1. Applying for Financial Aid 2012-2013

2. Sponsored by: Heritage High School Presented by: Michelle Snyder 2

3. Class of ’11 Cash For College $1,000 Scholarship Winners Stephanie Johnston Lisa Contreras

4. What Will You Learn Today? Types and sources of financial aid Required financial aid application forms How to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and the Cal Grant GPA Verification Form Answers to your individual questions 4

5. Types of Financial Aid Gift Aid - Grants or scholarships that do not need to be repaid Work - Money earned by the student as payment for a job on or off campus Loans - Borrowed money to be paid back, usually with interest 5

6. Sources of Financial Aid Federal government State government Colleges and universities Private agencies, companies, foundations, and parents’ employers 6

7. Cal Grants Cal Grant A Entitlement Awards – for high school seniors and recent high school grads with a Grade Point Average (GPA) of at least 3.0, family income and assets below the state ceilings, who demonstrate financial need Cal Grant B Entitlement Awards – for high school seniors and recent high school grads with a GPA of at least 2.0, who come from disadvantaged or low income families, whose family income and assets are below the state ceilings, and who demonstrate financial need Cal Grant C Awards - for students from low income families pursuing vocational programs of study 7

8. Eligibility for Cal Grants To be eligible for a Cal Grant, the student must also: be a U.S. citizen or eligible noncitizen be a California resident attend an accredited California college or university at least half-time in 2012-13 8

9. Residency and Cal Grant Eligibility for 2012-2013 9 parents have been legal residents of California for one year immediately prior to September 20, 2012, or student has lived in California with other legal California residents, other than parents, for two years immediately prior to September 20, 2012, or parents who are active duty military, stationed in California at the time the student enrolls in college, or parents’ military home of record is California If unmarried and under 18 years of age, the student will be considered a legal resident of California if : If married or 18 years of age or older, the student establishes his/her own residence status. The student must be a legal resident of California for one year prior to September 20, 2012

10. 2012-2013 Cal Grant Application Requirements 10 Heritage High School will directly submit students GPA to CSAC electronically. By March 2, 2012, complete and submit: Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) Cal Grant GPA Verification Form

11. California Chafee Grant The California Chafee Grant program provides up to $5,000 annually to current and former foster youth for college or vocational training at any accredited college in the U.S. based on available funding To be eligible, foster youth must have been in California foster care on their 16 th birthday and not have reached their 22 nd birthday before July 1, 2012 Foster youth are encouraged to apply during their senior year of high school To apply, the foster youth must complete:  2012-2013 FAFSA  California Chafee Grant Program Application To learn more about the Chafee Grant, go to: www.chafee.csac.ca.gov 11

12. Types of Applications FAFSA Cal Grant GPA Verification Form Other applications or forms as required by the college such as: 2011 federal tax returns (along with all schedules and W-2s) or other income documentation CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE Institutional Scholarship and/or Financial Aid Application 12

13. FAFSA Information & Tips File early, but no later than March 2, 2012 Use estimated 2011 income information if taxes are not complete at time of FAFSA submission Student and at least one parent whose information is reported must complete and sign the FAFSA 13

14. FAFSA on the Web (FOTW) 14 Internet application used by students and parents to complete electronic FAFSA at: www.fafsa.gov Sophisticated on-line edits and skip logic so that errors are less likely to be made On-line help is available for each question Student and one custodial parent should get a federal PIN at: www.pin.ed.gov

15. Federal PIN PIN (Personal Identification Number) serves as the electronic signature on ED documents Both student and one parent need PINs to sign the FAFSA electronically May be used to: Check on FAFSA status Verify and correct FAFSA data Add additional schools to receive FAFSA data Change home and e-mail addresses If an e-mail address is provided, PIN will be e-mailed to the PIN applicant within minutes Apply for student and parent PINs at: www.pin.ed.gov 15

16. Another Useful Form - FAFSA on the Web Worksheet The 2012-2013 FAFSA on the Web Worksheet may be used for the January 1, 2012 through June 30, 2013 federal aid application cycle 16

17. Before starting the FAFSA on the Web (FOTW), gather: o Student driver’s license o Student Alien Registration Card o Student and Parent Social Security cards 2011 W-2 Forms and records of money earned and other taxable benefits 2011 federal income tax form (even if not yet completed) Records of untaxed income Current bank statements Business, farm, and other real estate records Records of stocks, bonds, and other investments Complete 2012-13 FOTW Worksheet Create a file for copies of all financial aid documents submitted Getting Ready 17

18. FAFSA on the Web (FOTW) 18 The 2012-2013 FAFSA on the Web may be used for the January 1, 2012 through June 30, 2013 federal student aid application cycle

19. The FOTW A Seven-Section Online Form Section 1 Section 1–Student Demographics Section 2 Section 2–School Selection Section 3 Section 3–Dependency Status Section 4 Section 4–Parent Demographics Section 5 Section 5 – Financial Information Section 6 Section 6 – Sign and Submit Section 7 Section 7 – Confirmation 19

20. Section 1 STUDENT DEMOGRAPHICS

21. Section 1 - Student Name The FOTW will ask for the student’s first and last names Make sure to report the student’s name exactly as it appears on the student’s Social Security card 21

22. Section 1 - Student Social Security Number Double check the student’s Social Security Number when entering it on the FOTW. Both student name and Social Security Number will be compared through a database match. 22

23. Section 1- Home State Residence Home state residence –if the student is dependent, the Home State is usually the one in which the custodial parent(s) lives Home state is also used –to determine eligibility for state grants –in the need calculation to determine the appropriate allowance for state and other taxes paid by that state’s residents 23

24. Section 1 - Student Marital Status The student should check his or her marital status as of the date the FAFSA on the Web is submitted If the student is married or remarried, he or she will be asked to provide information about his or her spouse 24

25. Section 1 - Student Citizenship Status If U.S. citizen, status will be confirmed by Social Security match If eligible noncitizen, status will be confirmed by Department of Homeland Security (DHS) match. This includes: U.S. permanent residents with I-551 Conditional permanent residents with I-551C The holder of an Arrival-Departure Record (I-94) from the Department of Homeland Security showing any of the following designations: “Refugee,” “Asylum Granted,” “Parolee” (I-94 confirms paroled for a minimum of one year and status has not expired), T-Visa holder (T-1, T-2, T-3, etc.) or “Cuban-Haitian Entrant;” or The holder of a valid certification or eligibility letter from the Department of Health and Human Services showing a designation of “Victim of human trafficking.” A resident of the Republic of Palau (PW), the Republic of the Marshall Islands (MH), or the Federated States of Micronesia (FM) Canadian-born Native American under terms of the Jay Treaty 25

26. Section 1 - Eligible Noncitizen If eligible noncitizen, write in the student’s eight- or nine-digit Alien Registration Number (ARN) Precede an eight-digit ARN with a zero Copy of the student’s Permanent Registration Card might be requested by the financial aid office If neither a citizen or eligible noncitizen, the student is ineligible for federal/state aid, but might still be eligible for institutional funds 26

27. Section 1 - Undocumented Students and is applying to any California public college or university, check to see if he/she might be eligible for in-state tuition/fee costs visit www.CalDreamAct.org to learn more about the new California Dream Act signed into law in 2011 check with colleges and universities about CA Dream Act institutional financial aid and private scholarships and the timelines for applying apply for all other private scholarships for which the student may be eligible start inquiring in elementary, middle or high school to see if it is possible for younger students to become permanent residents For more information and a list of scholarships, go to www.latinocollegedollars.org http://www.maldef.org/assets/pdf/Scholarship_List_2010_2011.pdf www.finaid.org/otheraid/undocumented.phtml If the student is undocumented 27

28. Section 1 - Selective Service Registration Male students who are between the ages of 18 and 25 years must be registered with Selective Service to receive federal and state aid Answer “Register me” only if you are male, aged 18-25, and have not yet registered. The student may also register by going to: www.sss.gov 28

