Coming Soon: A New Way to Find Student Financial Aid

Last month we wrote about the Get Schooled College Affordability Challenge, a national competition organized by MTV, the College Board, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, to re-imagine and simplify the college financial-aid process by using digital tools. The submissions were winnowed down to three finalists. People voted for their favorite, and the winner was announced by former President Bill Clinton at his annual Clinton Global Initiative University conference on April 2.

Devin Valencia, a 24-year-old recent graduate from the University of Nevada, got the most votes for Connect Fund, a Facebook app that she created. It lets prospective college students interact, ask questions and get tips and info on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) process, scholarships and grants. Valencia receives $10,000 in prize money and her Connect Fund idea will be turned into reality by MTV and the College Board. Money College got to talk to Valencia about her big win.