Countless lines of advice about financial aid were thrown at us when we reached the first day of our senior year of high school. Everyone knows that college is expensive and tuition costs don’t appear to be falling anytime soon – unlike some of our GPAs.

Colorado Mesa University’s mission to provide accessible financial aid for all students is what makes it stand out when compared to other colleges in Colorado.

This mission begins with the generous scholarships that are awarded upon being accepted to the school. On top of whatever FAFSA awards you each year and any local scholarships you were awarded during high school, if you had a good GPA in high school and an impressive ACT or SAT score, then you could pay nothing towards tuition.

Student-athletes receive further benefits from athletic scholarships, and the massive scholarship application that is available to all students October 1 each year is filled with awards that students can obtain.

There are a plethora of jobs on campus; however, few of these jobs are Student-Assist and many of these jobs require federal work study.

If you haven’t been awarded federal work-study, CMU saves the day again by offering MavWorks which is a school-wide alternative that is based on your GPA and few other criteria.

In the past, MavWorks has been, perhaps, the most difficult form of financial aid to receive. I am sure that we all remember the students lined up outside of Lowell-Heiny waiting for them to open so that they could turn in their MavWorks application and receive an award before the “pot of money” ran out.

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Finally, a more accessible MavWorks emerges. This year, students received an email with the MavWorks information and a link to an online application. Students then have 10 days to fill out and submit the application, which takes about five minutes.

What does this change mean for students seeking additional financial aid? First of all, it means no more waking up before the sun and standing in line hoping you’re early enough. Second, it makes the overall process more accessible to ALL students who are seeking the opportunity.

Finally, it creates a more fair way to determine who gets aid and who doesn’t. It is no longer about your determination and ability to set your alarm for four in the morning but is instead about set criteria.

It is refreshing to see that the staff and student government for CMU are constantly taking steps to listen to the voice of the students and take into consideration the opinions of everyone.

They are constantly implementing new systems, rules and opportunities so that Colorado Mesa can become a great place for students of all ages and backgrounds to feel welcome and appreciated. After all, the education system should be about us, the students, and not about the money that can be sucked out of us.