Financial Aid Basics

							           A guide to the 2012-2013
            Financial Aid Year




(Numbers in parentheses refer to page numbers in “Fund Your Future”
                       financial aid booklets)
WHY SHOULD I GO TO COLLEGE?
        CAREER POSSIBILITIES
          FULFILL DREAMS
   POSITIVE GROWTH EXPERIENCES
     EARNING POTENTIAL (inside front cover)
                       Average Monthly Earnings

               Doctoral Degree
           Professional Degree
               Master's Degree
              Bachelors Degree
              Associate Degree
       Some College, No Degree
           High School Diploma
  Some High School, No Diploma
                             $0   $1,000   $2,000   $3,000   $4,000   $5,000   $6,000
 SAVINGS ACCOUNT                             (24)

 GRANTS            (4-5&16-18)
 ◦ Money you don’t have to repay; usually based on financial need.
 SCHOLARSHIPS                      (23-24)
 ◦ Money you don’t have to repay; competitive and usually based on area
   of study or merit.
 WORK-STUDY                      PROGRAM (5&19)
 ◦ Federal program that lets you earn money for school while working at an
   on- or off-campus job.
 LOANS         (26-31)
 ◦ Borrowed money that you must pay back, usually with interest.

                                                                          (3)
   Federal Government
    ◦ FAFSA
   State Agency/Government
    ◦ GPA VERIFICATION FORM
   Colleges and Universities
    ◦ INSTITUTIONAL FORMS
    ◦ CSS PROFILE (Private Institutions)
 Private
    Agencies/Companies/Foundations
    ◦ Scholarships
  Students and their families have the
primary responsibility to pay for higher
 education expenses to the extent that
            they are able.


Top 10 Important Things to Qualify for Federal & State Aid. (1)
HOW DO I QUALIFY FOR STUDENT AID?
                          Determine:
  Cost Of Attendance (COA) -- COA Includes:
         Tuition                      Room and Board
         Fees                         Books
        Transportation                Personal Expenses
  Note: Cost of Attendance includes costs & expenses a student
        would have even if they were not enrolled in college.
        Subtract:                           Equals:
 Expected Family              Your Federal Eligibility --
 Contribution (EFC) -- the    the determined amount of “need”
 amount that you and your     for financial aid in the form of
 family are expected to pay   grants, loans, and/or work-study

                                                                 (9)
                                      (For grants, scholarships, work-study, and loans)

                                  (Tuition/fees, residence, meals, books,
30
     College Costs in Thousands    transportation, and personal expenses)



20


15



10



 0
        COA          COA              COA


        COA          EFC              Federal Eligibility                            (9)
   The application used to apply for federal and most state
    financial aid, and sometimes institutional aid.
   It asks for information about you, your family, your
    finances, and your college plans.
   Complete the FAFSA at www.fafsa.gov. Or call
    800.433.3243 to have a paper FAFSA mailed to you.
   It can be submitted starting January 1, 2012.

                                                       (6-8)
Each student and a parent needs to get a
   PIN number for electronic/online
             FAFSA filing.

         Get your PIN numbers NOW!
              www.pin.ed.gov




                                       (8)
Web:        www.fafsa.gov

       www.studentaid.ed.gov/completefafsa

Phone:      800.433.3243 (800.4FED.AID)
            TTY 800.730.8913 (hearing impaired)

Live Chat: Click “Live Help” @ www.fafsa.gov


                                                  (8)
 The  form submitted, in addition to the FAFSA,
  in order to apply for a Cal-Grant.
 May be submitted electronically or mailed.
 Can be submitted beginning in November
  2011 for the 2012-2013 school year.
 Deadline for submission is March 2, 2012.



                                            (10)
   The financial aid application administered by the
    College Board and required by some independent
    colleges and scholarship organizations to award
    private aid.
   The application is only available online at
    https://profileonline.collegeboard.com.
   There is a fee to apply and fee waivers are available.
   Deadline for submission varies by institution.
  Where can I find scholarships?
• WEBSITES
     www.fastweb.com
     www.scholarships.com
     www.collegeboard.com
     www.collegenet.com
     …And many more…
• SCHOLARSHIP BOOKS
• COUNSELORS/TEACHERS
• PEERS


                            (2, 23-24&back cover)
Grants
Scholarships
Financial Aid Forms
Priority & Deadline Dates
Students: Update your FAFSA and
 continue to search for scholarships
   every year you are in college. (33)
Students without Social Security Numbers:
             www.maldef.org
                            s
         AB-540 & Scholarships:
www.usc.edu/dept/chepa/pdf/AB_540_final.pdf
       www.latinocollegedollars.org

          Note: AB 131 passed but will not take affect until 2013.

                                                                     (22)
(8)
   Student Aid Report (SAR) (13-14)
    ◦ Lists your EFC for the school year.
   California Aid Report (CAR) (13-14)
    ◦ Gives an estimate of your Cal-Grant Award.
   Evaluate financial aid offers (15)
    ◦ Each college you report on the FAFSA will send you a
      financial aid package with the grant, loan, and/or work-
      study amounts you would receive if attending that
      institution.
               Contact us at:
               858.569.1866
          www.sandiegocalsoap.com
     California CASH for COLLEGE
         Cal-Grant & FAFSA Event
     High School Seniors and Parents
     $1000 Scholarship Opportunity
       FAFSA Individual Assistance
        Tax Preparation (1040EZ)
        Lincoln High School
     Saturday, January 28, 2012
         Time: 9am-12noon
  Come at any time and plan to stay an hour.
www.sandiegocalsoap.com Click on “Events”
           More dates and times…
    Sat., Jan. 7 9am-Noon
     ◦ Morse High School                          Fri., Feb. 11 9am-Noon
                                                   ◦ Montgomery High
    Sat., Jan. 28 9am-Noon
                                                     School
     ◦ Lincoln High School
                                                   ◦ Mira Costa College
    Sat., Feb. 4 9am-Noon                        Sat., Feb. 25 9am-Noon
     ◦ Hoover High School
                                                   ◦ Madison High School
     ◦ San Ysidro High School
                                                   ◦ CSU San Marcos
                                                   ◦ Olympian High School

For more info., directions, and registration: www.sandiegocalsoap.com → Click on “Events”
   Step 1: Get a PIN for yourself and one parent (custodial):
    www.pin.ed.gov

   Step 2: (optional): Print out a FAFSA on the web
    worksheet online: http://www.fafsa.gov/

   Step 3: Complete the FAFSA online before March 2:
    www.fafsa.gov

   Step 4: Review your Student Aid Report (SAR) via email
    or the FAFSA website:
    www.fafsa.ed.gov/FOTWWebApp/studentaccess.jsp

   Step 5: Wait for your financial aid packages from each of
    your colleges of interest– via mail and/or email!
         THANK YOU!
   For information and events on high
school preparation, college planning, and
financial aid, remain up-to-date with the
           Cal-SOAP website:
 www.sandiegocalsoap.com