Students shouldn't overlook deadlines for financial aid.

Byline: GREG BOLT The Register-Guard

In the rush to meet college application deadlines, prospective students shouldn't let their financial aid applications gather dust either.

Although admissions and financial aid applications run on separate tracks, both have deadlines that can run out at almost the same time. And while early application makes no difference for some aid programs, it can make all the difference in the world for others.

Programs such as the federal Pell grants and many types of loans treat everyone the same as long as the applications come in before the deadline. But at least three campus-based aid programs award funds in the order applications arrive, and once each college uses up its funding, any remaining applicants are out of luck.

Those programs are the federal Perkins loan program, the Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant and the college work-study program. In all three, the earlier students apply the better chance they'll have of receiving aid.

"For students who apply later in the season - say mid-February or March - we will have exhausted all of our campus-based aid in dealing with those students who applied in January," said Jim Buch, vice president for enrollment services at the University of Oregon. "And our experience is typical of other institutions."

The best thing students can do to ensure they're in line for aid is file the FAFSA - Free Application for Federal Student Aid - as soon as possible. It is the main conduit for a variety of aid, and students can have the results forwarded to all the schools where they seek admission.

FAFSA forms are available at high school counseling offices or college admissions offices. The form has questions about income taxes, and parents or students who haven't completed their tax forms should estimate rather than delay.

Students also shouldn't forget about scholarship applications. Counselors and admissions officers can help with scholarships as well, and students also should contact the Oregon Student Assistance Commission at [phone] or on the Web at www.osac.state.or.us.

OSAC coordinates a variety of both public and private scholarship programs and will award more than $8 million from private scholarship funds this year and another $18 million under the Oregon Opportunity Grant program.

Students looking for help and advice on financial aid can attend an annual workshop held at Lane Community College. This year's workshop is Jan. 19 from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. in Room 308 of the Forum building on the LCC main campus.

Parents and students can pick up forms and get information on databases for scholarship research, get an explanation of the federal financial aid process, find out about OSAC programs and organize a scholarship search. The workshop is free, but seating is limited and advance registration is required. Call 726-2252 for information.