29. Section 1 - High School Completion Status High School Completion Status When the student begins college in the 2012-2013 school year, what will be the student’s high school completion status? High school diploma GED certificate Home schooled None of the above 29

30. Section 1 - Grade Level in 2012-13 30 When the student begins the 2012-2013 school year, what will be his/her grade level? Never attended college/1 st year Attended college before/1 st year 2 nd year/sophomore 3 rd year/junior 4 th year/senior 5 th year/other undergraduate 1 st year graduate/professional Continuing graduate/professional or beyond

31. Section 1 - Degree or Certificate Objective 31 In the 2012-2013 school year, what degree or certificate will you, the student, be working on? Some options are: - 1 st bachelor’s degree - Associate degree (occupational or technical program) - Associate degree (general education or transfer program) - Graduate or professional degree

32. Section 1 - First Bachelor’s Degree 32 Will you have your first Bachelor’s degree before July 1, 2012? students starting college in 2012-13 should mark “No” to this question only students who will be pursuing a graduate or professional degree during 2012-13 should mark “Yes”

33. Section 1 - Parents’ Educational Level 33 Indicate highest level of schooling completed by the student’s biological or adoptive parents (for state award purposes only) Use birth parents or adoptive parents - not stepparents or foster parents This definition of parent is unique to these two questions

34. Section 1 - Student Aid Eligibility Drug Convictions 34 Students who have never attended college since high school will not be asked any of the Drug Conviction questions Students who indicate that they have attended college before will be asked if they have ever received federal student aid If the answer is “yes,” students will be asked if they were convicted for the possession or sale of illegal drugs. Most students will answer ‘No” to this question and will not be asked any additional questions. Even students who have been convicted of a drug offense while in college and receiving federal financial aid may still be eligible to receive federal financial aid.

35. Section 1 - High School Question 35 High School Question Enter the name, city and state location of the school the student attends Select “Confirm” to retrieve the high school information If no matches are found, the student should select “Next” to save the search information and continue with the FOTW application

36. Section 2 SCHOOL SELECTION

37. Section 2 - School Selection 37 FAFSA on the Web allows the student to list up to 10 colleges/universities that will receive his/her student and parent information The student should list first the California school he/she is most likely to attend The student may re-order his/her school choices Then list other schools to which the student is applying for admission

38. Section 2 - School Selection 38 While in the School Selection Section, the student will be asked to enter the location and name or the federal school code for each school to which he/she wants FOTW information sent If the student does not know the federal school code, enter the state in which the college/university is located and search for the federal school code by the college/university name

39. Section 2 - School Selection List a California college or university first (for Cal Grant consideration) Then list those schools with the earliest financial aid deadlines, regardless of whether they are in-state or out-of-state If the student is applying to more than ten schools, wait for the processed Student Aid Report (SAR) and add additional schools via the Web or by phone using the student PIN Strategies for Listing Colleges NOTE: Each UC and CSU campus must be listed separately 39

40. Section 2 - School Selection The student will be asked to select the housing plan that best describes the type of housing the student expects to have while attending each listed school The choices for housing are: On Campus With Parent Off Campus The student’s choice of housing may affect the amount of financial aid for which he/she is eligible. It is usually more expensive to live on or off campus than with parents or relatives Remember, selecting the On Campus housing option is not an application for On Campus housing. Check with the colleges/ universities for housing information when you apply for admission 40

41. Section 3 STUDENT DEPENDENCY STATUS

42. Section 3 - Determination of Student Dependency Status 42

43. Section 3 - Determination of Student Dependency Status If the student checks “No” in all of the boxes about Dependency Status, the student will be asked to go to Section 4. For FAFSA filing purposes, the student is considered a dependent student and will be required to provide parental information If any one of the items in this section applies to the student, he/she should mark the appropriate box, skip Section 4, and go to Section 5. The student is considered an independent student for FAFSA filing purposes and is NOT required to provide parental information 43

