Visit Your School’s Financial Aid Website! Contact the Financial Aid Office if You Need Additional Information! Complete ALL Paperwork Carefully. Read and Follow Instructions. Know Your Schools Deadline Dates & Meet Them! Keep Copies of Everything!!! Reapply for Financial Aid By The Deadline Each Year!

GACollege411.org What is Financial Aid? HOPE Program Regulations (Rules) Types of Financial Aid FAFSA Processing and Results Questions?

FEDERAL AID STATE AID INSTITUTIONAL SCHOLARSHIPS COMMUNITY GROUPS Religious Organizations, Civic Organizations, Corporations, Professional Organizations, etc.! Check your options with your institution! HOPE Scholarship, Zell Miller Scholarship, Student Access Loan! Check GAcollege411.org HOPE Scholarship, Zell Miller Scholarship, Student Access Loan! Check GAcollege411.org Pell Grant, Direct Loans, Federal Work Study, Federal Supplemental Opportunity Grant!

4 Types of Scholarships & Examples: Academic Ability – Presidential Scholarships Artistic Ability – Music Scholarships Athletic Ability – Athletic Scholarships Affiliation with Groups – Religious Organizations

Largest Non-Need Based Program in the Nation Students MUST meet certain requirements by HS Graduation: -Academic Requirement of a 3.0 GPA in academic CORE CLASSES -Citizenship -Resident of GA -Enroll in a HOPE eligible institution in Georgia -Must Maintain minimum 3.0 HOPE GPA while in college Note: Seniors who are on Technical Diploma, the GPA requirement is a 3.2 in academic CORE CLASSES. Georgia Student Finance Commission determines eligibility from HS transcripts that are sent from the HS.

New Scholarship went into Effect July 2011 Students MUST meet the same residency and citizenship requirements as HOPE Must graduate from a GA HS with at least a 3.7 GPA (calculated by GSFC) Plus receiving a score of at least 1,200 combined Critical Reading and Math score on a single administration of the SATs or…At least a 26 ACT Score Or graduate as the HS Valedictorian or Salutatorian Must maintain a minimum 3.3 GPA to keep the Zell Miller Scholarship in college. GAcollege411.org for more details!!!!

GA Public Institution - Majority of In-State Tuition (no fees or books) GA Private Institution - $4000 per academic year for Full-Time Study

Maintaining HOPE and Zell Scholarships End of each Spring Term 30 Attempted Semester Hours 60 Attempted Semester Hours 90 Attempted Semester Hours HOPE = Minimum 3.0 GPA Zell Miller – Minimum 3.3 GPA Maximum 127 Attempted Hours to be awarded HOPE/Zell Miller Funds

Federal Pell Grant Federal Supplemental Opportunity Grant (FSEOG) Federal Work Study Perkins Loan

-Maximum Pell Grant Amount for the Year = $5,550 -$2,775 per semester -Full-Time student (12+ Hours) -Based on $0 EFC (Expected Family Contribution) -Minimum Pell Amount = $577 -$288 per semester -Full-Time student (12+ Hours) -Maximum EFC = $5,278 -Maximum Pell Grant Amount for the Year = $5,550 -$2,775 per semester -Full-Time student (12+ Hours) -Based on $0 EFC (Expected Family Contribution) -Minimum Pell Amount = $577 -$288 per semester -Full-Time student (12+ Hours) -Maximum EFC = $5,278

Subsidized Direct Loans Interest is paid by the government while enrolled (6 or more hours) “Need-Based” Unsubsidized Direct Loans Student is responsible for paying the interest on the loan *Repayment of loan begins six (6) months after graduation or ceasing to be enrolled half-time*

Subsidized Loans – Current Interest Rate 6.8% (disbursed after July 1, 2012) Annual Limit 1 st Year = $3,500 Unsubsidized Loans – Current Interest Rate – 6.8% Annual Limit $2,000 (Parents who are approved for PLUS) Annual Limit $6,000 (Parents who are denied for Plus) Direct Parent Plus – Current Interest Rate 7.9% (Maximum Amount depends Cost of Attendance)

APPLY ELECTRONICALLY AT: – State Application GSFApps – Free Application for Federal Student Aid Apply for your PIN online (MUST HAVE TO SIGN FAFSA) Check with the college Financial Aid Office for other applications that may need to be completed! Check with the college Financial Aid Office for other applications that may need to be completed!

FAFSA will determine the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) EFC estimates the family’s ability to contribute towards educational costs The EFC formula includes financial information collected on the FAFSA, family size and # of dependents

College Cost of Attendance (Determined by the School) Minus the Expected Family Contribution _________________________________________ Equals the Amount of Need-Based Aid For which the Student May Qualify What Does the FAFSA Do?

Gather All Information Prior to Filling Out the FAFSA! Student Driver’s License Student Alien Registration Card Student and Parent Social Security Cards 2011 W-2 Forms and Other Records of $$ Earned 2011 Federal Income Tax Forms Current Bank Statements, Business, Real Estate or Farm Records Both Parent and Student PIN # to sign FAFSA ________________________________________________

Use the IRS DATA Retrieval Option on the FAFSA Do Not Use Estimates… Sign with PIN# (both parent/student) Prior to Submitting FAFSA! NEVER PAY TO COMPLETE FAFSA!!! “Parent” Refers to the Biological or Adoptive Parent Department of Education will send you a Student Aid Report (SAR) with your EFC to the provided on the FAFSA EFCs with * Means You Were Chosen For Verification

What is Verification? The Department of Education select FAFSAs that the Institution MUST verify the information provided on the FAFSA before any aid can be awarded. Your school will verify your information but requesting additional documentation from you. Check with your Office of Financial Aid to see what documentation is needed along with your 2011 Tax Transcript.