Training

College Affordability Training

uAspire trains school counselors and college access providers to support students through the financial aid process. Our online and in-person professional learning builds practitioners' knowledge and skills to guide their students through FAFSA completion, Student Aid Report review, verification, and beyond. Available nationwide, we trained 3,400 counselors in 34 states last year.

Our Courses

Each course gives you access to uAspire’s expertise from over 30 years of student advising and indispensable tools to use immediately with students and families. 

Develop your skills and knowledge of the college affordability timeline and financial aid, with a student-centered approach. Learn to take inventories of students’ financial situations and specific needs.

You'll be able to:

  • Explain the different types of financial aid and how to apply
  • Identify the characteristics of a financial safety school
  • Assess a student’s financial aid needs based on their college list and family circumstances

Master this crucial financial aid form by practicing complex scenarios, learning to complete the financial section with confidence, and gaining best practices for working with special student populations.

You'll be able to:

  • Determine whether a student is considered independent or dependent, and whom to report as the parent(s)
  • Complete the financial sections for different family financial situations
  • Identify key resources to support accurate FAFSA completion

Determine a student’s CSS Profile requirements based on their college list and family circumstances, answer tricky questions accurately, and explain follow-up steps.

Navigate students through the many steps and common  challenges of FAFSA follow-up, including Student Aid Report (SAR) review and the confusing, often burdensome, verification process.

You'll be able to:

  • Explain the difference between FAFSA submission and FAFSA completion
  • Identify and troubleshoot the most common SAR notifications
  • Name best practices for helping students complete the verification process

Help students accurately compare college costs and make an informed college choice by analyzing their financial aid offers. Practice using uAspire’s College Cost Calculator with real aid offers and student case studies.

You'll be able to:

  • Identify ways aid offers can be confusing and even misleading
  • Define and explain aid offer jargon in student-friendly terms
  • Respond to difficult scenarios that may arise for students during aid offer review
  • Use the College Cost Calculator to accurately compare college costs

Reduce “summer melt” by supporting students with the many financial aid activities they must complete over the summer to successfully transition to college.

Support college students with FAFSA renewal, bill payment, Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) in relation to financial aid eligibility, and knowing their overall student debt and loan payment options.

Interested in training for your school district or organization? Contact us to discuss customized training opportunities for your team.

Our Results

We trained more than 3,400 college access professionals in 2022, reaching  291,000 students nationwide. 

What our training participants say about us:

"uAspire has given our dedicated professionals the knowledge and skills to deliver exceptional financial aid counseling to our students." —Conan Viernes, UW Gear Up

 

 

Case Studies

College Success Foundation

"I love having colleagues like uAspire who are doing work with the same level of accuracy and compassion that I bring to my work."

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Success Academy Charter Schools

“The training is not all about financial aid. It is part of a much bigger picture of helping students realize their potential.”

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Sponsor for Education Opportunity

"Our students, like most students, don’t know how to interpret the financial aid forms or speak the language. They have to have confidence in us."

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Webinar Series

uAspire’s Webinar Series is offered at no charge for counselors, mentors, and college access professionals who want to boost their knowledge and refresh their programming or practice.

View all webinar trainings

Contact Us

Questions about your webinar or registration? We’re here to help! Email training@uaspire.org.

To discuss how uAspire can meet your professional development needs and improve student outcomes, please contact us.

Partners

 Alongside our 2021-22 training partners we’re dramatically expanding opportunity, achievement, and success for students.

  • Achieve Atlanta
  • Beyond12
  • Boston Scores
  • Breakthrough New York
  • Bronx Institute at Lehman College
  • BUILD
  • CA FAFSA Pilot/College Futures Foundation
  • CARPE College Access Network
  • Chess In The Schools
  • Collaborative for Educational Services 
  • College Possible
  • College Possible Catalyze
  • CollegePoint
  • Connecticut RISE Network
  • Cristo Rey
  • CUNY K-16 Initiatives College & Career Bridge for All
  • DCPS Persists
  • Destination College Advising Corps 
  • Double Discovery Center
  • EMERGE Fellowship
  • EY College MAP
  • Good Reason Houston
  • Harmony Public Schools
  • Houston Independent School District 
  • Jeffco Public Schools
  • KIPP DC 
  • KIPP Foundation
  • LaGuardia High School
  • Let's Get Ready
  • Massachuetts Department of Elementary and Seconary Education
  • Massachusetts Promise Fellowship
  • MESA Charter School
  • Michigan College Access Network
  • Michigan College Advising Corps
  • Missouri College & Career Attainment Network's Professional Development Institute
  • New Tech Network
  • Next Steps Idaho
  • North Coast Cal-SOAP Consortium
  • NYC Department of Education College and Career Planning Team
  • NYC Department of Education Division of Multilingual Learners
  • Oceana College Access Network
  • Pasadena Independent School District
  • PelotonU
  • Propel America
  • San Francisco Unified School District 
  • Sponsors for Educational Opportunity
  • Student Leadership Network's CollegeBound Initiative
  • Success Academy
  • Success Boston/The Boston Foundation
  • Texas College Access Network 
  • The Commit Partnership
  • The Cowen Institute
  • The Opportunity Network
  • University of Washington GEAR UP Achievers
  • University of Washington RISE UP/SKY GEAR UP
  • Virginia College Advising Corps 
  • Waterbury Public Schools
  • Worcester Public Schools
  • YES Prep Public Schools