible. Mid-South Financial Aid and EOC staff will take it from there.

“We are ready to do everything we can to make the financial aid process as simple as possible, and we encourage students to come in now,” McHann said. “The earlier an application is submitted, the more options we will have in helping students receive every possible dollar available to them.”

Many potential students think they don’t qualify for assistance because they work, but simply having a job is not necessarily a roadblock to financial aid.

“People who have jobs are often surprised to find out that they qualify for some form of assistance,” McHann said. “We encourage anyone who has even the slightest interest in attending college to talk with us about what funding sources might be available to help them.”

To receive a Federal Pell Grant, a student must pursue a certificate or degree. Non-degree seeking students are not eligible.

“Most of our students actually end up seeking a degree, so they can benefit from declaring that at the beginning and applying for federal financial aid,” McHann said.

Students who apply soon will know what level of assistance they will receive well before the fall semester begins. Classes are scheduled to start on Aug. 18, and fall registration will be conducted Aug. 11, 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m., and Aug. 12, 5 p.m.-6:30 p.m.

“You don’t need to wait until August 11 to apply for financial aid because the process takes time,” McHann explained. “If you are interested in going to college, you should come in as soon as possible so we can get you ready for the fall semester.”

Students also have the option of completing an aid application online at https://fafsa.ed.gov/. MSCC’s federal school code is 015862.

For more information on financial assistance available at Mid-South Community College, please call the Financial Aid Office at (870) 733-6729 or the EOC Office at (870) 733-6061, visit the EOC office in the Learning Success Center on the South Campus (2000 West Broadway in West Memphis), email finaid@midsouthcc.edu, or see the website at www.midsouthcc.edu.