Financial Aid Spotlight - Sugey Lopez has been a beloved Financial Aid Officer for years at CBD College. In this Spotlight Article, Sugey talks about her background, how she came to work at CBD College, and she offers guidance to those who are concerned about debt or tuition costs.

1. FINANCIAL AID SPOTLIGHT – SUGEY LOPEZ
Tell us more about yourself, your background and what led you to CBD College.
I have been an FA Officer for the past 19 years and have worked at different schools both private
and public. What led me to CBD College. I like working for smaller vocational schools because
you have more one-on-one time with the students and are able to help them out better than at
traditional schools, where they are simply the last 4 digits of their Social Security number.
What was CBD College like when you started?
When I started working here 4 years ago we only had the 4th
floor and had a population of about 200 students. Now, the
population is close to 500+ students I think and since I have
started we have introduced 2 new programs: MRI and
Dental.
How long have you been with CBD College?
4 years and counting!
What is your role in the Financial Aid Department?
My role is to facilitate the Financial Aid process to students
and parents in helping them achieve their educational goals,
and be able to walk them through the process with the
completion of their FA paperwork and forms from the
beginning to end of the program of choice.
What would you tell a student who is worried that they won’t be able to afford tuition?
Seek alternative private student loans or apply for scholarships or grants online. There is so much
FREE money out there for students, however sometimes students don’t take the time to research.
I always encourage students to go online and seek and apply for grants and scholarships. I also
ask them to seek help with family and loved ones to see if they may be able to help with tuition
or account balances.
What determines FA eligibility?
Basic Financial Aid eligibility criteria;
Start by reviewing and understanding the basic eligibility criteria for federal student aid. Here are
the basement-level requirements you must meet:

2. You must be a U.S. citizen or an eligible noncitizen and have a valid Social Security number.
You must have a high school diploma or GED certificate.
You must be enrolled or accepted as a student in an eligible degree or certificate program.
Complete and submit a FAFSA;
The Department of Education requires that students file a Free Application for Federal Student
Aid (FAFSA) to receive financial aid. It’s a form through which you provide details about your
financial situation, your family circumstances, your college, and other information needed to
verify your need and eligibility for financial aid.
Maintain satisfactory academic progress;
If you’re already in college, you must maintain satisfactory academic progress (SAP). In other
words, the federal government requires students to do reasonably well in school, according to the
following measurements:
You must earn at least average grades, defined as a GPA of 2.0 or higher.
You must pass and complete at least two-thirds of the credits you attempt each semester.
You must stay on track to complete your degree in six years or less for a bachelor’s or three
years or less for an associate’s.
If you lose eligibility because of unsatisfactory academic progress, you can work to regain it, but
you’ll be better off getting good grades, passing your classes, and staying on track for
graduation.
These actions will ensure you remain eligible for all forms of federal student aid, including
grants and student loans.
If a student is concerned about going into debt from student loans, what advice would you
have for them?
I always tell them it’s an investment that they are making on themselves to have a career and not
a job. They will be making themselves more marketable if they come to school and invest in
themselves and obtain a certification, degree, and license.