44. Section 4 PARENT DEMOGRAPHICS

45. 0 12,356 Section 4 - Parent Demographics 45 If the answer to any question is zero or the question does not apply, enter 0: Report whole dollar figures: Recommendation: If your parents have not filed their 2011 federal tax return, use W-2 forms and/or other employment records - such as final 2011 pay check stubs - to estimate total income Remember, rather than miss any filing deadline, use estimated 2011 income information (no cents)

46. Section 4 - Parent Demographics 46 Who is considered a parent? –Biological or adoptive parent(s) –In case of divorce or separation, provide information about the parent and/or stepparent the student lived with more in the last 12 months –Stepparent (regardless of any prenuptial agreements)

47. Section 4 - Who is Not a Parent 47 Do not provide information on: –Foster parents or legal guardians If the student is in foster care or has a legal guardian, he/she is automatically considered an independent student –Grandparents or other relatives are not considered parents unless they have adopted the student If this is not the case, the student must attempt to get biological parental information Colleges may use Professional Judgment to allow the student to file as independent

48. Section 4 – Parents’ Marital Status Report your parents’ marital status as of today –Married or remarried –Single –Divorced or separated –Widowed Depending on your parents’ answer to this question, they might be asked about the date of their marital status 48

49. Section 4 - Parent Information 49 If the student is providing father’s/stepfather’s and/or mother’s/stepmother’s information, the student will need those parents’: Social Security Numbers Last names and first initials Dates of birth

50. Section 4 - Parent E-mail Address Provide a parent e-mail address that will be valid at least until the student starts college If a parent provides an e-mail address, the FAFSA processor will let them know the student’s FAFSA has been processed 50

51. Section 4 - Parent Household Size 51 Include in the parents’ household: the student parent(s) parents’ other dependent children, if the parents provide more than half their support or the children could answer “no” to every question in Section 3, regardless of where they live other people, if they now live with the parents and will continue to do so from 7/1/12 through 6/30/13, and if the parents provide more than half their support now, and will continue to provide support from 7/1/12 through 6/30/13

52. Section 4 - College Students in the Parent Household 52 NOTE: Some financial aid offices will require proof that other family members are attending college Always include the student even if he/she will attend college less than half-time in 2012-2013 Include other household members only if they will attend at least half-time in 2012-2013 in a program that leads to a college degree or certificate Never include the parents

53. Section 5 FINANCIAL INFORMATION

54. Section 5 - Parents’ 2011 Tax Return Filing Status 54 The parents will be asked to provide information about their tax filing status for 2011: If parents have completed a 2011 federal income tax return, select “Already completed” If they have not as yet filed, but plan to file a 2011 federal income tax return, select “Will file” If they have not, nor will not, file a 2011 federal income tax return and are not required to do so, select “Not going to file”

55. Section 5 - IRS Data Retrieval This question asks if parents have completed their 2011 IRS income tax return If parent(s) answer “Already completed,” they will be given the option to transfer their 2011 income tax information directly from IRS records to the FOTW If parents indicate that they have recently filed their 2011 taxes, they may not be able to access their IRS data if they have filed taxes electronically within the last two weeks or by mail within the last eight weeks Instead, they should use their actual 2011 IRS tax return to complete the FOTW so the student does not miss any important financial aid deadlines 55

56. Section 5 - Parent 2011 Adjusted Gross Income 56 If the student’s parents have not yet filed their 2011 federal tax return, use estimated 2011 information for this question The “Income Estimator” on the FOTW may help you calculate this amount If the student’s parents have completed their 2011 federal tax return, use actual 2011 tax return information to complete this item if they are not eligible to use the IRS Data Retrieval process

57. Section 5 - Money Earned from Work by Parent(s) in 2011 57 Use W-2 forms and other records to determine all income in 2011 earned from work (including business income earned from self-employment) for father/stepfather and/or mother/stepmother

58. Section 5 - Parent Dislocated Worker 58 The student will be asked to check if the father/stepfather and/or mother/stepmother is a dislocated worker A person may be considered a dislocated worker if he or she: is receiving unemployment benefits due to being laid off or losing a job and is unlikely to return to a previous occupation has been laid off or received a lay-off notice from a job was self-employed but is now unemployed due to economic conditions or natural disaster is a displaced homemaker

