FINANCIAL AID “PAYING FOR COLLEGE” Presented by Aída Sandoval, Counselor Nogales High School

Types of Financial Aid FEDERAL – Grants – Work Study – Student Loans – Parent Loans Scholarships – College & Career Center – Review Criteria – Complete Applications – Deadlines vary CAL Grants – Cal Grant A 4 year university or college – Cal Grant B 2 year college 4 year university of college – Cal Grant C Vocational Programs Adult Schools, ROP, Community College

WHAT IS FINANCIAL AID? Money given or paid to help pay for college GIFT AID – Grants & scholarships = free money you don’t pay back. SELF HELP – work study (job to help pay for school given to the student). Loans given to the student or parent that must be paid back. Financial aid programs are ways to help students pay for school.

Who Is Eligible? U.S. Citizens or Legal Resident High School graduate or GED (Males) Register for Selective 18 years of age Enrolled in an accredited school Enrolled in an approved course of study Maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress Establish Financial Need – by completing FAFSA

FEDERAL & STATE AID $$$ All students must complete a free application for federal student aid – FAFSA before March 2 nd for federal $$ - this is step #1. For California $$ the school can submit your academic GPA verification form for you, or you can complete a GPA form; have your counselor sign it & you mail it. Must complete FAFSA every year to renew financial aid.

HOW DOES THE PROCESS WORK Parent & student complete FAFSA electronically or U.S. mail They send you back a set of forms called a Student Aid Report (SAR) This report will also be sent to the colleges or schools you listed on the application Report determines the Expected Family Contribution (EFC)

The Process continued The Academic GPA is submitted by the high school electronically, OR the student mails a form the student completes and counselor signs by March 2 nd for Cal Grant CAL Grant downloads your FAFSA and scores it to determine the eligibility. CAL Grant bases it on your information + GPA and first 3 schools you listed.

The Process, continued CAL Grant sends their letters in May to the students if you did not provide . Financial Aid office of the school or college you listed gets your information from the SAR & sends you an award letter with how much $$ you will be awarded. You must apply for admissions to college 1 st or school won’t send you anything.

FINANCIAL AID FORMULA COST OF ATTENDANCE - EFC (on your student aid report) FINANCIAL NEED

COST OF ATTENDANCE (varies from school to school)  Tuition & Enrollment fees  Room & Board (dorm or living costs at parents house)  Books & Supplies  Personal expenses  Any school related expenses pertaining to students when disabled.

EXPECTED FAMILY CONTRIBUTION Income of parents & student Family size Number of family members in college Age of the parents Level of education of the parents (for CAL Grants)

SCHOLARSHIP TIPS During the summer BEFORE senior year, write a personal statement, include volunteer activities, honors or awards, If you are the first in your family to finish high school or apply to college, mention that in your essay! If you are being raised by single parent/grandmother, etc. mention that too. Brag about yourself. Have your English teacher or counselor read it.

WHY STUDENTS DON’T APPLY My brother/sister didn’t get any money, I won’t either. Our income is too high. I don’t know how to do this, too confusing. Only students with high GPA can get money I am in danger of not graduating I won’t finish high school until summer I don’t know what I want to do when I graduate.

TURNING THE DON’TS TO DOS Attend financial aid night at school Cash for College happens every year at LA Convention Center – Google it. Bug your senior counselor for help Contact the FA office of the colleges you applied and ask for help there, too. SCHOLARSHIP SCAMS – BEWARE!

DEADLINES ARE IMPORTANT! Keep a calendar for scholarships & financial aid, and your college applications. Check the student aid report (SAR) once you get it. Make sure there aren’t any mistakes. If EFC is BLANK there is an error. Electronic filers get a SAR within 14 days, U.S. mail should be 6 weeks. If you don’t hear from them. Call FED-AID.

QUESTIONS? 1. Use the websites 2. Go to the college and career center at your high school and look for scholarships 3. The financial aid offices in many colleges will help you, so will college admissions personnel that work for EOP – Educational Opportunity Programs. 4. Aida Sandoval =

WEBSITES – CAL GRANT – open an account webgrants for students type in “scholarships”