TIPS FOR A SUCCESSFUL SENIOR YEAR

1. TIPS FOR A SUCCESSFULSENIOR YEAR

2. SENIOR POINTERS • Adult School • Finish • Aventa • For credit/better grade • CAR Hours • GRADES • Time Management • WORK ON TIME • Universities • Be vigilant of email • Deadlines • Community College • Financial Aid • Calendar • On Line Workshops

3. SOURCES OF F.A. • STATE • Cal Grant A • 4 year college • Cal Grant B • 2 yr./4 yr. • Cal Grant C • vocational • Federal • Pell Grant • Supplemental Grants • Student/Parent Loans • Work Study

4. WHAT IS FINANCIAL AID? • Money given or paid to help pay for college • GIFT AID – Grants & scholarships = free money you don’t pay back. • SELF HELP – work study (job to help pay for school given to the student). Loans given to the student or parent that must be paid back. • Financial aid programs are ways to help students pay for school.

5. Who Is Eligible? • U.S. Citizens or Legal Resident • High School graduate or GED • (Males) Register for Selective Service @ 18 years of age • Enrolled in an accredited school • Enrolled in an approved course of study • Maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress • Establish Financial Need

6. FEDERAL & STATE AID $$$ • All students must complete a free application for federal student aid – FAFSA before March 2nd for federal $$ - this is step #1. • For California $$ the school can submit your academic GPA verification form for you, but you must check with the school to see that we have your correct SS# on file. • Must complete FAFSA every year to renew financial aid.

7. Federal Aid - FAFSA • www.fafsa.govform for 2013/14will be available on line on January 1, 2012. • Financial Aid Night • Jan. 15thLittle Theater – SPANISH • Jan. 15th New Manor- ENGLISH • On line workshops to help you complete the FAFSA – February 15th and February 28th Location TBA

8. Documents you will need • Federal Tax Returns for 2012(1040EZ, 1040A, 1040) for student and parents if parents file taxes. • W-2 from your employer • Bank Statements • Business statements if self employed • Any information on investments if applicable.

9. HOW TO MEET THE MARCH DEADLINE • If there isn’t a great change in your family income. You can complete the FAFSA using 2011tax information in January • BEFORE March 2nd parents file 2012 federal taxes (talk to your tax person) • Once original FAFSA is processed (10 day turn around on line) you must submit corrections.

10. HOW DOES IT WORK – Fed. $$ • Parent & student complete FAFSA electronically and submit application. • FAFSA sends -Student Aid Report (SAR) within 10 days that you can print out by going back to the website www.fafsa.ed.gov • Report also goes to schools you listed • Report determines the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) – it is a number schools will use to create your financial aid package.

11. HOW DOES IT WORK – CA $$ • The Academic GPA is submitted by the high school electronically • CA Student Aid Commission (CSAC) connects to student FAFSA and scores it to determine the eligibility. • CAL Grant bases it on your information + GPA and first 3 schools you listed.

12. CAL GRANT • CAL Grant sends letter OR email to students or go to www.csac.ca.gov = webgrants for students to set up account. • Prefer you provide email address • Financial Aid office of the university/college sends you an email, or you check your web account for the school you set up to check status.

13. FINANCIAL AID FORMULA COST OF ATTENDANCE - EFC FINANCIAL NEED

14. COST OF ATTENDANCE (varies from school to school) • Tuition & Enrollment fees • Room & Board (dorm or living costs at parents house) • Books & Supplies • Personal expenses • This is the same for two year colleges & universities.

15. EFC = EXPECTED FAMILY CONTRIBUTION • Income of parents & student • Family size • Number of family members in college • Age of the parents • Level of education of the parents (for CAL Grants)

16. SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES • Special Circumstances - foster, lost jobs, death of a parent, dependency. • Financial Aid Fridays, at lunch time, seniors can drop by for quick questions, bring print out of completed FAFSA before they submit so it can be checked.

17. EXTRA INFORMATION • You can complete FAFSA on line in the library without an email account and the report will be sent to you via U.S. mail; it will take longer

18. COMMUNITY LIBRARY HOURS • MONDAY – THURSDAY 3:00 – 7:00 P.M. • SATURDAYS 10:00 – 2:00 P.M. • COMMUNITY LIBRARY IS OPEN TO PARENTS & STUDENTS • You can use the computer lab in the library to complete your FAFSA.

19. WEBSITES • www.fafsa.ed.gov • www.finaid.org • www.csac.ca.gov – CAL GRANT • www.edfund.org • www.fastweb.com

20. SCHOLARSHIP TIPS • Senior bulletin • Scholarships have deadlines

21. YOU CAN DO THIS! • Attend the evening workshop • Student can save the application ON LINE & show up to an on line workshop and we can check it. • See your counselor for help! • SCHOLARSHIP SCAMS – BEWARE!

22. DEADLINES ARE IMPORTANT! • Keep a calendar for scholarships & financial aid, and your college applications. • Check the student aid report (SAR) once you get it. Make sure there aren’t any mistakes. • Electronic filers get a SAR within 10 business READ If you don’t hear from them. Call 1-800-4-FED-AID.

23. TIPS FOR SUCCESS • All counselors can help answer questions, so students should be going to their counselor. • Students & parents should read the tip sheet, and calendar for workshops • Follow guidelines, don’t show up to a workshop with no information. • Don’t wait until the last minute, you might not get your money before fees are due.

24. QUESTIONS? COUNSELORS: Beth Denny bdenny@rowland.k12.ca.us Vicki Dayton vdayton@rowland.k12.ca.us Sara Hall shall@rowland.k12.ca.us Yadira Cortez ycortez@rowland.k12.ca.us