BCC Prepares Students for New FAFSA Form
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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Student Financial Services Office at Berkshire Community College (BCC), in recognition of changes in the 2024-25 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form, encourages current and prospective students and their families to attend a workshop or drop in the office any time for help navigating the application process.
The office is in the One Stop Enrollment Center on BCC's main campus, located at 1350 West Street, Pittsfield, and is open Monday-Friday, 8 am-4 pm.
Free FAFSA completion workshops will be held on the following dates:
- Tuesday, January 30, 9-11 am
- Thursday, February 22, 11 am-1 pm
- Tuesday, March 12, 9-11 am
- Thursday, April 11, 2-4 pm
To sign up for a workshop, visit www.berkshirecc.edu/fafsa-workshop. Drop-ins are also welcome any time the office is open.
Director of Student Financial Services Karrie Trautman summarized the changes in the new form:
The 2024–25 FAFSA form expands eligibility for federal student aid, including Pell grants, and provides a streamlined user experience.
Student aid calculations have been updated, allowing 610,000 new students from low-income backgrounds to be eligible to receive federal Pell Grants.
Applicants will be able to skip as many as 26 questions, depending on their individual circumstances. Some applicants could answer as few as 18 questions, which could take less than 10 minutes.
Trautman said that with these changes, she expects more students will qualify for federal Pell grants as well as new state programs, including MassReconnect, the Commonwealth's Nursing Scholarship Program and MASSGrant Plus Expansion.
The MASSGrant Plus Expansion program requires FAFSA submission by May 1, 2024. Trautman said she encourages applying for FAFSA by this date, but it is not mandatory. Applications can be submitted directly at studentaid.gov.
"Students and families don't need an appointment, unless a translator is needed—they are welcome to visit the office any time we are open," Trautman said. "They do not need to be a current or future BCC student. We help anyone."
She noted that families needing a translator or those preferring a virtual session should contact the office to schedule an appointment.
For more information, contact the Student Financial Services Office at finaid@berkshirecc.edu or (413) 499-4660.
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