By ERIN HOPKINS

Staff Writer

Incoming freshmen and current students will have an opportunity to learn more about financial aid through a presentation given by the Student Financial Aid office.

The presentations will be offered at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 15 and 22, and Thursday, Feb. 17 and 24, in Davison Hall, Room 113.

"I think students really have no concept of the details of the step-by-step process of applying for financial aid and this presentation will help those students," Amy Askegren, a senior biology major, said.

Roger Vick, director of student financial aid, said by having the presentation at separate times will increase the attendance.

"We are hoping that by moving the presentations to the evenings on four different days, more students may be able to come," Vick said.

Vick said the presentation will inform students about financial aid and the process of applying.

"We need to get as much information about these presentations to the students and they really need to start thinking about financial aid and applying for it," Vick said.

Vick said the presentation will include information about what financial aid is and what areas it covers.

The cost covered by financial aid includes the cost of attendance that cannot be made by the students.

"Cost of attendance includes tuition and fees, room and board, supplies and other miscellaneous expenses," Vick said. "The unmet need is what the financial aid covers."

Vick said the presentation will be able to clarify this information and anything else that might be confusing for the students.

Vick and other staff members will be available to answer questions.

"[The financial aid staff] would like to open it up to local parents in surrounding parishes, such as Ouachita Parish, so we can answer their questions as well as any the students may have," Vick said.

Nadia Morgan, a sophomore business management and marketing major, said she thinks the presentation will help to inform the students about the process of applying for financial aid.

"A lot of people are blind-sided by how the process works and are not educated enough about it," Morgan said. "This presentation will help with that."