Your guide to navigating and understanding financial aid, information for parents and students.

Transcription

1 Your guide to navigating and understanding financial aid, information for parents and students. 1

2 Table of Contents Paying for College. 3 Types of Financial Aid.3 How to apply for Financial Aid 5 Federal and State Programs 6 Pell Grant 6 Scholarships General Information.7 Tips for Winning Scholarship Applications 8 Scholarship Applications.9 Scholarship Scams...12 Common Mistakes in the Financial Aid Game..13 Lynden High School Contacts 14 2

3 Paying for College Students are expected to contribute money from savings, summer and school year earnings, or obtain loans to pay college expenses. Parents are expected to contribute from their income and assets. Colleges and universities attempt to meet all or most of the student s needs by putting together a financial aid package made up of grants, scholarships, loans and work-study. The student s need is the cost of education for one academic year, minus the expected contribution from the student and parents. All families are encouraged to fill out the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid -see page 5 for more information). Many more students, particularly middle-income students are eligible for federal aid than in past years. All students, regardless of family income, should apply for financial aid. Financial aid is available through both state and federal funding. Grant money does not need to be paid back while loans must be repaid (with interest). Work-study is money earned from work and used to help pay for school. Another source of free money is scholarships. To be eligible for financial aid, students must have a financial need, receive a high school diploma or GED, or pass an independently administered test approved by the U.S. Department of Education. Students also need to be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen, registered with the Selective Service, if required and complete all necessary forms. For financial aid to continue once awarded, students must make satisfactory academic progress. Financial aid eligibility is the difference between the cost of education and the Expected Family Contribution (EFC). A federal formula performs a needs analysis to determine the EFC. The cost of education includes tuition and fees, room and board, books and supplies, transportation and miscellaneous expenses. Types of Financial Aid Grants Grants are need based and do not have to be repaid. Grant aid comes from federal, state governments, and from individual colleges. Public schools tend to give grants to students with very low income. Private schools use grant monies to attract students they want. Loans Most financial aid comes in the form of loans, aid that must be repaid. Most loans that are awarded based on financial need are low-interest loans sponsored by the federal government. The government subsidizes some of these loans so no interest accrues until you begin repayment after you graduate. To qualify for loans or any other financial aid students must maintain a minimum 2.0 GPA each quarter and be enrolled at least half time. 3

4 Do you plan on taking out a loan to help pay for your students college? Make sure you find out if the type of loan is subsidized or unsubsidized. Subsidized loans are federal loans with very low interest. Interest on subsidized loans does not accrue while the student is enrolled full time. Parent Plus Loans are need based and can be granted for up to as much as the cost of a school. Parents will pay an origination fee and are low interest. Parents cannot borrow more than the cost of attendance using a Parent Plus Loan. Bank Loans: Thinking about taking out a bank loan? Private Educational Loans tend to be high interest. Make sure you speak with your financial advisor about your options. Student Loans: Do you plan to have your student help pay for college through loans? Know their limits. Students Stafford loans, maximum per year: Stafford Loan is a low interest loan with a debt cap of $31,000. To continue to qualify for this loan or any other financial aid students must maintain a 2.0 GPA each quarter and be enrolled at least half time. Students begin making monthly payments six months after they graduate or leave school. Does your child fully understand what it means to take out and pay back a loan? Some colleges including Bellevue College require students to go through loan counseling before they qualify. Career Center staff recommends parents talk with their children about the positives and negatives of loans. Work Study -Work-study positions are need based. Student employment and work-study aid helps students pay for education costs such as books, supplies, and personal expenses. Work-study is a federal program which provides students with part-time employment to help meet their financial needs and gives them work experience while serving their campuses and surrounding communities. Scholarships (Need and/or Merit Based) Many colleges have scholarship money they give out on a first come, first serve basis for students who meet specific academic requirements. Check with the colleges you are applying to for specific institutional scholarships. We also recommend students register with and for a customized scholarship search. Students are encouraged to apply for local, state and community scholarship through the LHS Career Center website. Many scholarships are awarded based on merit, ethnic background, community service, leadership, and personal interests regardless of financial need. Students should be searching and applying for scholarships while they are applying to colleges. College Savings Plans Are you saving money for college for your student? Where are you saving it? Is the money in your name or your child s? Where your money resides will determine how much it will be taxed and how it will impact your FAFSA results? Always consult with your professional tax advisor for details. 4

