Finding Fund $ for Oregon Students Oregon Student Assistance Commission

1. Finding Fund$for Oregon Students Oregon Student Assistance Commission

2. Topics • Financial aid terms • OSAC outreach and resources • Oregon Opportunity Grant and other public grants • OSAC eApp scholarships • Scholarship tips

3. Financial Aid Terms OSAC Programs and $$$ for Oregon Students Section 1

4. Financial Aid Terms • Free Application for Federal Student Aid also known as the FAFSA • Calculates the family and/or students Expected Family Contribution or EFC • Need-based aid • Determined by FAFSA &/or other statement of financial need • Merit-basedaid • Determined by other factors: talent, academics, interest, etc.

5. Financial Aid Terms, cont. • Grants • Eligibility based on need • No repayment • Scholarships • Eligibility based on EFC, remaining need, merit, or a combination • No repayment • Work study • Awarded by the college using FAFSA

6. Financial Aid Terms, cont. • Remaining Need Calculation • School’s cost of attendance minus (EFC) = Remaining Financial Need • Federal and Private Student Loans • May be listed as financial aid and must be paid back • Federal Education Tax Credits • American Opportunity Credit (modified Hope Credit): Up to $2,500 annually • Lifetime Learning Credit: Up to $2,000 per family per year for additional years

7. Oregon Student Assistance Commission(OSAC) The state student financial aid agency • ASPIRE, Outreach and Information • Oregon Opportunity Grant (OOG) and grants for for foster youth, student parents, and more… • eApp Oregon’s common application for scholarships www.GetCollegeFunds.org

8. ASPIRE • Provides one-on-one mentoring toextend and enhance the reach of the guidance counselor • Welcomes ALL students • Offers ALL postsecondary educational options • Statewide at sites that serve high school students For a list of participating sites: www.AspireOregon.org

9. ASPIRE is Expanding Apply Now! Three ways to ASPIRE! • Traditional ASPIRE: At a school or site that serves high school students • eASPIRE: Online mentoring • Getting Ready to ASPIRE: Mentoring for middle school students Expansion funds provided by GEAR UP and College Access Challenge Grant • Apply at www.AspireOregon.org • Volunteer to be an eMentor

10. OSAC Communications Timely Tip Sheets - www.GetCollegeFunds.org • How to Analyze College Financial Aid Award Letters, What You Need To Know About Student Loans and more! Podcast Topics • Avoiding Scholarship Scams, The OSAC eApp Scholarship Application, American Tax Credit and more! Join us on Twitter and Facebook • Receive updates from OSAC (great tips during scholarship season)

11. OregonOpportunity Grant • File your FAFSA early to apply • Indicate the Oregon college you plan to attend in the first position on your FAFSA • Maximum award depends on type of school (2-year or 4-year public or 4-year private nonprofit) and if enrolled full-time or half-time www.fafsa.gov

12. Other Public Programs at OSAC • Federal Chafee Grants for Former Foster Youth** – Up to $3,000 annually. Oregon Dept of Human Services approves eligibility. Deadlines: August 1 (fall); November 1 (winter); February 1 (spring); May 1 (summer) • Deceased and Disabled Public Safety Officer Scholarship** – For children of public safety officers killed or disabled in the line of duty. Awards up to full tuition & fees, depending on institution. • Student Childcare Grant** – Award based on age and number of children. Applications available mid-January. • Oregon Youth Conservation Corps Scholarship– Vouchers for education expenses, must have participated to be eligible. • ** Visit www.getcollegefunds.org for details and applications

13. OSAC Scholarships www.GetCollegeFunds.org

14. What’s New www.GetCollegeFunds.org • Streamlined look with pop-up instructions • Available early AND high school juniors can begin their 2012-13 eApp • Easier search and sort functions – similar to an online shopping cart • Add scholarships directly to your eApp • Change a “test” eApp into a “regular” eApp

15. What’s New • After submitting you will receive an email that your eApp was received, and again after it’s reviewed • Use Scholar Snapp to export eApp data to other online scholarship applications • Remember: Your work is automatically saved

16. Scholarship Search Workbook Sections: • High School by County • Academic and Career Interest • Specific Populations & Miscellaneous • Member Organizations / Employers • OSAC Salutes Donors: Index

17. WorkbookToolbar

18. Scholarship Search Onlinewww.GetCollegeFunds.org • Links to: • Start or return to your application • Catalog • Deadlines • PDF of the workbook/worksheet/paper app • eApp instructions • Transcript, eligibility and residency info • Your e-Student Profile • GPA calculator • Scholar Snapp • Scholarships awarded to date

19. What you can do in the catalog not embedded in your application • Review specific requirements for each scholarship. • Click on SET FILTERS button to customize your search • You cannot add scholarships to your application from here. • Start your application and use the catalog embedded in your application!

20. What you can do in the Scholarship List embedded in your application! • Set your basic search criteria: Notice that your name and eApp number appear and dropdown boxes are prefilled • Click continue after setting your Basic Search • Add Scholarships by Name • Review and refine your search • Search Employer Member Programs only (recommended) • For each scholarship in your list you can either remove it • or add it to your application • Click continue after setting your Basic Search

21. Your eApp Home Page Check your status Correct errors – messages appear in red Print a copy Submit after 11/1/2010 (AFTER you submit you cannot add more scholarships. You can only change your contact info, college choice and college major!)

