University Trade School Community College

o Valuable Source of Information o Helpful web sites and more specific information links o Available to all students on The Corona HS web or in the College /Career Center (J-1)

FAFSA Free Application for Federal Student Aid If you do not complete and submit the FAFSA you will not be eligible for grants, work-study or federal loans

Money that is supplied by outside sources to help pay for the cost of an education beyond high school Sources ○ The Federal Government ○ State Government ○ School you attend after High School ○ Private Companies and Organizations

Non Need Based Aid Also known as Merit-Based Aid, given to students with special skills, talents, or academic ability and is competitive in nature Need-Based Aid Given to students who do not have sufficient resources to pay for an education. 80% of full-time students receive some form of Need-Based Aid

Grants- Free Money does not need to be paid back Loans- Low interest money must be paid back with interest, usually after school has been completed Work Study- On or off campus job provided by school, money used for tuition and school fees Scholarships- Available from various sources. Web sites, scholarship handbook,parents work place and J-1 good places to start looking

Cost of Attendance (COA) - Expected Family Contribution (EFC) = Amount of Financial Aid

Cost of Attendance (COA) What will it cost to attend chosen school: Tuition, fees books, room and board and transportation cost Expected Family Contribution (EFC) A measure of a family’s financial strength. How much of family’s financial resources can be used for education. The (EFC) is calculated from the information reported on the FAFSA

To Be Eligible A Student Must: o Have a high school diploma or its equivalent o Enrolled in an eligible degree or certificate program o U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen or meet the criteria for AB 540 ( please see your counselor, Mrs. Valencia in room H-8 or Mr. Nino in room G-7 for further information) o Have a valid Social Security Number o Register with the Selective Services (male, ages 18 to 25) o Continue to make satisfactory academic progress

Assembly Bill 540 allows undocumented students who meet certain requirements to pay in-state tuition to all UC, CSU & California Community Colleges, and gain eligibility to State Financial Aid. To Be Eligible A Student Must: o Attend a California High School for 3 or more years. o Enroll at an accredited public institution of higher education in California. o Must file an affidavit for legal residency. For further information please see your counselor, Mrs. Valencia in room H-8, Mr. Nino in room G-7, Mrs. Berrellez in the Administration Office, or online at and on the CHS website.

CALIFORNIA GRANTS CAL GRANTS

Information for Cal Grants comes from FAFSA. FAFSA must be submitted to be eligible for a Cal Grant or any other Government Financial Aid. Must submit GPA Verification Form by March 2 nd Forms may be picked up and dropped off in J-1 Students must attend a California school, including most Career/Technical Schools and complete high school with a minimum GPA of 3.0 for a Cal Grant A and a 2.0 for Cal Grants B & C. Information on all Cal Grants at

Available At FAFSA worksheets available in the College/Career Center (J-1) Deadlines January 1 st – March 2 nd Information Needed W-2 Forms, parents Income Tax Return, current bank statements, any records of stocks, bonds or other investments and alien reg. number (if not a U.S. citizen)

○ fafsa4caster.ed.gov/ ○ Instantly determines type of Financial Aid ○ Estimates the Financial Aid amount ○ Reduces the time to complete the FAFSA ○ Allows you to transfer all of FAFSA4caster to actual FAFSA form ○ Provides option to apply for Student Aid PIN c

○ FAFSA is the most important aspect of Financial Aid ○ FAFSA submitted between January 1 st and March 2 nd ○ FAFSA4caster tool ○ One to Two weeks after submitting FAFSA will receive Student Aid Report (SAR) ○ Cal Grant GPA Verification Form available in J-1 from January 1 st to March 2 nd

o Be Aware of Scholarship Scams o Free money does not need to be paid back o Compete with other students, competitive in nature o Originate from government agencies, schools, companies,organizations, and private individuals o Regional, National & Local Scholarships available o Apply to as many as you are eligible for o Scholarships & Information on scholarships are in J-1, online and on Corona HS web

o Listen to announcements, review Scholarship Book in J-1, check online and the “Helpful Web Sites” page o Read requirements and eligibility-If you do not meet the requirements Do Not Apply o If you do qualify, complete as many applications as possible

o A number of Local Scholarships are available to Corona HS Students o Best chance of receiving, competing only with Corona Norco Students, most cases Corona HS Students only o Apply for as many as you are Eligible for o Information on local scholarships and

o Complete Application (handbook, page 13 ) o Write 1-page Personal Essay (handbook, page 16 ) o Copy of your Transcript (complete Transcript Request Form from the Career Center J-1) o Collect Two Letters of Recommendation (handbook, pages 14 & 15 )

o Two Letters of Recommendation are Required o Complete Personal Data Form (brag sheet) found in Handbook, ( pages 14 & 15) o Choose an Individual who knows you, and is able to personalize Letter of Recommendation o Allow at least 1 week for completion of letter

 The Scholarship Committee and Local Scholarship Organizations make their decisions  Scholarships that require interview, take place April & May  All Scholarship Winners notified Monday, May 18 th Corona High School Senior Awards Night Best Of Luck!

o Be Organized o Know Your Options o Get The Information o Listen To Announcements and visit the Career Center o Avoid Scholarship Scams (never pay for scholarship information) ○ Be Aware Of Deadlines