 4-Year Universities  Community Colleges  Technical Colleges  Many Apprenticeship Programs

This may involve difficult family conversations about:  Your parent’s income  Your citizenship status  If your parents are divorced, the parenting plans  If you live with a guardian instead of a parent, you’ll need to figure out whether you are still a “dependent” How can you start the conversation?  Have you checked in with your parent/guardian about your plans for after high school?  If your situation is complicated, we would love to talk with you in person and help!

Grants- money you don’t pay back, determined by your family’s financial need  The greater your family’s financial need, the more likely you are to receive grants. Loans- money you pay the government back, with interest after you have left school  Subsidized Loans are better: You don’t start accruing interest on your loan until after you have left school  Unsubsidized Loans start accruing interest as soon as you accept them. Scholarships-  College-specific scholarships (example: Husky Promise at UW)  General scholarships (example: Hazelwood PTSA scholarship): Non- college specific.

 Net Price Estimator: Find this “Estimator” tool on every college Financial Aid webpage  Here’s an example from the UW Financial Aid Webpage:  mator.php mator.php

F ree A pplication for F ederal S tudent A id Who qualifies for FEDERAL (U.S. Government) Financial Aid?  Must be a U.S. Citizen (need a social security number to apply) or have a “Green Card”/US Permanent Resident Status  Must earn a high school diploma or GED

1. Apply for a pin (ID) number now ( for you and your guardian/parent. 2. Complete your FAFSA form ( beginning January 1 st – the sooner the better! 3. Finish your FAFSA: Best to complete the application by Feb. 1 I need help with the FAFSA!  FAFSA Completion Event at Hazen: Jan. 22 nd, 5-7 p.m.  If in doubt, call the FAFSA Helpline:

What is the WASFA and how is it different from the FAFSA?  WASFA is: A free Washington Application for State Financial Aid Who is eligible:  Non-US Citizens (undocumented status)  Graduate from a Washington State High School  Have lived in Washington for 3 years before earning your high school diploma  Income requirements  Website:  Same timeline as FAFSA: Apply beginning January 1 – finish by Feb. 1

The State Need Grant is the funding for things like:  College Bound Scholarship  WASFA You may qualify for the State Need Grant programs if your family income is at or below:

1) College specific scholarships  In addition to applying to the university, you need to complete the FAFSA by Feb. 1 to be eligible for college-specific scholarships and their deadlines  Go to the specific college Financial Aid webpage for scholarships you may be eligible to receive 2) General scholarships: Your resources include  The Wash Board (Washington state scholarship database):  fastWeb:  Hazen Career Center  College Board/Big Future:

 If you are a College Bound Scholarship student:  Remember you must finish high school with a 2.0 cumulative GPA  You must complete the FAFSA no later than Feb. 1 to claim your College Bound Scholarship!  Expect to receive an (your “Match” ) from Washington Student Achievement Council within 2 weeks of submitting your FAFSA, explaining your next steps in receiving your scholarship.  Question about your College Bound Scholarship? See Ms. Diep in the Career Center for individualized help!

 Via your , you’ll receive a Student Aid Report (basically a summary of what you submitted) back from the federal processor; make sure there are no ERRORS  If you submitted your request before your parents finalized their taxes, log back in to your FAFSA and make final updates using the newest tax information  Respond to any requests for additional information  Check the financial aid webpage of the individual colleges you’ve applied to see if they will need any additional forms from you and to check their deadlines.  Each individual college you indicated on your FAFSA will send you an award letter  Compare your award letters to determine which is the best “deal”. See your counselor if you want help!

 You may want to decide which school to attend based on the various school Aid offers.

Take action now:  FAFSA: Create your PIN Number  WASFA: Create your account and start the registration process Scholarships:  Create a Washboard account to search for scholarships:  Go to Big Future:

Your “exit ticket”: Complete this survey through Survey Monkey: