2. Finding Money for College Sallie Wiggins, School Counselor 864-938-1854 sawiggin@laurens56.k12.sc.us

3. Four Ways to Pay for College Grants – Money given to you Scholarships – Money that is given to you because of academic achievement, talent, skill, or financial aid Work – Money you earn from a job on or off campus Loans – Money you borrow and must repay

4. Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) A form of need analysis Determines the Expected Family Contribution Use ALL 2012 income (taxed and untaxed) Provide both student and parent(s) income Looks at total household size Looks at how many are in college Total assets are considered in calculation Can send to up to 10 colleges/universities FREE & ANNUAL Process!!

5. Electronic Applications Apply online in Spring of Senior Year –www.fafsa.govwww.fafsa.gov Apply for a PIN –www.pin.ed.govwww.pin.ed.gov –Student and at least one parent Tips and Hints –www.finaid.org/fafsa/maximize.phtmlwww.finaid.org/fafsa/maximize.phtml

6. Help is Available FREE CHS Financial Aid Help Sessions –TBA: Late February/Early March College Goal South Carolina –Saturday, February 23, 2013 –Various locations across the state FOR MORE INFO... www.collegegoalsc.org

7. FAFSA Results Student Aid Report (SAR) –3-5 days after processing via e-mail or 2 weeks after processing via mail –To you and all the schools you listed on the FAFSA Cost of Attendance (COA) – Estimated Family Contribution (EFC) = NEED –Award Letter from schools you listed on the FAFSA

8. For Juniors FAFSA4caster –Estimates what your FAFSA will look like next year –www.fafsa4caster.ed.govwww.fafsa4caster.ed.gov –Data will transfer to FAFSA next year

9. Unusual Circumstances Financial Aid Offices will use professional judgment Notify college financial aid office of special circumstances: –Change in parent’s marital status –Loss of income or significant reduction –Death of a parent

10. Federal Programs Pell Grant Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG) TEACH Grant College Work Study Perkins Loan Direct Stafford Loan Programs Direct Parent PLUS Loan

11. Federal Pell Grant Must file FAFSA Based on Need Up to $5, 550 (proposed for 2012-13) Award based on enrollment status (Full time, part time, or less than half time)

12. Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant (FSEOG) Up to $4,000 a year (depending on cost of selected college/university) Must file FAFSA Based on need Limited funds

13. TEACH Grant Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant Program MAXIMUM AWARD: –Up to $4,000 per year Eligibility Criteria –Enrolled in an eligible program, and –Agree to teach In a critical subject In a critical geographical area For at least four years within eight years of completing the program for which the TEACH Grant was awarded

14. TEACH Grant (cont.) Failure to teach requires repayment under terms of an unsubsidized Direct Loan How to apply: –Check with the financial aid office at your institution for availability and application procedures –May not show on award letter unless you ask

15. Scholarships College Board Scholarship Search –https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/schol arship-searchhttps://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/schol arship-search Fast Web Scholarship Search –www.fastweb.comwww.fastweb.com College Net Scholarship Search –www.collegenet.comwww.collegenet.com

16. State Programs in SC Palmetto Fellows Scholarship Life Scholarship Hope Scholarship Lottery Tuition Assistance Need Based Grant Administered by SC Commission on Higher Education –www.che.sc.govwww.che.sc.gov

17. General Eligibility Criteria for All State Programs Be a SC resident; Be a US citizen or permanent resident (green card); Be enrolled as a degree-seeking student at an eligible SC public or private institution Certify that he/she has never been convicted of any felonies and has not been convicted of any alcohol or other drug-related misdemeanor convictions within the past academic year

18. General Eligibility (cont.) Verify that he/she does not owe a refund or repayment on any Federal or State financial aid and not be in default on any Federal loans Award Amounts: –Cannot exceed the cost-of-attendance –Half awarded during the fall and half during the spring

19. Palmetto Fellows Scholarship Available for attendance at four year institutions in South Carolina Maximum Award –$6,700 during Freshman year –$7,500 per year for Sophomore through Senior years Must apply during Senior year of high school –School counselors will guide students through the application process

20. Palmetto Fellows (cont.) Initial Eligibility Criteria: –Top 6% of class, –1200 or higher SAT (CR+M), or 27 or higher ACT, and –3.50 cumulative GPA on the Uniform Grading Scale OR –1400 or higher SAT (CR+M), or 32 or higher ACT, and –4.00 cumulative GPA on Uniform Grading Scale Continued Eligibility –3.0 GPA or greater and at least an average of 30 credit hours per academic year

21. Life Scholarship Available for attendance at a 2 or 4 year institution in SC Maximum Award –4-year Institution: Up to $5,000 –2-year Institution: Up to cost of attendance + $300 book allowance

22. Life Scholarship (cont.) Initial Eligibility requirements at a 4 year school –Any two of these three: 3.0 or higher cumulative GPA on uniform grading scale Top 30% of high school graduating class 1100+ SAT (CR+M) or 24+ ACT Initial Eligibility requirements at a 2 year school –3.0 or higher cumulative GPA on uniform grading scale

23. Life Scholarship (cont.) Continued Eligibility Requirements: –3.0 GPA or greater and at least an average of 30 credit hours per academic year Can earn the Life Scholarship while in college –3.0 GPA or greater and at least an average of 30 credit hours per academic year

24. Palmetto Fellows and Life Scholarships Enhancements Maximum Enhancement –$2,500 per year beginning in the Sophomore year Eligibility Criteria –Declare a major in Mathematics or Science* –Have earned at least 14 credit hours of math or science courses* during the Freshman year *A complete list of eligible majors and courses can be found on the SC Commission on Higher Education’s website, www.che.sc.gov

25. SC Hope Scholarship Freshman year only at 4 year institutions in SC Maximum Award: –Up to $2,800 towards the cost of attendance Eligibility Requirements: –3.0 GPA on the Uniform Grading Scale at the time of high school graduation

26. Lottery Tuition Assistance (LTAP) Available for students attending SC Technical Colleges, USC Regional Campuses and Spartanburg Methodist College Maximum Award: –$75 per credit hour, up to $900 per semester for full-time attendance Eligibility Criteria: –Must file the FAFSA –Must be degree seeking and enrolled in a minimum of 6 credits

27. SC Need-Based Grant Maximum Award –Up to $2,500 annually if enrolled in full-time and $1,250 if enrolled part-time for a maximum of eight full-time equivalent terms –College determines the exact award amount Eligibility Criteria –Must file the FAFSA –Must be needy based on the results of the FAFSA (consistent with Pell Grant eligibility)

28. SC Tuition Grant Need-Based Grant Program available to Eligible SC Residents attending SC Independent Colleges on a Full-Time basis Freshman Academic Eligibility Criteria –Top 75% of senior class, or –SAT score of 900 (CR+M) or higher, or –ACT score of 19 or higher, or –Final high school GPA of 2.0 or higher on SC Uniform Grading Scale

29. SC Tuition Grants (cont.) Students must file FAFSA annually Annual Application Deadline – June 30 Maximum award - $2,800 Tentative Award notifications via e- mail –www.sctuitiongrants.com for more informationwww.sctuitiongrants.com

30. Federal College Work Study Must file FAFSA Based on need Limited funds Students work up to 20 hours/week – earn a paycheck Usually on campus

31. Federal Perkins and Stafford Loans Federal Perkins and Stafford Loan –Must file FAFSA –Subsidized = no interest accrues while in school –Unsubsidized = interest accrues –Payments are deferred until out of school –Low interest rates

32. Other Loans Federal Direct PLUS Loan –College/University will provide instructions on how to apply in the award letter Palmetto Assistance Loan and SC Teachers Loan Program –Apply online at www.scstudentloan.orgwww.scstudentloan.org

33. Local Scholarships Cummins-Wham (due ~April 15) Cummins-Wham (due ~April 15) –In memory of late Mae Wham and Charles Cummins…last year awarded $36,000 to 12 students ($3,000 each) M.S. Bailey (due ~April 15) M.S. Bailey (due ~April 15) –In memory of late Mercer Silas Bailey –$40,000 to 2 students ($20,000 each) McAlister (due ~April 15) McAlister (due ~April 15) –Full tuition, room, board, books for one student –Awarded to CHS in odd number years and LDHS in even number years **Check your monthly newsletters for other scholarships!!

34. CHAMPS Scholarship *due mid-March Awarded each year to a graduating CHAMPS high school senior who has applied for and has been granted admission to Presbyterian College Worth the equivalent of PC’s annual direct cost to attend (room, board, tuition, select fees) Renewable for three consecutive years, contingent upon the recipient demonstrating satisfactory academic progress Requirements: 1.Be recognized as an outstanding student representative in CHAMPS 2.Apply for and be granted admission to PC 3.Cumulative HS GPA of “B” or better 4.Above average SAT Scores 5.Include a letter in application requesting consideration and a letter of recommendation from a CHAMPS administrator 6.Submit a resume