Future Ready Collier hosts Be Future Ready Day on Saturday, March 25, 2023 for Collier County students wanting assistance with financial aid and school applications. From 11am until 4pm, representatives of Future Ready Collier and its county-wide network of education providers and supporters will be available at the Coastland Center Mall. The event is free and no registration is required.
Students and their parents will have the chance to meet with local technical, public, and private colleges to complete an admissions application, and to get assistance with their FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). Some colleges will be offering application fee waivers and immediate admission decisions. Eligible students can also apply for a JumpStart Scholarship, to receive a one-year scholarship for a Florida school.
Representatives from Lorenzo Walker Technical College, Florida Gulf Coast University, and Keiser University are among those committed to participate. The Collier Community Foundation will offer information about area scholarships and related resources. Champions For Learning will accept applications for JumpStart scholarships beginning at 11am on a first-come-first-served basis, and no essay is required for the application. Recipients will be granted a 30-credit scholarship, equivalent to one year, at the state college rate.
To take advantage of all the resources offered through Be Future Ready Day, students and families should consider being aware of or bringing the following:
- Current FSA ID (for both students and parents, if available).
- Social Security Numbers (for both students and parents, if available).
- 2021 federal income tax return for students and/or parents, or W2s and proof of income if no 2021 federal income tax return was filed.
- Collier County Public School-issued laptop or device.
- Current high school transcript (required for meetings with school admissions representatives).
This event is sponsored by Future Ready Collier as a part of ongoing, year-round efforts to encourage more graduating seniors, or those recently graduated, to pursue their education and career goals through access to financial aid and scholarship. Jessica Manchette, Chief Program Officer for Champions For Learning, observes, “As of March 10, 2023, high school seniors in Collier County are leaving $6,093,122 in Pell grants on the table by not completing the FAFSA. The FAFSA opens the door to federal, state, and institutional aid, and is a requirement of most scholarship applications. Public, free events like Be Future Ready Day give students and their families an opportunity to get the hands-on help and information they need to benefit from all available resources.”
Attendees will find Be Future Ready Day on Saturday, March 25 at the Coastland Center Mall, located across from the food court between Aéropostale and Journeys, beginning at 11am and running through 4pm. Information about FSA IDs, which are required for FAFSA completion, and about the FAFSA is available at studentaid.gov.
About Future Ready Collier
Future Ready Collier is a network of more than 60 organizations, businesses, schools, and community members working to ensure every child in Collier County, Florida is ready for kindergarten, is supported during their school years, and enters adulthood with a vision and a plan. Our goals include: Ensure all children are kindergarten-ready. Ensure all youth are provided support during their elementary and middle school years. Ensure all young people are career-ready by graduating high school on track to obtain a degree or credential. Learn more at futurereadycollier.org.