Welcome to College Goal Alaska

1. Welcome to College Goal Alaska [Insert Event Location]

2. 2018/19 Partners & Sponsors Coalition of Alaskans Supporting Higher Education 2018/19 Sponsor:

3. Understanding the FASFA Presenter: [Presenter Name Here] {Presenter Title / Organization Here}

4. Understanding the FAFSA THE FAFSA PROCESS

5. The FAFSA Free Application for Federal Student Aid • Evaluates a family’s eligibility for federal student aid programs • Serves as application for state scholarships/grants • Bases financial capacity on prior - prior year • Students must re-apply each year • Assets may change from year to year • www.fafsa.ed.gov

6. FAFSA Goals • Determines Expected Family Contribution (EFC) • A measure of you and your family’s ability to pay for your college • Used to determine your eligibility for federal student aid for a single school year • Everyone should file a FAFSA • No income cutoff • Required for federal, state and campus based aid • Often required for campus-based aid • Many public and private scholarships require FAFSA • Alaska Performance Scholarship

7. Timelines for Filing the FAFSA • Available afterOctober 1st • It is best to file as early as possible • Beginning in October 2016, students and families will use ‘Prior-Prior’ year tax information. This means the high school graduating class of 2018 will use their 2016 tax information to complete the FAFSA • State priority deadline is June 30, for the APS and AEG • Some programs award funds on first-come, first-served basis • Some colleges have early deadlines • Check deadlines on college websites • Don’t wait until after admission to the school

8. Getting Ready Before starting the FAFSA, gather: • Student’s driver’s license • Student Alien Registration Card For both student and parent, be sure to have: • Social Security numbers • Access to separate e-mails in order to verify FSA IDs • 2016 completed taxes & other taxable benefits • Records of untaxed income • Current bank statements • Business, farm, & other real estate records • Records of stocks, bonds, & other investments

9. Create an FSA ID • The FSA ID – a username and password– has replaced the Federal Student Aid PIN and must be used to log into the FAFSA website • Your FSA ID confirms your identity when you access your financial aid information and electronically sign Federal Student Aid documents • Both the student & one parent need to create their own personal FAFSA ID in order to have access to Federal Students Aid’s online system and sign the FAFSA electronically fsaid.ed.gov

10. Create an FSA ID • Step 1: Create a username and password, and enter your e-mail address, confirm both, answer the question about your age, and click on continue • Step 2: Enter your name, date of birth, Social Security number, contact information, and challenge questions and answers • Step 3: If you have a Federal Student Aid PIN, you will be able to enter it and link it to your FSA ID • Step 4: Review your information, and read and accept the terms and conditions • Step 5: Confirm your e-mail address using the secure code, which will be sent to the e-mail you entered when you created the FSA ID fsaid.ed.gov

11. FSAid.ed.gov**Both the students and a parent will need to create an FSA ID After creating your FSA ID, you will be emailed a confirmation code to the email address provided on your FSA ID application. Check your email, and enter the confirmation code when prompted. Make sure you save your new FSA ID username and password – You will need this to complete your FAFSA!

12. File your FAFSA Online • Internet application used by students & parents to complete electronic FAFSA • Quick on-line edits to reduce likelihood of errors/delays • Easy on-line help available for each question www.fafsa.ed.gov

13. Questions on the FAFSA • SECTION 1: Demographic information about the student & schools you are considering attending • SECTION 2: Determination of student dependency status • SECTION 3: Parental information for dependent students • SECTION 4: Student finances & information about the independent student

14. Completing the FAFSA on the Web Worksheet • A line-by-line discussion • Traditional student emphasis (straight out of high school) • Anyone can file a FAFSA • Traditional students • Non-traditional students • Older returning students • Graduate school students

15. Student Aid Report (SAR) • SAR sent to student within 2 weeks • Review it for accuracy • Report any changes • SAR sent to schools listed on FAFSA • School will use EFC to determine your financial need • School sends award letter to student or requests additional information

16. Finding Your EFC • Expected Family Contribution • Located in the top middle of SAR

17. Other Forms • Some schools require additional paperwork • CSS Financial Aid PROFILE • www.collegeboard.org • Not a federal requirement, check with your school to see if it’s necessary • Campus scholarship application • Ask what forms the college requires!