59. Section 5 - Parents’ Household 2010 or 2011 Benefits Received 59 Indicate if the student, his/her parents, or anyone in the parents’ household received benefits in 2010 or 2011 from any of the federal programs listed Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Food Stamps or SNAP Free or Reduced Price School Lunch Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) None of the above

60. Section 5 - Parents’ 2011 U.S. Income Taxes 60 Enter the amount of parents’ income tax for 2011? –Use U.S. income tax paid (or to be paid), not the amount withheld from parents’ paychecks

61. Section 5 - Parents’ 2011 Tax Exemptions 61 Enter the parents’ tax exemptions for 2011 Be sure to include all persons being claimed on the parents’ 2011 federal tax return, regardless of whether they are included in the parents’ household size question

62. Section 5 - 2011 Additional Financial Information 62 The student will be asked to report if his or her parents received or paid any of the following items in 2011 (check all that apply) American Opportunity, Hope or Lifetime Learning tax credits Child support paid Taxable earnings from work-study, assistantships, or fellowships Taxable grant and scholarship aid reported to the IRS Combat pay or special combat pay Cooperative education program earnings

63. Section 5 - 2011 Parent Untaxed Income 63 The student will be asked to report if his or her parents had any untaxed income in 2011. Check all that apply. Some examples of the most common items are: Payments to tax-deferred pension and savings plans such as 401K, IRA deductions, and payments to self- employed SEP and Keogh Child support received Tax exempt interest income Housing, food and other living allowances paid to members of the military and clergy

64. Section 5 – Parent Asset Information NOTE: Some financial aid offices may request supporting documentation for the answers to these questions Parents may be asked to report their assets. If so: List the net value of your parents’ assets as of the day you complete the FAFSA If net worth is one million dollars or more, enter If net worth is zero, enter 0 64 0 999,999

65. Section 5 – Parent Assets Some parents may be asked to report the current balances of their cash, savings, and checking accounts as of the day they complete the FAFSA They may also be asked to provide information about the net value of their investments such as real estate, rental property, money market and mutual funds, stocks, bonds and other securities In addition, they may be asked questions about the net value of their businesses and investment farms They should not include the home in which they live, the value of life insurance and retirement plans, or the value of a family-owned and controlled small business 65

66. Section 5 STUDENT INFORMATION

67. Section 5 – Student Financial Information Student questions in Section 5 are identical to the parent financial questions we covered If the student is single, ignore references to “spouse” If the student is married, also report spouse’s income and assets The questions in Section 5 ask: Which 2011 federal tax return the student filed or will file The student’s 2011 Adjusted Gross Income, if filing a tax return, and earnings from work as well as untaxed income and assets 67

68. Section 5 – Student Information (Independent Students) There are questions in Section 5 that the student will be asked only if he/she checked at least one response in Section 3 – Dependency Status 68

69. Section 3 – Student Household Size (Independent Students) Student Household Size Include in student’s household: the student and the student’s spouse (if married) the student’s dependent children, if the student provides more than half their support other people, if they now live with the student and will continue to do so from 7/1/12 through 6/30/13, and if the student provides more than half their support now, and will continue to provide that level of support from 7/1/12 through 6/30/13 69

70. Section 3 – Student Number in College (Independent Students) Student Number in College Count the student even if the student will attend college less than half-time in 2012-2013 Include others only if they will attend at least half-time in 2012-2013 in a program that leads to a college degree or certificate 70

71. A person may be considered a dislocated worker if he/she: is receiving unemployment benefits due to being laid off or losing a job and is unlikely to return to a previous occupation has been laid off or received a lay-off notice from a job was self-employed but is now unemployed due to economic conditions or natural disaster is a displaced homemaker 71 Section 5 – Student Dislocated Worker

