La Sierra High School Presents: Financing Education Beyond High School

1. La Sierra High School Presents: Financing Education Beyond High School Make Your Dream a Reality by Applying for Financial Aid!

2. What Will You Learn At This Workshop? • 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 questions you may have

3. Apply at fafsa.ed.gov NOT fafsa.com (scam)

4. Never pay to apply for financial aid!

5. $$$-Cost-$$$ - Varies depending on Institution RCC-$3,136 CSUF-$15,506 or $24,320 UCR-$24,800 or $34,300 CBU-$32,272 to $53,430

6. F)AFSA How Much Financial Aid Might We Receive? Forecaster

7. 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 Types of Financial Aid

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

9. 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 Cal Grants

10. Eligibility for Cal Grants • To be eligible for a Cal Grant, the student must also: • be a U.S. citizen, eligible noncitizen, or AB540 student • be a California resident • attend an accredited eligible California college or university at least half-time

11. Residency and Cal Grant Eligibility for 2014-2015 • If unmarried and under 18 years of age, the student will be considered a legal resident of California if: • parents have been legal residents of California for one year immediately prior to September 20, 2014, or • student has lived in California with other legal California residents, other than parents, for two years immediately prior to September 20, 2014, 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 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, 2014 • Undocumented students who qualify for AB540 in-state tuition satisfy Cal Grant residency requirements

12. See your high school to pick up a Cal Grant GPA Verification Form if you haven’t already turned one in 2014-2015 Cal GrantApplication Requirements • Complete and submit each year:Jan 1-Mar 2 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) OR If eligible under AB540, students should complete the California Dream Act Application: www.caldreamact.org Cal Grant GPA Verification Form

13. Possible Cal Grant and Federal Pell Grant Maximum Awards • Cal Grant* (Up to $12,192) • 1 FAFSA or • California Dream Act Application • 2 Your GPA • 3 Apply by March 2 • Federal Pell Grant (up to $5,645) • FAFSA • = Up to $17,837 • maximum annually If the student qualifies for Cal Grant, amounts vary depending on the school the student attends, financial need, year in college and enrollment status (full or part-time) If the student qualifies for the Federal Pell Grant, amounts vary depending on family contribution and enrollment status (full or part-time) Other eligibility requirements may apply +

14. KNOW WHICH SCHOOLS CAN RECEIVE FEDERAL FINANCIAL AID * Check for eligible schools at: www.csac.ca.gov

15. Middle Class Scholarship (MCS) • Starting with the Fall of 2014-15, the Middle Class Scholarship (MCS) will be phased in to assist new and continuing UC and CSU undergraduate students with family incomes up to $150,000 • To apply. students should submit • FAFSA • For AB540 students, the California Dream Act Application • Note: no GPA is required • MCS awards vary based on the number of eligible students, the institution, and state funding allocated. In 2014-15, maximum awards will range up to $1,706 • Amounts are determined after Federal Pell Grants, Cal Grants and institutional grants are awarded. Students cannot receive both grant aid and the MCS • Qualifying students will be notified by the California Student Aid Commission • In 2017-18, when fully funded, the maximum awards will be no more that 40 percent of UC and CSU system-wide tuition and fees

16. 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 16th birthday and not have reached their 22nd birthday before July 1, 2014 • Foster youth are encouraged to apply during their senior year of high school • To apply, the foster youth must complete: • 2014-2015 FAFSA • California Chafee Grant Program Application • AB540 students may also be eligible To apply for a Chafee Grant, go to: www.chafee.csac.ca.gov

17. FAFSA---$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ Types of Applications • Undocumented student covered under AB540 should complete the California Dream Act Application • Cal Grant GPA Verification Form • Other applications or forms as required by the college such as: • CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE • Institutional Scholarship and/or Financial Aid Application • 2013 federal tax returns (along with all schedules and W-2s) or other income documentation

18. File early, but no later than March 2 each year to be considered for a financial aid Use estimated 2014 income information if taxes are not complete at time of FAFSA submission--don’t wait till taxes are filled Student and at least one parent whose information is reported must complete and sign the FAFSA-sign with PIN FAFSA Information & Tips

19. FAFSA WORKSHOPS • Application workshops starting in Jan. During the day for students—in the evenings for parents. • Internet application used by students and parents to complete electronic FAFSA at: www.fafsa.gov • Sophisticated on-line edits and skip logic help avoid errors • On-line help is available for each question • Student and one custodial parent should get a federal PIN to sign FAFSA at: www.pin.ed.gov

20. Federal PIN • PIN (Personal Identification Number) • Needed to sign and access the FAFSA • 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 • PIN will be generated only if a valid email address is provided Apply for student and parent PINs at: www.pin.ed.gov

21. Another Useful Form -FAFSA Checklist and Helpful Hints FAFSA Checklist is need to: • Help students to gather important information • Will be used in the January workshops to complete the FAFSA • Is a required assignment for Gov/Econ

22. You can complete and submit your online FAFSA application starting Jan. 1st For more information on federal student aid, visit: www.StudentAid.gov You can also talk with your college’s financial aid office about other types of student aid that may be available

23. 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 benefits • Financial responsibility for elderly grandparents, or • Any other unusual circumstances that affect a family’s ability to contribute to higher education

24. Register with Selective Services • Mostmalestudents 18-25 yearsoldmust be registeredforselectiveservices to recievefinancialaid • Clickon “Register me” onlyifyourmale, you’re at least 18 and ifyou’renotalreadyregistered • You can alsoregister at: www.sss.gov

25. 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 2 • Turn in a copy of the SAR to your Gov/Econ teacher

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

27. Federal Verification • If selected for verification, the tax information of federal tax filers will be verified through • The IRS Date Retrieval Process, or • IRS Tax transcripts if requested by the college or university—STAND IN LONG LINES FOR HOURS IRS Transcripts available at: http://www.irs.gov/Individuals/Order-a-Transcript

28. Check Your Cal Grant By opening a WebGrants Account a student can: • Check Cal Grant award status 24/7 • Make changes to Cal Grant school choices • View how much a Cal Grant is worth at different California colleges and universities • View Cal Grant payment history • Create a WebGrants account at: www.webgrants4students.org

29. 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

30. POWERPOINT • Tonight’s PowerPoint will be available on the LSHS’s website

31. Q & A Q & A Q & A Q & A Q & A Q & A Q & A Q & A ?