18. Award Letters • Schools may send paper or electronic award letters • Award letters show the amount of financial aid you will receive at the school • Can include grants, scholarships, work-study, and loans, but may not include all financial aid awards • Compare award letters at www.finaid.org/calculators • You have to act on the award letter – you can accept all or part of the award package, or decline it.

19. State Programs & Awards • By filing the FAFSA, you’ve applied for your state grant and scholarship programs • Your initial award letter from individual schools may not reference the Alaska Performance Scholarship (APS) and Alaska Education Grant (AEG), even if you do qualify. • Sign up for an Alaska Student Aid Portal account at APS.alaska.gov to monitor your eligibility status, and take any required action.

20. Verification • Save copies of documents used for your FAFSA • Be prepared to provide additional information • Colleges verify30% of all applicants’ information • Colleges cannot certify many types of aid unless the student/family provides the necessary information by the verification deadline

21. Section 1 - Student Demographics and Schools Getting STARTED

22. FAFSA Login

23. FAFSA Renewal

24. Establish a Password

25. Introduction Page

26. Live FAFSA Assistance Available • By Live Chat or By Phone • 1-800-433-3243: Agents are available to assist you • Monday-Friday: 8AM – 11PM Eastern Time • (4AM -7PM Alaska Time) • Saturday-Sunday: 11AM – 5PM Eastern Time • (7AM -1PM Alaska Time)

27. Student Demographic Info • Full Name • Social Security # • Date of Birth • Gender • Mailing Address • State of Residency • Phone # • Email Address • Marital Status • Driver’s license

28. Student Eligibility Screen

29. Selective Service Registration www.sss.gov

30. Student Aid Eligibility and Education Status

31. Student Work-Study

32. Parent’s Education • Indicate the highest level of school your father and mother completed. Some states and colleges offer aid based upon this. • Use birth parents or adoptive parents, not step-parents, legal guardians, or foster parents

33. Student Eligibility (continued)

34. School Selection

35. School Housing Plans

36. Section 2 - Is parental information required? DependencySTATUS 36

37. Dependency Determination

38. Dependent or Independent? • ANY “YES” answers = independent student • You will not have to provide parent information • ALL “NO” answers = dependent student • You must provide parent information

39. Special Circumstance • If dependent, and you submit without parental information… • Your FAFSA is not complete • No EFC calculated • You must contact the financial aid office • Their decision is final

40. Section 3 - Dependent students only PaRENTALINFORmation 40

41. Who is a parent? Biological parents Adoptive parents Step-parents Who is not a parent? Grandparents Foster parents Legal guardians Older siblings Aunts or uncles Parents

42. Parent Identifying Info • If applicable, your parent’s month and year of marriage • Father/stepfather’s SS#, name, DOB • Mother/stepmother’s SS#, name, DOB • E-mail address (for parents) • State of residence

43. Parent Household • Household size includes parents, the student, and other dependents • For household college students: • Always include the student even if he/she will attend college less than half time in 2018-2019 • Include other household members if they will attend at least half time in 2018-2019 in a program that leads to a degree or certificate • Never include the parents

44. Parent Tax Information

45. Marital Status Change After Filing 2016 Tax Return • When you fill out the FAFSA, if you or your parents marital status has changed from what it was on your 2016 tax return, you will need to: • Subtract the former spouse’s tax return information if you, or your parent, had filed jointly in 2016 and are no longer married • Add the current spouse’s tax return information if you, or your parent, did not file jointly in 2016 but are now married

46. IRS Data Retrieval • If your parents answer “Already completed,” they will be given the option to transfer their 2016 income tax information directly from IRS records

47. IRS Data Retrieval Information • For your protection, IRS tax information transferred through the IRS Data Retrieval Tool is not displayed on the FAFSA. Instead of the user’s tax information being displayed, the phrase “Transferred from the IRS” will appear in the appropriate fields on the FAFSA.

48. IRS Data Retrieval Reminder

49. Parent Financial Information

50. Parent Financial Information Continued