uAspire

uAspire Increasing access to postsecondary pathways for underrepresented students.

05/28/2026

💡 Financial Aid Question of the Week

What is Work-Study?

🎓 Kassandra Santos, our Manager of Training and Technical Assistance, breaks it down for you:

Work-study is a type of financial aid that allows students to earn money through a part-time job while enrolled in school.

💼 Work-study jobs may:
• Be on or off campus
• Relate to your major or career interests
• Offer flexible schedules around classes

💡 Unlike grants or scholarships, work-study money is earned through hours worked.

⚠️ Having work-study on your financial aid offer does not automatically mean you have a job—you usually need to apply for available positions.

Understanding how work-study works can help you plan for college costs and explore ways to earn money while in school.

💬 Have other financial aid questions?
Drop them in the comments or DM us! We’re building out an FAQ to support students and families.

📌 Save this for later + share with someone preparing for college!

Customized Student Support Partner Spotlight We're proud to spotlight our partnership with MassBay Community College ()....
05/27/2026

Customized Student Support Partner Spotlight

We're proud to spotlight our partnership with MassBay Community College (). Since 2021, uAspire and MassBay have worked side by side to help students navigate financial aid. Together, we've supported 2,800+ students through 1:1 advising, walkthroughs, and our virtual help desk that meets students where they are.

The impact speaks for itself:
📲 2,000+ students reached via text
🤝 700+ student meetings completed
💬 64,382 messages exchanged between students and advisors

But what we're most proud of? The trust students place in our advisors.

"The helpdesk is remarkable. In such a short time, students have come to trust uAspire — going directly to them with questions — and we're seeing the results in completed FAFSAs." — Lisa Slavin, MassBay Community College

Swipe to see the full story. ➡️

You've navigated the application process, received your financial aid offers, and made your college choice. Now, it's ti...
05/22/2026

You've navigated the application process, received your financial aid offers, and made your college choice. Now, it's time to tackle that college bill! 💰✨

📢 Good news: there are still scholarships available for you! Here are three fantastic opportunities you don’t want to miss:

✨ **Maesto Cares Scholarship**
🗓️ Due: May 25th
🔗 https://maestrocares.org/HowtoApply

✨ There's Space for Everyone Scholarship
🗓️ Due: May 31st
🔗 https://www.extraspace.com/self-storage/scholarship/

✨ Ellevation Education Scholarship Program
🗓️ Due: June 4th
🔗 https://scholarshipamerica.org/scholarship/ellevationeducation/

Don't miss out on these opportunities! Check your eligibility and get those applications in!

🚨 Student loan scams are on the riseIf someone promises “instant loan forgiveness,” asks for payment upfront, or pressur...
05/21/2026

🚨 Student loan scams are on the rise

If someone promises “instant loan forgiveness,” asks for payment upfront, or pressures you to share personal information, that’s a major red flag 🚩

Remember:
✔️ You do NOT need to pay for help applying for federal loan forgiveness or consolidation
✔️ Never share your studentaid.gov username/password (FSA ID)
✔️ Don't share personal information
✔️ Don't sign and submit a third-party authorization form or a power of attorney
✔️ Always use official resources like studentaid.gov or your loan servicer

👉 Swipe through to learn what students should know about student loan scams

🔗 Explore freestudentloanadvice.org for free student loan counseling and advice

College costs go beyond tuition!From groceries and transportation to textbooks and everyday essentials, indirect expense...
05/20/2026

College costs go beyond tuition!

From groceries and transportation to textbooks and everyday essentials, indirect expenses are a real part of the college experience. Understanding these costs early can help you feel more prepared and make college expenses feel more manageable.

👉 Swipe through to learn more about common indirect expenses students may experience during college.

🔗 Explore our indirect expenses resource for additional tools and support https://www.uaspire.org/resources/financial-aid-resources/covering-indirect-expenses

05/19/2026

💡 Financial Aid Question of the Week

What is the Cost of Attendance, & what’s the difference between direct & indirect expenses? When thinking about college costs, it’s important to look beyond just tuition.

🎓 Jasmine Tejeda, our Manager of Training and Technical Assistance, breaks it down for you:

Your Cost of Attendance (COA) is the estimated total cost of attending college for one year and includes both direct and indirect expenses.

📘 Direct Expenses
(costs typically billed by the college)
• Tuition & fees
• Housing & meal plan (if planning to live on campus)

🛍️ Indirect Expenses
(costs you may pay on your own throughout the year)
• Books & supplies
• Transportation
• Personal expenses

Understanding your full Cost of Attendance can help you better plan, budget, and prepare for college costs beyond tuition.

💬 Have other financial aid questions?
Drop them in the comments or DM us! We’re building out an FAQ to support students and families.

📌 Save this for later + share with someone preparing for college costs!

🎉 Last week, we had an unforgettable celebration at the California Academy of Sciences! We gathered with family members,...
05/15/2026

🎉 Last week, we had an unforgettable celebration at the California Academy of Sciences! We gathered with family members, school community members, local leaders, and the dedicated teams from Crankstart Foundation and uAspire to honor the incredible 200+ SF Crankstart Scholars from the Class of 2026!

✨ Highlights from the event included:
💬 An inspiring panel of current scholars sharing invaluable advice and experiences from their first year.
📜 An original poem from Aisha McCulloch, San Francisco's inaugural vice youth poet laureate.
🎤 Empowering remarks from Supervisor Rafael Mandelman and Mayor Lurie.

We are so excited to support the 2nd cohort of SF Crankstart scholars as they embark on their postsecondary journeys! 🌟

Alright, we are clocking off now, but not before one last post to celebrate the conclusion of our journey together with ...
05/14/2026

Alright, we are clocking off now, but not before one last post to celebrate the conclusion of our journey together with uAspire. Thank you for this opportunity, and we look forward to continuing our journeys as policy advocates.

What did we work on this Spring? Here is a snapshot of the priority issues we worked on with uAspire in California, as w...
05/14/2026

What did we work on this Spring? Here is a snapshot of the priority issues we worked on with uAspire in California, as well as a few blogs where you can read more about what we care about.

✅️ CivicCapstone Student Fellows in California Policy: https://www.uaspire.org/news-events/civiccapstone-student-fellows-in-california-policy

✅️ How Broken Financial Aid Systems Fail First-Generation and Immigrant Students: https://www.uaspire.org/news-events/how-broken-financial-aid-systems-fail-first-generation-and-immigrant-students

✅️ The University of California Return-to-Aid Cuts are Hurting Students: https://www.uaspire.org/news-events/the-university-of-california-return-to-aid-cuts-are-hurting-students

05/13/2026

💡 Financial Aid Question of the Week

What’s the difference between subsidized and unsubsidized loans?

Not sure which loan is which on your financial aid offer? You’re not alone. Yue Chen, our Director of Training, breaks it down for you:

Subsidized Loans
✔️ No interest while you’re in school (at least half-time)
✔️ Government pays the interest during that time
✔️ Based on financial need

Unsubsidized Loans
✔️ Interest starts accruing right away
✔️ You’re responsible for all the interest
✔️ Not based on financial need

⚠️ Both are loans = both must be repaid

Understanding the difference = making a more informed college decision

💬 Have other financial aid questions?
Drop them in the comments or DM us—we’re building out our FAQ for students and families!

📌 Save this for later + share with someone trying to understand their loan options

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