Razor C.O.A.C.H. Helps Teens Apply for College Funds

FAFSA Workshop: The U of A Razor C.O.A.C.H. program hosted FAFSA Night to help area high school students apply for college funding.

FAFSA Workshop: The U of A Razor C.O.A.C.H. program hosted FAFSA Night to help area high school students apply for college funding.

FAFSA Workshop: The U of A Razor C.O.A.C.H. program hosted FAFSA Night to help area high school students apply for college funding.

FAFSA Workshop: The U of A Razor C.O.A.C.H. program hosted FAFSA Night to help area high school students apply for college funding.

FAFSA Workshop: The U of A Razor C.O.A.C.H. program hosted FAFSA Night to help area high school students apply for college funding.

FAFSA Workshop: The U of A Razor C.O.A.C.H. program hosted FAFSA Night to help area high school students apply for college funding.

FAFSA Workshop: The U of A Razor C.O.A.C.H. program hosted FAFSA Night to help area high school students apply for college funding.

FAFSA Workshop: The U of A Razor C.O.A.C.H. program hosted FAFSA Night to help area high school students apply for college funding.

Photo by Andrew Havens

Kiersten Prochnow assists a student at the FAFSA Night put on Feb. 3 by the Razor C.O.A.C.H. program at the University of Arkansas. Photos by Andrew Havens

University of Arkansas graduate students recently helped 53 high school students take a vital step toward a college education.

The high school students came from Decatur, Elkins, Fayetteville, Gentry, Greenland, Har-Ber High School in Springdale, Heritage High School in Rogers, Pea Ridge, Prairie Grove, Rogers, Siloam Springs, Springdale and West Fork. They attended the Razor C.O.A.C.H. FAFSA Night at the U of A. The FAFSA is the Free Application for Federal Student Aid required by the U.S. Department of Education for more than $150 billion in federal grants, loans and work-study funds awarded each year to more than 13 million students.

Razor C.O.A.C.H. is made up of students studying counselor education who provide college and career planning services to students at area high schools.

Parents accompanied the high school students to the Graduate Education Building on campus for an evening of refreshments and assistance in planning their futures. Officials with the university and with the Arkansas Department of Higher Education provided information before the Razor Coaches took seniors into the computer lab to fill out the FAFSA. Juniors completed the FAFSA Forecaster, a tool that estimates the amount of federal student aid the student will be eligible for after graduation.

Razor Coaches who worked the FAFSA Night were Jena Anderson, Dewey Dykes, Jen Hartman, Justin McDowell, Amanda Miller, Tish Parker, Erika Perez, Kiersten Prochnow, Danielle Raubuck, Carolyn Starnes, Kailee Stonebarger, Ashley Streber, Becky Van Der Hagen and Sarah Withem. Josh Raney directs the program.