Senior Parent Night:

 Where to look….  What exactly are they looking for???

 Libraries & bookstores  Internet  Colleges/Universities  Employee Benefits  Your child’s counselor!

 Local Libraries or Bookstores  These books are a great resource to help you out!  They are good because you can read and research as much information as you need.  These materials are not updated as often as other places and can quickly become outdated.

 The internet is your new best friend!  There are many legitimate places to find scholarship opportunities and are updated often.  Fastweb.com: this is one of the best free resources for you to use. Students are able to search for opportunities based on the profile they set up.  Scholarships.com is another free resource.  is a great place to look for state funded scholarships.  There are also some to be wary of because they are scams.

 CFNC has a vast amount of information to help make college available to everyone!  Paying for College (green tab) section of the website has lots of information on scholarships.  Students can apply for scholarships online (example: FELS Program).

 Each financial aid office has their own guidelines and can help you find scholarship opportunities for your child.  Ask them about first year merit scholarships.  They can direct you how to apply for merit scholarships.  The financial aid office can help you find out what is available. They are the expert at their school.

 Many employers offer scholarships to employee’s children-ask if your employer has any benefits that can help you.  Does your child have a job that offers scholarships?  Burger King, Food Lion, and Chick-Fil-A all offer scholarships to their student employees.

 Our office provides scholarship bulletins every 4-6 weeks updating students on opportunities as we become aware of them.  We will send an copy to anyone who wants to be added to our list serve. Mrs. Porter to be added to the list serve.  In spring they will come more frequently because we receive more local scholarships.  Call us!! Use us, we can help make this easier for you!

 A big misconception is that only the top students are awarded scholarships…and that is far from the truth.  Each organization who provides scholarships are looking for different qualities, so just because you do not meet one scholarship does not mean you will not meet someone else’s qualifications.

 There are many types of scholarships:  Academic Merit: Merit scholarships are available from the individual colleges. Check college webpages. Sometimes these are based on more than just academics. (Examples: Morehead Scholarship – Academics, Physical Vigor, Leadership, and Character and the Park Scholarship focuses a LOT on community service.)  Special Talents: these are based on special talents your child has (Sports, Music, Art).  Community/Club awards: these are awards based on participation or involvement in clubs in the area or civic activities in which your child has participated.

 Scholarship essays:  Write the essays! Many times students do not fill out these applications and they let an opportunity pass them by because of the essay.  Essays are a chance to let the student show another dimension of who they are to the scholarship committee.

 Beginning January 1 st students can begin the FAFSA form on the internet.  FAFSA= Free Application For Student Aid  The form must be submitted online, although you can download a form to complete before you do it.  Website:

 Financial Aid: is awarded based on financial need, not academic success or special talents.  Types of financial aid:  Grants: don’t have to be paid back.  Loans: must be paid back and some are in student’s name and some are in parent’s name.  Work Study: Students work on campus and receive money for school.

 When to apply:  Apply early!! Each school has their own deadline for priority aid - apply early so that you will get a good package!  Many deadlines are in March (early) ▪ Check the financial aid office of the schools being considered.  If you cannot finish your taxes early than use last years or estimate and update your form later.

 CSS/Profile:  Some schools require the CSS profile: Davidson, Guilford, Meredith, NC A&T, NC State, UNC Chapel Hill, and Wake Forest  CSS Profile is through the College Board (SAT) it allows schools the get a better picture of each students financial needs.  Applications are available for on October 1 st 2014  Students receive non-federal student aid.  There is a fee for this.

 Once the FAFSA is submitted you receive a Student Aid Report (SAR) that shows the information submitted. If there is an error you can make changes.  This information is sent to the schools you designate.  You may be asked to provide tax information to be sure people are providing correct information.

 Your EFC (Estimate Family Contribution)  Your EFC determines how much a family is expected to contribute to the student’s education.  Schools use your EFC to determine what type of assistance package you receive.

 Eligibility Formula: This is how colleges determine how much aid you receive: Total Cost of Attendance Minus Estimate Family Contribution Equals Financial Need

 There are many creative ways to pay for college:  Military Benefits  Community Colleges  Ferree Foundation  Lenders

 Military Benefits  Students can have their education paid for by the US Army if they enlist.  Students can contact any branch recruiter for more information.

 Community Colleges  Colleges are considerably cheaper ($50 a credit hour).  Students can attend 2 years and transfer to a 4 year college or specialize in an associate program.  Financial aid is available at the community college level.  Students who transfer to a college typically do well.

 Ferree Foundation  Provides low interest loans (does not exceed 3%) to students of Randolph County.  Students can apply for loans each year they are in school and interest does not begin until 6 months after graduation.  Last year students received $1,000 loans, but they can be higher (depending on the stock market).  A student from PGHS who applies for the loan will receive an $8,000 scholarship!!!

 Lenders  Most students receive financial aid and many of them are in the form of loans.  Stafford Loans  Plus Loans  Hope Tax Credit

 If you are unsure how to fill out the FAFSA please call your child’s counselor or attend FAFSA day at RCC where local counselors and financial aid personnel can help you.  PGHS counselors can set up meetings to help you fill out the FAFSA forms in our office.  Call or to set up your appointment- it takes less than an hour.

 September/Early October: first parent meeting, register for SAT/ACT, begin filling out college applications, prepare resume, ask teachers for recommendations  October & November: take SAT/ACT, submit applications.  January: attend FAFSA informational meetings, send mid year school reports if needed, fill out FAFSA and CSS Profile  February-June-Scholarships!!!  May 1 st : Decision day, you must send in your deposit

 January 5: “Completing the FAFSA”

 Beware of scammers!!!  Some companies that ask for a fee to help you find scholarships your child may qualify for-do not pay a fee  This is also true of Financial Aid Services  Fafsa.com charges a fee to fill out the FAFSA form. It submits your application to the correct place, but charges to do it ▪ (fafsa.ed.gov is the correct address)

 Please add your name and address to our list serve!  Contact information  Phone:  Kim Hall (Counselor A-J):  Jane Porter (Counselor K-Z):