La Sierra High School Presents:
Financing Education Beyond High School
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
2
Apply at fafsa.ed.gov
NOT
fafsa.com (scam)
Never pay to apply for financial aid!
$$$-Cost-$$$
- 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
5
How Much Financial Aid Might We Receive?
)
F
A
F
S
A
F
o
r
e
c
a
s
t
e
r
6
Types of Financial Aid

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
7
Sources of Financial Aid

Federal government

State government


Colleges and universities
Private agencies,
companies, foundations,
and parents’ employers
8
Cal Grants

Cal Grant A Entitlement Awards – for high school seniors

Cal Grant B Entitlement Awards – for high school seniors

Cal Grant C Awards - for students from low income families
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
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
pursuing vocational programs of study
9
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
10
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
11
2014-2015 Cal Grant
Application 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
See your high school to pick up a Cal Grant GPA Verification Form if you haven’t already turned one in
12
Possible Cal Grant and
Federal Pell Grant Maximum Awards
Cal Grant* (Up to $12,192)
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 parttime)
Other eligibility requirements may
apply
1 FAFSA or
California Dream Act Application
2 Your GPA
3 Apply by March 2
+
Federal Pell Grant (up to $5,645)
1 FAFSA
= Up to
$17,837
maximum annually
13
KNOW WHICH SCHOOLS CAN RECEIVE
FEDERAL FINANCIAL AID
* Check for eligible schools at:
www.csac.ca.gov
14
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
15
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
16
Types of Applications
 FAFSA---$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
 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
17
FAFSA Information & Tips
 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
18
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
19
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
20
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
21
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
24
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
25
Register with Selective Services
•
•
•
Most male students 18-25 years old must be registered
for selective services to recieve financial aid
Click on “Register me” only if your male, you’re at least 18
and if you’re not already registered
You can also register at:
www.sss.gov
27
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
28
What Happens Next?
Students and the colleges the student listed receive Student Aid
Report (SAR) from federal processor

Students who complete FAFSA and Cal Grant GPA Verification Form
receive California Aid Report (CAR)

Students and families review SAR and CAR for important
information and accuracy of data

Colleges match admission records with FAFSA and other
required financial aid forms to determine aid eligibility

Colleges provide notices of financial aid eligibility to admitted
students who have completed all required financial aid forms
29
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/Individual
s/Order-a-Transcript
30
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
31
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
33
POWERPOINT
 Tonight’s PowerPoint will be available
on the LSHS’s website
34