Parents of area juniors and seniors in high school are invited to a free seminar at Howard Payne University to learn more about financing college educations. HPU will host the meeting on financial aid and the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 6, in the university’s Paul and Jane Meyer Faith and Life Leadership Center.

Glenda Huff, HPU’s director of student aid, will discuss the financial aid process with a special emphasis on the FAFSA, the application used to award loans and grants to students at universities across the nation.

According to Huff, it is extremely essential to begin the financial aid process as soon as possible after January 1.

“Some schools have very early ‘priority dates’ for awarding financial aid funds,” she said. “Parents of all area students, even those not planning to enroll at HPU, are welcome to attend this session.”

University representatives will also discuss HPU’s Heart of Texas Scholarship Program, designed to benefit students graduating from high schools in Brown, Callahan, Coleman, Comanche, Eastland, McCulloch, Mills and San Saba counties. The scholarship awards up to $14,000 annually to students who meet the requirements.

For more information about the seminars, contact PJ Gramling, director of admission, at (325) 649-8406 or [email protected]. For more information about HPU financial aid, visit www.hputx.edu/financialaid or call (325) 649-8015.