Paying for College

Step 1: The FAFSA  Apply each year  Apply as soon after January 1 st as possible  Apply online at  Get a pin before beginning FAFSA. Apply for a pin (one for parent, one for student) at

Step 2: File additional forms if needed  The CSS Profile – online at  Individual college forms  Cal Grant form

Free Money from the Government  Cal Grants May be used at 4-year California colleges – public & private Eligibility – submit FAFSA and verified GPA by March 2 nd. Have financial need and family income below established ceiling. Get information and apply online at Get information and apply online at  Cal Grant A – provides up to $ 9,708 for study at private colleges, up to $ 6,636 for UC’s and up to $ 2,772 for Cal States. requires a 3.0 GPA

 Cal Grant B – generally about $1,551 and may be applied toward living expenses, books, tuition, or fees. Requires a minimum GPA of 2.0  Cal Grant Competitive Awards take into consideration such factors as GPA, family income, parents’ educational levels.  Cal Grant Awards are renewable each year

More Federal Grants for California Residents  Federal Pell Grants – $400 to $4,050 for undergraduate students who demonstrate the highest financial need. Automatically considered when you file the FAFSA  Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants - $100 to $4,000 for students with exceptional need  Robert Byrd Honors Scholarship - $1,500 grants for outstanding academic achievement. Based on GPA and test scores – FAFSA not required.

Financial Aid from Colleges  California Community Colleges – fee waivers for students meeting maximum family income standards  Cal State University Grant – for California residents with demonstrated financial need – for information go to or  University of California Student Aid – for more information go to  Independent CA colleges – go to or for links to each school

College-Based Awards Awarded for study at their institution.  Awards are generally targeted to students who would be ranked in the top 25% of the entering class.  In some cases all applicants are considered for these awards.  For many of the most prestigious awards, students must apply early or be nominated by their high school.

 Boston College, Presidential Scholars  Cal States, President’s Scholarship Program  U of Chicago, Merit Scholarships  Davidson College, Scholars Programs  Emory University, Emory Scholars Program  FIDM Scholarships  Lewis & Clark College, Merit Awards  NYU, Martin Luther King Jr. Scholars Program  St. Mary’s of California, Merit Scholarships  University of California, Regents Scholarships  Washington University, Danforth Scholarships

Private Scholarships  National Scholarship Programs Register at for free scholarship search & notification Apply for all applicable programs Learn about scholarship opportunities on school websites such as Naviance’s Family Connection.

Local Opportunities Check for scholarships awarded by local organizations and businesses Target Best Buy Lions Club VFWMacDonalds

Restricted Scholarships For members of special groups: Pan Asian Scholarship Hispanic or Latino Scholarships Gates Millenium Scholarships for minority students Bernard Harris Scholarship for Catholic students Ron Brown Scholar Program for African American students

Career and Interest-Related Scholarships  U.S. FIRST Scholarships – nearly $14 million for study at over 100 colleges for students interested in science & engineering  Ayn Rand Institute – essay contests for student writers  Arts Recognition & Talent Search – for students excelling in the performing, literary, or visual arts

 American Legion Oratorical Contest – for public speakers  Discover Card Tribute Award – for community service  NFIB Free Enterprise Scholars Awards – for young entrepreneurs  National Security Agency awards for students interested in working for the NSA and majoring in electrical or computer engineering, computer science, math or foreign language

Loans  Federal Stafford Loans Subsidized loans are based on financial need Unsubsidized loans are for all eligible students  Federal Perkins Loans – low-interest loans for students with exceptional financial need  Federal PLUS Loans – unsubsidized loans for parents to pay college expenses  Private Loans – see for information

Additional Options  Work-study opportunities  AmeriCorps Volunteer Education Awards  U.S. Military Scholarships through ROTC programs:

Still More Ideas  Get a head start through A.P. programs  Take courses or get an AA degree at a local community college and then transfer to a four- year institution  Consider Co-op programs. Check out op.edu or check into co-op schools such as Northeastern University, Drexel University, Kettering University and others. op.eduwww.co- op.edu  Receive college credit through CLEP exams – see for information