5 How to Apply for Financial Aid Estimate if you are going to qualify for need based financial aid at Parents & students need to register on-line for a FAFSA pin number prior to Jan 1 st. A pin is necessary to sign the FAFSA to obtain a pin number go to Free Application Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) 1. Why should parents fill out the Free Application Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form? All parents must fill out the FAFSA to qualify for the four types of aid: grants, loans (both parent and student loans), work-study positions, and need-based scholarships. Think you cannot afford a private school? Remember that the amount of financial aid given to families will change depending on the price of the school. Parents are encouraged to fill out the form regardless of their income level and apply as soon after January 1 st as possible to take advantage of state and federal monies given on a first come first serve basis. Some schools require the FAFSA on file prior to awarding some need-based scholarships. Applying for the FAFSA is always free. 2. When can I apply for financial aid? Senior parents fill out a FAFSA after January 1st of their students senior year. The process needs to be completed on an annual basis. The FAFSA online is a number prior to January 1st, so when application processing secure site. Parents and students should register on-line for a FAFSA pin opens on January 1st they can process their application more quickly. A PIN is necessary to electronically sign the FAFSA. 3. Should I fill out the online FAFSA form or a paper version? Consider using the online version. It allows families to update the form from year to year and errors and omissions are caught and corrected prior to submission. The on-line version is processed quickly giving you an Expected Family Contribution (EFC) number. Results are sent directly to the colleges financial aid offices you select to receive them. 4. Financial Aid Forms: Log onto for general information, how to apply, and deadlines for financial aid. Students will receive a Student Aid Report (SAR) after the FAFSA is processed, indicating the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) Information is also sent to the college(s) you select for your FAFSA results. The student s selected College Financial Aid Office(s) will send an award letter to the student indicating the types of aid the student is eligible to receive. Students should check with the college(s) that they expect to attend, as additional applications/forms may be required for financial aid. NOTE: Special circumstances (such as changes in income and other factors affecting eligibility) may be considered. Should special circumstances arise, the student should submit a letter of explanation to the Financial Aid Office at the school of their choice. 5

6 Federal and State Programs Pell Grant Pell Grants, Perkins Loans, Work-Study, and SEOG will be available, based on demonstrated financial need and availability of funds. Perkins Loan Repayments begin nine months after student status drops to less than half time, with up to 10 years to repay. Work-Study Program Makes available jobs on and off campus with hourly wages paid directly to the student to help pay for education expenses. Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant Program (SEOG) This program is for students of exceptional financial need, who without the grant would be unable to continue their education. The SEOG is awarded through the financial aid office of the school you plan to attend. The SEOG is not an entitlement program; that is, there are no guarantees attached to it. Each school receives a set amount of money to use for SEOG s. When the money is gone, there are no more SEOG s for that year. Stafford Loan Formerly called the Guaranteed Student Loan program. Repayment begins six months after student status drops to less than half time and has a 10-year repay timeline. Unsubsidized Stafford Loan A program available to undergraduates who do not demonstrate financial need. Students still file the FAFSA for the regular Stafford first, and if not eligible, will automatically be considered for the unsubsidized program. Same interest and repayment terms as Federal Stafford, except interest is not subsidized and will accrue during in-school and six-month grace periods. Students have the option of either paying the interest as it accrues on the loan or capitalizing the interest and paying it off along with the principle following graduation. Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students (PLUS) Parents can borrow the entire cost of their students education, less financial aid. Repayment of PLUS loans must begin within 60 days of disbursement with up to 10 years to repay. Other Programs The Federal Government also makes low interest loans to students through the following programs: 1) Nursing Students Loan 2) HEAL Health Education Assistance Program 3) LEAP Law Enforcement Assistance Program The State of Washington offers assistance to the needy or disadvantaged students by programs such as: 1) Tuition Waiver Program 2) State Need Grant Program 3) State Work-Study Program which allows students to work in the private sector. 6

7 Important! Selective Service Notice To receive any form of federally funded financial aid, such as Pell Grants, Supplemental Grants, Work- Study, and Loans, male students must have proof that they have registered with the Selective Service. Young men who turn 18 must register with the Selective Service within 30 days of their birthday. Register on-line at: Scholarships General Information Each year private organizations, corporations, fraternal groups, clubs and labor unions provide funds for students to complete their education. Most scholarships are based upon both achievement and need, while other scholarships are based on scholastic achievement and school/community involvement. Students are encouraged to apply for all scholarships for which they are eligible. National scholarship information is available through the listed organizations websites. This document is provided to help with student s scholarship search. This booklet does not contain scholarship opportunities; those are available on our school website under the Career and College Center tab and registering with State (thewashboard.org) and National (fastweb.com) search programs. Students are responsible for verifying scholarship details and insuring their application packets are complete and deadlines are met. 7