72. Section 3 – Student Benefits (Independent Students) Indicate if the student, his/her spouse, or anyone in the student’s household received benefits in 2010 or 2011 from any of the federal programs listed Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Food Stamps or SNAP Free or Reduced Price School Lunch Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) None of the above 72

73. Go to www.fafsa.gov to complete and submit your application. For more information on federal student aid, visit www.FederalStudentAid.ed.gov.www.FederalStudentAid.ed.gov You can also talk with your college’s financial aid office about other types of student aid that may be available 73

74. Special Circumstances Contact the Financial Aid Office if there are circumstances which affect a family’s ability to pay for college such as: –Loss or reduction in parent or student income or assets –Death or serious illness –Natural disasters affecting parent income or assets such as the recent California wind storms, wild fires, floods, or mudslides –Unusual medical or dental expenses not covered by insurance –Reduction in child support, Social Security benefits or other untaxed benefit –Financial responsibility for elderly grandparents, or –Any other unusual circumstances that affect a family’s ability to contribute to higher education 74

75. Application Filing Tips - FAFSA on the Web Gather necessary documents ahead of time Complete a FAFSA on the Web available at: www.fafsa.gov Allow ample time to complete the online FOTW application for submission by the deadline Check the FAFSA on the Web for accuracy prior to submission Save all work periodically Sign the application using student’s and one custodial parent’s PINs Print out a copy of the FAFSA before submitting data Keep a copy of the Submission Confirmation Page 75

76. FAFSA Bridge Link to California Application Page Students can easily link to the California Student Aid Commission page (see below) to complete asset information for the Cal Grant and to apply for a Chafee Grant. 76 2012-2013 California Gran Aid (Cal Grant or Chafee)

77. What Happens Next? Students and the colleges the student listed receive Student Aid Report (SAR) from federal processor  Students who complete FAFSA and Cal Grant GPA Verification Form receive California Aid Report (CAR)  Students and families review SAR and CAR for important information and accuracy of data  Colleges match admission records with FAFSA and other required financial aid forms to determine aid eligibility  Colleges mail notices of financial aid eligibility to admitted students who have completed all required financial aid forms 77

78. Student Aid Report (SAR) After the student completes the FAFSA on the Web, a SAR will be sent to the student –An electronic SAR Acknowledgment will be sent if student provides an email address –A paper SAR will be mailed if no student e-mail address is provided An electronic copy of the data will be sent to each college or university listed by the student in Section 1 Keep a copy of the SAR with other financial aid documents 78

79. Federal Verification Some students may be required to verify the information reported on the FAFSA If selected for verification, the tax information of federal tax filers will be verified through –The IRS Date Retrieval Process, or –IRS Tax transcript if requested by the college or university Non-tax filers selected for verification may be asked to provide –Signed statement confirming that they did not file a federal tax return and were not required by IRS to do so –Copies of W-2s from each employer, if any income earned from work All selected aid applicants will also be asked to verify certain demographic data listed such as –Household size and number in college –Child Support paid and Food Stamps/SNAP, if reported on the FAFSA 79

80. Check Your Cal Grant 80 Open a WebGrants Account and you can: - Check your Cal Grant award status 24/7 - Make changes to your Cal Grant school choices - View how much a Cal Grant is worth at different California colleges and universities - See your Cal Grant payment history Sign up at: webgrants4students.org

81. Summary of the Financial Aid Process Submit all required forms, including the FAFSA, by each college’s published deadlines (but no later than March 2) By March 2, submit a Cal Grant GPA Verification Form Keep a copy of all forms submitted Review the electronic Student Aid Report (SAR) Acknowledgement or the paper SAR sent to the student Review the California Aid Report (CAR) Watch for financial aid award notifications from colleges to which the student has been admitted Be sure to apply for financial aid this year and every year as soon as possible after January 1 to receive the best financial aid award possible ASK QUESTIONS! 81

82. If You Need Help at Any Time FAFSA on the Web – Live Help Phone 1-800-4-FED-AID (1-800-433-3243) E-mail the U.S. Department of Education at: FederalStudentAidCustomerService@ed.gov 82

83. Questions and Answers 83