AskBenji – Your Help with FASFA
Dear Students and Families,
Your school district has partnered with Ask Benji to help guide you through the financial aid and postsecondary (education after high school) exploration process. Please review the information below to understand what Ask Benji is about.
What is Financial Aid, and why should I care?
Financial aid is money that helps students pay for college, trade school, or certification programs after high school. It's important because not everyone can afford to pay for college on their own. Financial aid comes in different forms, like money you don't have to pay back (grants and scholarships), money you borrow and pay back later (loans), and jobs you can get on campus (work-study programs). The financial aid you receive depends on your unique family situation. Some financial aid is based on how much money your family makes (need-based), and some is based on how well you do in school (merit-based). These resources help students continue their education after high school and achieve their goals. To figure out how much financial aid you can get, you usually have to fill out a form called the FAFSA.
What is the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)?
The FAFSA, or the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, is a form completed by current and future postsecondary students (12th graders) in the United States to help higher education institutions and the U.S. Department of Education determine what type(s) and how much financial aid students can get. Get started with the FAFSA on the Federal Student Aid website.
Why complete the FAFSA?
Completing FAFSA is a critical step in pursuing post-secondary education and makes college more affordable for students. Most colleges and universities require a completed FAFSA to grant need-based financial aid, work-study, federal loans, and even some scholarships. Arizona students from middle-income families secure an average of $10,000 per year in financial aid by completing the FAFSA.
Is completing the FAFSA hard?
It’s easier than ever to complete the FAFSA. It can be completed from a PC, laptop, or mobile device. Help from Benji along the way makes the process even easier.
What is Ask Benji?
Ask Benji is a text-based chatbot designed to help Arizona students, parents, and educators get quick answers to various questions about the FAFSA. Benji is a free and easy-to-use student tool available to you through your school. It is not an app. Questions and answers are safely stored and not shared with outside entities. Benji responds 24/7.
Ask Benji is also partnered with your school to send you routine messages related to the FAFSA and postsecondary planning. There may also be messages specific to your school, district, and/or region regarding college events, FAFSA nights, and other events for you. In addition to sharing resources and opportunities, sometimes Benji will ask you questions to better understand your plans after high school. Responding helps Benji send you more relevant information in the future.
How to get started?
Ask Benji will launch October 10, 2023. Add Ask Benji’s number, (602) 786-8171, to your contacts, so you will know who is messaging you.
How does Benji work?
Ask Benji is an AI chatbot built by Education Forward Arizona, a statewide 501(c)(3) nonprofit, in partnership with other similar organizations and higher education entities across Arizona to help our students receive more financial aid for postsecondary education. Ask Benji directly partners with Arizona school districts to send text messages to students and parents.
As a chatbot, Benji has been programmed to immediately answer more than 1000 FAFSA, financial aid, and postsecondary education questions that students and parents may have while submitting their FAFSA. Texting one question per message helps Benji understand better, and Benji will be available to answer questions until support is no longer needed. Periodically, Benji may get confused by the phrasing of a question or by different slang terms. If Benji can’t answer a question, a human team member will respond and ensure that the correct information is provided. As more Arizona students and parents use this service, Benji will continue to learn and respond to more questions and unique circumstances.
Where can I find more information?
Visit the AskBenji website for more information about Benji, FAFSA, and other resources. You can also follow us on Instagram @benjifafsa!