8 Tips for Winning Scholarship Applications Before you submit your scholarship application, check out these tips, provided by scholarship sponsors nationwide. 1 Apply only if you are eligible. Read all the scholarship requirements and directions carefully to make sure you are eligible before you send in your application. 2 Complete the application in full. If a question doesn't apply, note that on the application. Don't just leave a blank. Supply all additional supporting material, such as transcripts, letters of recommendation and essays. 3 Follow directions. Provide everything that is required, but do not supply things that are not requested you could be disqualified. 4 Neatness counts. Always type your application, or if you must print, do so neatly and legibly. Make a couple of photocopies of all the forms before you fill them out. Use the copies as working drafts as you develop your application packet. 5 Write an essay that makes a strong impression. The key to writing a strong essay is to be personal and specific. Include concrete details to make your experience come alive: the who, what, where, and when of your topic. The simplest experience can be monumental if you present honestly how you were affected. 6 Watch all deadlines. To help keep yourself on track, impose your own deadline that is at least two weeks prior to the official deadline. Use the buffer time to make sure everything is ready on time. Do not rely on extensions very few scholarship providers allow them at all. 7 Make sure your application gets where it needs to go. Put your name (and Social Security number, if applicable) on all pages of the application. Pieces of your application may get lost unless they are clearly identified. 8 Keep a back-up file in case anything goes wrong. Before sending the application, make a copy of the entire packet. If your application goes astray, you will be able to reproduce it quickly. 9 Give it a final "once-over. Proofread the entire application carefully. Be on the lookout for misspelled words or grammatical errors. Ask a friend, teacher or parent to proofread it as well. 10 Ask for help if you need it. If you have problems with the application, do not hesitate to call the funding organization. 8

9 Scholarship Applications 1. Who should apply for scholarships? All students! Any students interested in attending a technical college, community college, or 4-year school should consider applying for free money to help pay for school. 2. When should I apply for a scholarship? Most scholarships are offered during senior year, but occasionally students have the opportunity to apply during junior year as well. You should start to become familiar with the process beginning in December of your junior year. 3. Where can I find out about local scholarships? Go to the Career Center website and click on Scholarships. Local scholarships with their requirements and due dates are updated on a regular basis. 4. Where can I find out about national scholarships? Go to for a list of national scholarships. You will be asked a series of qualifying questions and then have access to information on how to apply for scholarships that you meet the requirements for. Note: You may want to set up a separate account just for scholarship notifications from FastWeb. 5. What is the Western Undergraduate Exchange? The Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) is a scholarship that may save you money at a public out of state college or university if you qualify. Go to to see the list of participating institutions. 6. Who qualifies for a scholarship? Many scholarships are based on financial need and/or academic merit, but not all. Some scholarships are based on community service participation or the ability to have overcome obstacles. 7. Who is my competition? When considering whether or not you want to apply for particular scholarship, take into account whom you might be competing with. Are you only going to be competing with students at Lynden High School? If so, financial need might be relative to the families that live in the Lynden area. If only five or six students apply for the scholarship, your financial need might be highest amongst this group. But if you are applying for a nationwide scholarship, your competition will be much greater. The obstacles that you have overcome, GPA, and community service participation are also relative to the group that applies, so keep that in mind as well. 8. What other items are required besides the application? Many scholarships require you to submit a resume, letters of recommendation, and/or an essay. Applying for scholarships should never require you to pay a fee! 9. What points should I remember when filling out scholarships? Presentation goes a LONG way! Make sure your application is representative of your best work. As with college applications follow directions carefully. Spelling, word usage, and grammar mistakes are a sure way to get people to put your paperwork at the bottom of the pile! Put your application in a clean manila envelope. Do not fold your application. Address the envelope with your name; return address and the name of the scholarship, plus the address of the review committee. 9

10 Keep your resume to one page. Remember that scholarship review committees have many scholarship applications to read and a two or three-page document can in some reviewer s eyes actually count against you. Give a copy of your high school resume to the people that you plan to have write your recommendation letters. This helps them write a letter that covers all the things you have accomplished. Be yourself in your essay! Do not write what you think others want to read. Don t be pretentious, or exaggerate to impress. Instead, write about things that make you unique. Show rather than tell. By giving examples and illustrating your topic, you help bring it to life. And last but not least have friends and family proofread your application, resume, and essay. Often times another set of eyes can pick up on mechanical errors that you have overlooked. Don t wait until the deadline to turn in your applications. Earlier is better! It is always appropriate to write a thank you note to the organization awarding you a scholarship! 10

