Financial Aid Workshop Mission Hills High School

1. Financial Aid WorkshopMission Hills High School Presented by: Michele Ojeda Financial Aid Advisor

2. Today’s Discussion: • What is Financial Aid? • How do I apply? • What types of Financial Aid are there? • Am I Eligible? • California Dream Application/AB540 • Important Reminders! • Scholarship Searches

3. What is Financial Aid? • Grants • Loans • Scholarships • Employment Opportunities

4. How Do I Apply? The FAFSA is the primary method of determining financial aid eligibility Free Application for Federal Student Aid

5. Easiest way to completeFAFSAis online Complete FAFSA Each Academic Year www.fafsa.ed.gov www.fafsa.com

6. www.pin.ed.gov You need to requestaPINfor You (the Student) in order to sign and submit your FAFSA electronically. Your parents must request a PIN too! You and your parents can request your PIN NOW!!! www.pin.ed.gov

7. FAFSA on the Web Homepagewww.fafsa.ed.gov

8. What happens when I apply? What’s the process? • Complete electronic FAFSA, sign using PIN or send signature page to fed processor • After your FAFSA has been processed, a Student Aid Report (SAR) “link” is emailed to the student • Check the SAR for accuracy • Schools listed on the FAFSA receive the information electronically • Each school determines the financial aid eligibility • If school needs additional information, student will be notified by school listed on FAFSA.

9. FAFSA used to determine EFC • EFC = Expected Family Contribution • The federal government determines your ability to pay for post-secondary expenses (including living expenses) • The Financial Aid Offices use the EFC to determine a student’s eligibility for need-based aid

10. Important Deadline March 2nd, 2013 All California public institutions, as well as some private institutions, use the March 2nd priority filing date, which is also the Cal Grant deadline

11. Am I Eligible for Need-Based Aid? Cost of Attendance per institution (COA) MINUS Exp. Family Contribution (per FAFSA EFC) = Eligibility for Need Based Aid

12. Cost of Attendance (COA) • Includes estimates for: • Tuition/Fees (actual) • Room/Board • Books • Transportation • Miscellaneous/Personal

13. California State University San Marcos Cost of Attendance for 2012-2013 Amounts listed above are for CA resident, enrolled full-time.

14. Federal Pell Grant: Designed for low income students with an EFC between 0 and 4996 Awards range from $602 to $5550 per year depending upon EFC and enrollment May be received while completing 1st Bachelors and preliminary teaching credential* *only at institutions which do NOT offer a Bachelors degree in education

15. Other Federal Financial Aid: Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG) • Must be awarded to Pell eligible students first • Limited funds; usually awarded to priority students first

16. Other Federal Financial Aid: Federal Work Study: • Aid that is earned by working; monthly paychecks; will work around students school schedule. • If you don’t work, you don’t get the $$

17. Federal Student Loans • Subsidized Loan – 3.4% • Unsubsidized Loan – 6.8%

18. Cal Grants Administered through: • California Student Aid Commission (CSAC) • www.csac.ca.gov

19. It Takes Two !!! To Apply for a Cal Grant, you must complete: 1. FAFSA 2. Cal Grant GPA Verification Form Both must be submitted by the March 2nd deadline

20. CSUSM Institutional Funds State University Grant • Assists with the state fee, so can not receive Cal A simultaneously and can not receive with Cal B after 1st year • Awarded to eligible students until funds depleted • Important to meet priority filing dates

21. Educational Opportunity Program EOP services include: • Personal & academic counseling • Priority Registration • Peer Mentoring • First Year Experience • Supplemental Instruction • University & Program Orientation • EOP Grant • The Center • Summer Bridge Program

22. Educational Opportunity Program Application process: • Apply to university using CSU Mentor • Indicate interest on application • Complete EOP portion of application • EOP Office will email student with additional information

23. California Dream Application Students without lawful immigration status, who qualify for an AB540 nonresident tuition exemption: • File for state and institutional need based scholarships and grants by filing a California Dream Act application at www.CalDreamAct.org. • The Admission application fee waiver is also being extended to students without lawful immigration status, who will qualify for an AB540 nonresident tuition exemption & meet the income guidelines

24. California Dream ApplicationAB 540 General Requirements • The student must have attended a HS (public or private) in CA for 3 or more years, AND • The student must have graduated from a CA HS or attained the equivalent (GED and CA HS proficiency exam also qualify), AND • File an AB540 Affidavit (California Non-Resident Tuition Exemption Request form) with the college or university • Available in the Admissions & Records office of each CSU

25. Financing College is a Partnership • Students contribute through working and borrowing • Parents are asked to contribute based on their financial ability • Low-income parents are often asked to contribute zero • Universities combine the different forms of financial aid for students • Offer a combination of federal, state, or university grants and scholarships to eligible students • Assist families seeking loans to help meet their contribution

26. 3 important • things to do to receive financial aid Obtain a PIN • student AND parent, if student is ‘dependent’ Complete the FAFSA • submitted by student/parent to federal processor Cal Grant GPA Verification Form • submitted by school or student to CSAC SubmitFORMSby March 2 every year

27. Common FAFSA Errors: • No signatures! Must obtain PIN for electronic signatures of student and parent, or must send in signature page for student and parent • Income/Asset information left blank! File by deadline even if federal tax return not filed • Mismatched social security number with name and date of birth • No schools listed

28. Scholarship Searches Scholarshiphelp An excellent starting point. www.scholarshiphelp.org StudentServices Free scholarship information, by major. www.studentservices.com FastAID and FastWEB Free college scholarship search and student loan information www.fastaid.comwww.fastweb.com FinAid Comprehensive free resource for student financial aid information on the Web. Free scholarship search, financial aid calculators, glossary, and bibliography. www.finaid.org