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2024-2025 uAspire Trainings for School Counselors
brough to you by North Coast Cal-SOAP
North Coast Cal-SOAP has partnered with uAspire to bring you a series of seven virtual trainings that will take place over the course of the school year.
uAspire is a nonprofit organization with over 30 years’ experience in financial aid advising and providing expert tools. Cal-SOAP has additional funds this year which is being used to bring these trainings to our community.
uAspire Training Schedule
All uAspire trainings will be conducted via Zoom.
Introduction to Financial Aid
Friday, September 13
9:00 – 10:30 a.m.
This training will provide an overview of the main types of financial aid and the senior year financial aid timeline, while incorporating a student-centered approach to the terminology and requirements.
CSS Profile Completion Series
(Parts 1 AND 2)
Friday, October 18
9:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Over 400 colleges and universities require the CSS Profile, a financial aid application that is incredibly complex and distinctly different from the FAFSA. In this training, we will walk through the many sections of the CSS Profile, sharing tips for answering tricky questions and providing practice with student scenarios and case studies. We will also discuss potential follow-up steps, including the Noncustodial CSS Profile, waiver request process, and IDOC.
FAFSA Completion Series
(Parts 1 AND 2)
Friday, November 8
9:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Whether you have decades of experience with the FAFSA or you are just starting out, this is a great look under the hood of the most frequently used financial aid form. This training will walk you through the online form, give you opportunities to practice with complex scenarios, and highlight the potential pitfalls all practitioners and students should be aware of.
California Dream Act (CADAA)
Friday, November 15
9:00 – 10:30 a.m.
This training will prepare you to navigate the California Dream Act Application (CADAA). We will discuss eligibility requirements, share tips for answering tricky questions, and provide opportunities to practice with student scenarios.
FAFSA Follow-Up & Verification
(Formerly SAR & Verification)
Friday, February 14
9:00 – 10:30 a.m.
This training will address common challenges and best practices of FAFSA follow-up, including the importance of reviewing the FAFSA Submission Summary (previously called the Student Aid Report). We will also discuss federal verification requirements and strategies for helping students navigate the verification process.
Financial Aid Offer Review
Friday, March 21
9:00 – 10:30 a.m.
This training will show you the power of analyzing aid offers and give you the tools, knowledge, and language to support students with this critical step in the financial aid process. We will begin by reviewing key aid offer terminology, examples, and practices. We will then introduce uAspire’s College Cost Calculator and walk through a case study to show how to use this tool and explain the results to students.
Summer Steps for Financial Aid
Friday, April 11
9:00 – 10:30 a.m.
This training will increase your ability to advise students around critical summer affordability activities, including paying the fall bill and planning for indirect expenses