Services

We also work with high school seniors who do not have a TRIO Talent Search program in their school.

Services We Provide

• FAFSA Assistance (our most requested service)
• Admissions
• Career Exploration
• College Visits
• Complete High School Diploma/GED
• Financial Aid Options
• Scholarships
• School Selection
• Transfers
• Tutoring Referral
• Workshops

FAFSA Assistance

To understand your financial aid options, the first step is to fill out your FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). This form is used by federal, state, and local entities to determine your financial aid package. Educational Opportunity Centers assist students in completing this form.

TRIO EOC provides free assistance in-person or via Zoom to help you complete and submit your FAFSA application accurately. Our academic advisor will explain and summarize your FAFSA results and answer any questions.

Get FAFSA Assistance

Admissions

• We can assist you in navigating college or technical school admission forms and help you determine if entrance exams are required.
• We write letters to schools requesting admissions application fees be waived and we provide computers for participants to fill out their paperwork.

Career Exploration

Not sure of a career choice? Visit one of the sites below to explore your options.

My Next Move

My Next Move allows you to explore countless careers and gain an understanding of the knowledge, skills, abilities, and education involved.

CareerOneStop

The mission of CareerOneStop is “to deliver integrated, easy-to-understand workforce information that helps job seekers, students, workers, workforce intermediaries, and employers develop their capacity and make sound economic decisions in the new economy.”

College Visits

• We recommend and offer free campus visits, taking groups of students to visit career and technical programs, colleges, and universities.
• These fun and informative trips include lunch, transportation, and the support of your EOC advisor.

Complete Your High School Diploma or GED

• Obtaining a high school diploma or its equivalent is one of the most important things you can do for your lifetime earning power. 
• If you are a few classes away from earning your diploma, we can help you find a high school completion program.
• If you are many years out from high school, a General Educational Development (GED) credential may be appropriate.

Financial Aid

Cost is one of the biggest obstacles to pursuing more education; closely followed by fear of debt from student loans. We can help you and your family find ways to finance post-secondary education through scholarships and grants. Loans may become a part of the equation for some, but we can help explain the costs and benefits associated with certain degrees and career paths.

What Kind of Financial Aid is Available?

There are many financial aid programs at the federal, state, and local level in place to assist individuals in pursuing their post-secondary goals. Additionally, your school and the program you chose may have financial aid available.

Your financial aid package will depend on your unique situation; however, in general, the lower your income, the more likely you will receive need-based aid, which often includes grants.

Scholarships

We direct students to organizations offering scholarships and provides assistance completing scholarship applications. Here are a few recommended organizations and scholarships:

• College Greenlight
• Fastweb
• Fastweb College Scholarship App
• Jerry Bailey Scholarship
• Kansas Board of Regents
• KC Scholars
• Kansas City Kansas Community College (KCKCC) Foundation Scholarships
• MOKANNE Scholarship
• NEOCA Scholarship

School Selection

We help individuals create an educational plan based on their chosen career path. Our desire is to help participants pursue an educational path, whether it is a career and technical education program, community college or university. We seek to limit or eliminate the financial demands of education by helping students choose the path most convenient and sensible for them.

Choosing a school involves:

• Cost
• Location
• Transportation
• Major/occupation
• Climate
• Culture
• Services offered
• And more

Tutoring

• Through our referral network, we can find the right tutoring services for your needs, often at the post-secondary educational institution, you will attend.

Transfers

Attended a community college or university and seeking to transfer to another institution?

We can help in the transfer process and provide you with an application fee waiver to the school you are applying to.

Workshops

We regularly conducts workshops in the community, including:

• Applying for Scholarships
• Career Exploration
• College 101
• Do I Need to File a Tax Return?
• FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid)
• Financial Literacy
• And more

We also feature speakers on various topics throughout the year.

See Workshops for complete details.