Brought to you by the Orange Glen High School Counseling Department

1. FINANCIAL AID: Know How to Finance Your Future Brought to you by the Orange Glen High School Counseling Department

2. Financial Aid Is Not Just For Students Going To a 4-Year University • Financial Aid is available forALLaccredited vocational and technical programs, community colleges and 4-year colleges and universities. • This includes scholarships- many scholarships are only open to 2-year college bound students!!!

3. FAFSA or Dream Act • Both have online applications • Applications start October 1, 2018 • Deadline to apply is March 2, 2019 • Access FAFSA at www.fafsa.ed.gov Dream Act at dream.csac.ca.gov • Grants, loans and work study are awarded through the FAFSA or Dream Act. • Many scholarships require the FAFSA or Dream Act to be filled out

4. Main types of financial aid available • Loans • Subsidized • Unsubsidized • Grants • Work Study • Scholarships

5. Who Can Apply for Scholarships??? Scholarships Are Based on: • Financial Need • Major in College • Where Your Parents Work • Community Service • Religious/Cultural Background • Special Interests or Hobbies The list goes on and on and on… Everyone can apply for scholarships!

6. There are several types of scholarships available • Local Scholarships • National Scholarships • School-specific Scholarships

7. High School Scholarships • Only available to students at your particular school • Common Application- only 1 application is needed to apply for many different scholarships • Must use the application provided and follow all instructions • Please read the requirements carefully to make sure you are eligible for the scholarship • Due dates vary by school but all will be due next semester (usually February or March)

8. Local and National Scholarships • Many parts of the High School Scholarship Packet can be used for other scholarships- Keep copies of ALL documents • Check lists provided by your school before doing online searches • Deadlines vary so stay organized- most scholarships are due January through May • Most applications are online

9. College Scholarships • Apply directly to the college- usually through an online application on the Financial Aid page • $100,000s of unclaimed money each year because no one applies • Private universities often offer more scholarship money than public universities • Applications are usually due BEFORE you know if you’ve been accepted- apply anyway!

10. Tips for Scholarship Applications • Never pay money to have someone help you with scholarships or financial aid applications • All trustworthy resources are free • No one can guarantee you money • Don’t ignore smaller scholarships- money adds up • Stay on top of deadlines- late applications are never accepted • Make sure applications are complete- incomplete applications are never accepted

11. Tips for Scholarship Applications Why didn’t I get any scholarships??? • Letters of Recommendation • Teachers/counselors need at least 2 weeks notice. Seriously. • Choose people who actually know you • Pay attention to the recommendation requirements- online or paper, number of letters, relationship • Essays/Personal Statements • Follow the prompt exactly • Answer all parts of the question • Spell and grammar check it carefully • Have at least 2 other people read it before turning it in

12. Tips for Scholarship Applications Why didn’t I get any scholarships??? • Stay on top of e-mails and voicemails • Donors often contact students directly with follow up questions • Be prepared for an interview

13. QUESTIONS ???