11 Additional information about Financial Aid AmeriCorps City Year FAFSA FastWeb Scholarship Search Federal Direct Loans Federal PIN FinAid JobCorps Northwest Education Loan Association Project Scholarship Scam Resources by State U.S. Department of Education College Cost Calculators College Cost Projector Loan Calculators Savings Calculators Estimated FAFSA results 11

12 Scholarship Scams Searching for a Scholarship? Buyer Beware! This section is included to alert families to a concern that is increasingly widespread: fraudulent scholarship search services or in other words, SCHOLARSHIP SCAMS. Hundreds of scholarship services are on the market, but many are scams. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recently launched Project Scholarship Scam to alert consumers about fraudulent search services The FTC warns students to beware if the scholarship service: Guarantee that a student has won a scholarship Pledges that this scholarship information is not available anywhere else. Requests a credit card or bank account number so that they can hold the scholarship for the student. Requests payment before they can give the scholarship Claims a national foundation has selected you to receive a scholarship or you are a finalist in a contest you never entered. How else can you be aware of scams? Scholarship Scams usually have a particular set of characteristics. Watch out for these warning signs: Application fees Other fees Guaranteed winnings Everybody is eligible Unsolicited opportunities Typing & spelling errors No telephone number Mail drop for a return address Operating out of a residence Masquerading as a federal agency Time pressure Unusual requests for personal information Notification by phone High success rates Excessive hype Disguised advertising A newly formed company 12

13 Financial Aid Seminars & Consultants Consultants: When choosing to utilize the services of a consultant, consider their qualifications carefully. Find someone who has worked as a financial aid administrator, CPA or CFP. Seminars: Some seminars will state that their presentations is free and then use high pressure tactics to get you signed up for their service, while only answering questions after you agree to pay a fee. Keep in mind that no one can find loopholes to help you save money. Don t trust anyone who encourages you to do something unethical. Common Mistakes in the Financial Aid Game Not applying for financial aid because they think they won t qualify. Assuming expensive private colleges are out of reach. Some may offer significant financial aid. Waiting too long to file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid form (FAFSA) with the U.S. Department of Education. This paperwork determines how much federal aid families receive. FAFSA applications begin January 1 st of the college entering year. Many selective colleges make financial aid decisions by February 15 th, using information from the FAFSA. The application process calls for figures from the current year s tax return. Tax information can be estimated and corrected later. Assuming there are thousands of dollars available through scholarships if students will only search for them. Significant national scholarships often go to superstars. Solid students may be better off pursuing local scholarships. By applying for multiple local scholarships, students at LHS have been very successful in accumulating thousands of dollars. The Career Center has information about local, community and Washington state scholarships. Visit the Career Center website and click on College Scholarships. Assuming financial aid from a college will continue past the first year. Families should confirm any financial aid package with the college. Determine what is required for the scholarship to renew. Failing to understand that financing college often means borrowing money and working. Families need to have open financial discussions with their student prior to selecting and applying to colleges. Paying companies to search for financial aid or scholarships. Paid services are often scams. Assuming students will get a good financial aid offer from an out-of-state public university. Schools often reserve their need-based aid for residents 13

14 Local, State and Community Scholarship The Career Center receives and posts local and state organizations applications to our website each year. Students looking to apply for national and state scholarships should be registered through and thewashboard.org Many organizations ask schools to nominate one student to apply to their organization for a scholarship. LHS is a large public high school -students interested in being considered for one of the scholarships listed below need to bring a current high school resume to the Career Center no later than October 15 th of your senior year. All resumes will be scored. Based on the scholarship criteria LHS will select the best-qualified student to nominate. Contacts: Lynden High School 1201 Bradley Rd Lynden, WA Phone Lynden High School Administration Principal: Todd Apple Assistant Principal: Lisa McKeen Contacts in the Career & Technical Education Office: Director: Kent Victor (telephone extension: 5260) Secretary: Shelly Williamson (telephone extension: 5205) Counseling Office Registrar: Lisa Wilde (telephone ext. 5218) Student s last name ending A H: Chris Elsner (telephone ext. 5204) Student s last name ending I O: Erin Shaffer (telephone ext. 5229) Student s last name ending P Z: Christina Lynch (telephone ext. 5228) School Website 14