22. e-Student Profile Home Page Your personal go-to page! What you can do in your e-Student Profile • Edit applications • Print your application • Verify whether OSAC accepted your application • Check if you have been awarded a scholarship, and if awarded, accept it online • Update your contact info, college choice and college major • Copy (refresh) prior year’s eApp data to update Check often! Primary source of notifications from OSAC about your eApp!

23. OSAC Activities Chart You can: • Begin to add activities • Certify that you have no activity in a specific category • Import your CIS Activities Activity list: • School Activities • Volunteer Activities (Community/Family) • Paid Work History • Include: • Dates • Hours (time spent) • Responsibilities/Accomplishments (15 words)

24. Personal Statements • Explain your career aspirations and your educational plan to meet these goals. • Describe a challenge or obstacle you faced in the last ten years. What did you learn about yourself from this experience? • Describe a personal accomplishment and the strengths and skills you used to achieve it. • Explain how you have helped your family or made your community a better place to live. Please provide specific examples. Limit statement to 1,000 characters

25. Transcripts • OSAC application requires: • Graduating high school seniors submit transcripts that reflect grades through December/January • College students submit transcript that includes all work through fall semester/term • If sending a hard copy, blacken first 5 digits of SSN for security purposes # 1 reason for a rejected OSAC application: A missing or incomplete transcript

26. Transcripts

27. Find help at the bottom of most pages • Return to your e-Student Profile • Logout • Get Help with current page • eApp Instructions • FAQ’s • eApp feedback form and help with technical problems • Ask the OSAC “wise guy” for non-technical help • Review OSAC privacy policies

28. OSAC Scholarship Deadlines Wednesday January 18 • eApp Review begins Thursday, February 16 • Priority deadline for Early Bird Scholarship • Opportunity to correct errors • If error-free, drawing for $500 scholarship Thursday, March 1 • FINAL deadline • eApp and paper apps must be received at OSAC • Postmarks are not accepted Check your e-Student Profile for application status

29. Finding Funds for Oregon Students Section 2 Scholarship Tips

30. The Ford Family Foundation Scholarship Programs • Ford Scholars – For graduating high school seniors and community college transfer students pursuing bachelor’s degrees at eligible Oregon colleges • Ford Opportunity – For single parents, heads of households, without the support of a domestic partner, pursuing bachelor’s degrees at eligible Oregon colleges • Ford ReStart – For nontraditional students, age 25 or older, to begin or return full-time in an Oregon certificate or degree program • Ford Sons & Daughters - For dependents, age 21 or younger, of Roseburg Forest Products employees Details atwww.GetCollegeFunds.orgor www.tfff.org

31. Tip: Keep Searching • Colleges and universities (including departments) • Employers… and parents’ employers • Member organizations • Local civic organizations, foundations, high schools Do not pay for search tools – use the FREE ones!

32. Tip: Writing essays • Get inspiration from your activities chart • Answer the question • Consider the reader • Don’t repeat information (like your GPA) • Cute doesn’t always cut it • Be clear & purposeful about your academic/career goals

33. Tip: Don’t be shy • In what ways are you unique? • What are your leadership qualities? • How do you take initiative? • Any special recognition? • Tie your past and present with your future • Put YOU on paper • Passion with a purpose

34. Tip: Get help and feedback • Friends and family • Office/job associates • Professors/teachers • Learning resource centers • Writing centers

35. Tip: What scholarship committees consider • Academics • GPA, course rigor, and test scores • Outside the classroom • Volunteer activities, leadership, work, etc. • Life experiences • Serving your community by helping your family • Tell your unique story using your transcript, short essay answers, and activities chart

36. Tip: The Interview • Remember your audience • Reread your application & essays • Practice your interview skills • Make a positive first impression • Establish eye-contact • Display poised, confident body language • Dress appropriately • Be yourself

37. Tip: Beware of Scams • Why pay for a service you can get for free? • Must still do the work and getting a refund is not that easy! • Services that “guarantee” scholarships are questionable! • Report scams to the Federal Trade Commission • For more information: www.ftc.gov

38. Tips to Remember! • Use all your resources to maximize $$ • Follow the instructions • Meet deadlines • Spell check & proofread • Order correct transcript(s) • Reflect your best work • Submit all required documents and keep copies for yourself • Check your e-Student Profile regularly

39. More Scholarship Resources • OSAC www.GetCollegeFunds.org • Fastweb www.fastweb.com • College Board www.collegeboard.com • Peterson’s www.petersons.com • Common search engines: • Google • Bing • College and Career Centers

40. How to learn more from OSAC • “Opportunities” booklets- order online • http://www.osac.state.or.us/publications_info.html • Get College Funds – Oregon state financial aid and programs: www.GetCollegeFunds.org • College is Possible –Information about going to college: www.OregonOpportunities.gov

41. Other Resources • FAFSA –Application for Federal and State aid: www.fafsa.gov • FAFSA Forecaster – Get an early estimate of your eligibility for Federal student aid: www.fafsa4caster.ed.gov • College Navigator – Find information about colleges including net price: http://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/ • College financial aid office • Federal student aid information center - 1-800-433-3243

42. Thank You for AttendingFinding Fund$for Oregon Students