College application due dates are quickly approaching and Malden High School’s seniors are working hard to finish applications, applying for financial aid, as well as juggling their last year of high school.
The Malden High School guidance staff introduced a new program to MHS, uAspire, hoping to assist seniors in one of the most stressful parts of the college application process: Financial Aid. UAspire is a nonprofit organization that works with different schools in the Boston area.
They work with schools to focus on the financial aid process. Safety schools, FAFSA, and supporting students during the process are all things they work on. Although uAspire works predominantly with seniors, through high school and the summer between high school and the beginning of college, as the program progresses, they will begin to work with juniors, late in the year.
The program was introduced to MHS, after the guidance department reached out to the organization for training they could provide the guidance department, in dealing with undocumented students. The department, as counselor Taryn Belowsky says, was looking for ways to better support these students.
To MHS students, counselor Taryn Belowsky says, uAspire is “really important and useful.” The program, Belowsky mentions, will not only help the students, but it will lift the financial aid burden off the the guidance counselors. Though, for students, the program will be added support, since many don’t have enough support at home. UAspire will work to help students make better financial decisions in regards to the college process and decide which school is best for the student.
uAspire counselor Katelyn Montalvo started at Malden High School on Monday, October 3, and “already feel[s] like part of the family” here at Malden High. Montalvo’s first day consisted of presentations given to classes on the financial aid process.
Montalvo says the program is for anyone who is interested in the financial aid process, and after her first presentation on September 23, during lunch block, the entire month of October has been booked for meetings with Montalvo.
Montalvo hopes more students reach out to her, and if teachers are interested she is available to give presentations to classes on the financial aid process.
If you are interested in meeting with Katelyn Montalvo to talk about the financial aid process, you can book a meeting with her at uaspire-malden.youcanbook.me. Montalvo is at MHS on Mondays and Thursdays from 8:30am to 3:00pm.
