1. Georgia Student Finance Commission
Financial Aid 101

2. Georgia’s HOPE Scholarship Program
Largest Non-Need Based Program in the Nation
Students must meet:
Academic Requirement of a 3.0 GPA in academic core classes*
Citizenship
Residency
Enroll in a HOPE eligible school in Georgia

3. 2011 HOPE Scholarship Award
At a Georgia public college, university or technical college:
Award will cover portion of standard tuition
At a Georgia private college:
Award will be $3,600 per academic year for full-time study
*Award amount will vary by year depending on receipts from lottery commission and expenditures of HOPE dollars

4. Zell Miller Scholarship Program
New Scholarship Program for 2011
Must meet HOPE Scholarship requirements, plus:
Minimum 3.7 GPA in academic core classes, and
1,200 combined critical reading and math on SAT, or
26 composite ACT
Graduate from an eligible high school as the valedictorian or salutatorian
*Test requirements must be met in single test administration.

5. 2011 Zell Miller Scholarship Award
At a Georgia public college, university or technical college:
Award will cover full standard tuition
At a Georgia private college:
Award will be $4,000 per academic year for full-time study

6. Maintaining the HOPE/Zell Scholarship
A student must maintain a 3.0 grade point average in college to maintain the HOPE Scholarship.
A student must maintain a 3.3 grade point average in college to maintain the Zell Miller Scholar program.
If a student loses eligibility for either the HOPE or Zell Miller Scholar program for any reason, they may regain that eligibility one time. They remain eligible for the HOPE Scholarship provided the student’s GPA is still a 3.0 or above.
If a student did not or does not graduate from high school Academically Eligible for Zell Miller, then the student can never earn Zell Miller.

7. Maintaining the HOPE/Zell Scholarship
HOPE Eligibility Checkpoints
At the end of every Spring Semester
30 Attempted Semester Hours
60 Attempted Semester Hours
90 Attempted Semester Hours
Students have a maximum of 127 attempted semester hours (190 quarter hours) to be awarded HOPE Scholarship funds.
Students graduating 2011 and beyond have a maximum of 7 years to utilize the HOPE Scholarship before their eligibility expires
Exceptions for military service

8. Need New Picture HOPE Grant Program
For students enrolling in a certificate or a diploma program
Need a 3.0 GPA at 30 attempted semester hours to continue receiving grant
Covers portion of tuition
Covers up to 63 semester hours or 95 quarter hours
Need New Picture

9. View HOPE GPA on GAcollege411
Select “Your HOPE GPA” under “Shortcuts”
Log in to your GAcollege411 Account
Enter Last Name, Date of Birth, and Social Security Number
Finally, select high school from list
Grady seniors should visit this “shortcut” in late February, 2012

10. What is Financial Aid?
Financial Aid is funding intended to help students pay educational expenses
Sources of Financial Aid
Federal government
State government
Colleges and universities
Community groups (religious organizations, civic organizations, corporations, professional organizations, etc.)

11. How Much Does College Cost?
Costs of Attendance
Tuition and mandatory fees
Room and board
Books and supplies
Transportation
Personal expenses (clothing, laundry, entertainment, medicine and healthcare, cell phone etc.)
College Costs, also commonly referred to as the Cost of Attendance, vary widely based on the type of institution. The Cost of Attendance is the budget established by the school

12. Financial Aid Comes in Packages
Gift Aid
Money not paid back
Grants
Scholarships
Self-Help
Money using student initiative
Student Loans- (can help students begin to establish credit)
Work Study

13. Expected Family Contribution(EFC)

14. What is an EFC?
The FAFSA will determine the Expected Family Contribution (EFC).
The EFC estimates the family’s ability to contribute toward educational costs.
The EFC formula includes financial information collected on the FAFSA, family size and number of dependents.

15. What Does the FAFSA Do?
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

16. Pell Grant Maximum Pell Grant Amount $5,550 $2,775 per semester
Full time student (12 or more hrs.)
Based on $0 EFC

17. Direct Loan Program Subsidized Direct Loans
Interest is paid by the government while enrolled (at least half-time)
Unsubsidized Stafford Loans
Student is responsible for paying the interest on the loan
Repayment begins six (6) months after graduation or ceasing to be enrolled half-time

18. Student Loan Limits 2010 – 2011 Academic Year
Dependent Students whose Parents are Eligible for a
PLUS Loan
Base
Additional Unsubsidized
Annual Maximum Amount
Freshmen
$3,500
$2,000
$5,500
Sophomore
$4,500
$6,500
Junior/Senior
$7,500
Independent Students and Dependent Students whose Parents were Denied a PLUS Loan
$6,000
$9,500
$10,500
$7,000
$12,500

19. ALL students should file a FAFSA after January 1, 2012!
It is the GATEWAY to accessing money
to pay for college
Apply for the FAFSA by visiting GAcollege411.org
An updated FAFSA is also required each school year

20. Federal Application for Student Aid ASSIGNMENT FOR SENIORS: visit: www
Federal Application for Student Aid ASSIGNMENT FOR SENIORS: visit: and request a FAFSA PIN Every student applying Federal Student Aid must request a Federal Student Aid PIN BEFORE you can electronically submit the 2012 FAFSA application!

21. What Does the FAFSA Require?
To complete the FAFSA, you will need:
Completed Tax Returns
Information on untaxed income, such as child support
Household Information
To Receive a Paper FAFSA:
Call FED-AID
Download the paper application at FederalStudentAid.ed.gov

22. FAFSA.gov

23. Contact Us Students and Parents support By browsing online help
Contact the Federal Student Aid Information Center
Live help, phone, or .

24. FAFSA on the Web Worksheet
These questions will determine whether the student is a dependent or independent student. These are the only questions that the Government uses in making this determination.

25. Who is the “parent” for federal aid?
“Parent” refers to the biological or adoptive parent.
In case of divorce or separation give information about the parent you lived with most during the last 12 months.
If your divorced or widowed parent has remarried, also provide information about your stepparent.

26. Parent section

27. IRS Data Retrieval The applicant will be validated
The applicant will have the option to “Transfer” the tax information to the FAFSA
Once they have successfully authenticated, tax data will be presented and option to “Transfer” the information will be present. For , users who could not authenticate successfully or did not transfer their data had to manually log back into their FAFSA. Beginning with the FAFSA, applicants have been able to click “return to FAFSA” which will automatically log them back into their FAFSA.

28. Special Circumstances
Cannot report on FAFSA
Send explanation to financial aid office at each college
College will review special circumstances:
Request additional documentation
Decisions are final and cannot be
appealed to U.S. Department of
Education
Examples of Special Circumstances:
Change in employment status
Medical expenses not covered by insurance
Change in parent marital status
Unusual dependent care expenses
Student cannot obtain parent information

29. Sign and Submit 3 Signature Options Sign Electronically w/PIN
Print Signature Page
Submit without signatures
If the applicant selects to Print A Signature Page the Print Signature Page button dynamically appears.

30. Confirmation Page Confirmation Number Data Release Number (DRN)
EFC estimate
Pell Grant and Direct Loan estimates
Option for parents to transfer info to an application for a sibling

31. FAFSA Processing Results
Institutional Student Information Record (ISIR) sent to colleges listed on FAFSA approximately 10 to 14 days after FAFSA submitted
College reviews Institutional Student Information Record (ISIR)
May request additional documentation, such as copies of federal tax returns

32. Sample Award Letter

33. Georgia Student Finance Commission
Questions? Contact Us
Call GSFC at or visit your school counselor
click on Financial Aid Planning Page
Darryl Watson
Georgia Student Finance Commission