The Value of a Vaughn Degree
Were you aware that students who earn a bachelor’s degree can earn $1.2 million more than those without one over the course of their lifetime?
We know that the cost of attending college may be overwhelming. The good news is that Vaughn strives to make earning a degree more affordable. Approximately 93% of Vaughn students receive some type of financial aid, whether it be through state aid, opportunity program support and scholarships. And Vaughn’s financial aid and admissions teams will assist students through every step of the financial aid application process.
Are you ready to dive into your future? What follows is important information from our panel that can help you take the first steps to affording a college education.
Recent Changes to the FAFSA
Sometimes change is a good thing but can also come with delays. The FAFSA has undergone significant changes through the FAFSA Simplification Act that not only extends aid to more students but makes the application easier and faster to complete. The 2025-2026 FAFSA opened to all families on November 18, 2024. Institutions have recently begun receiving FAFSA information from the government. Once completed, the FAFSA information from the government is sent to colleges that need it to be able to review applications and provide prospective students with financial award letters so they can determine the cost of attendance at the institutions they’ve applied to.
Whether you have heard about the FAFSA or are new to the college financial aid process, it’s important to know that this application is your gateway to applying for federal aid. Why is this important? Completing the FAFSA application not only opens up opportunities for institutional financial aid but it also extends consideration for additional scholarships and other types of aid. Everyone should complete the FAFSA, regardless of whether or not they think they are eligible.
According to Vaughn’s Associate Vice President of Enrollment Beatriz Novoa-Cruz, “Completing the FAFSA is the number one thing students should do to help with the cost of their education. Some families make the assumption that they won’t qualify and do not apply…Last year, over $31 billion in Pell Grants was disbursed. Even if a person doesn’t qualify for the federal Pell Grant, there are other forms of grants that do not have to paid back, such as awards through the New York State Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) and the Enhanced Tuition Awards Program (ETA) that New York state students may be eligible for—not to mention scholarships. So, it always makes sense to apply.”
New York State Opportunity Programs
Vaughn proudly offers help through the Arthur O. Eve Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP) as another way to give New York state students a jump-start on their futures. Funded by the New York State Education Department (NYSED), HEOP continues to play a crucial role at Vaughn by supporting students who are academically and economically disadvantaged. Through a state-issued grant, Vaughn is able to assist students with items like tuition, textbooks and laptop computers and can provide counseling and tutoring to help level the playing field for these students,” said Lauren Cajade, executive director of Vaughn’s opportunity programs.
To be eligible for HEOP, students must meet the following requirements:
- Be a New York resident.
- Be a first-time college student, with transfer students from other opportunity programs also eligible to apply.
- Meet economic criteria.
- Meet academic criteria. Students must take a standardized exam to see where they place in math and English.
Vaughn currently has 100 students in the HEOP program.
Scholarship Universe
Scholarship Universe is another way for current Vaughn students to search and apply for scholarships—both institutional (at Vaughn) or external. This software program connects to each student’s account through a database, thus making the process more streamlined when the time comes to apply. Additionally Vaughn offers 36 donor-funded scholarships.
For Help and More Information
If you need help with the FAFSA, check out these FAQs or the FAFSA Help section on studentaid.gov. In addition, check out episode 12 of our Futureproof Focus podcast where we dive into all of these topics further. Our financial aid department is happy to assist you as well – just email us at