December 2010

College is a… Vocational or Technical College Certificate 2-Year or Community College Certificate Associates Degree 4-Year College Bachelors Degree Private or Public College Proprietary Private College ANY education you receive after high school!

Naviance Login is id password is initials and 6 digit birth date Ex dm Add Colleges I am applying to Keep status updated Current under profile Parents can access it Scholarships!!!!!

 I get it !  Mental Decision  Dr. Jason Garey  You can be anything from any school

 Schwab report  Reality

 Grants ◦ Awarded to the student based on need ◦ Does not need to be paid back ◦ Pell Grant, EFC less than or equal to $5,273  Scholarships ◦ Does not need to be paid back ◦ Check out our CollegeInvest Scholarship Program  Work-study ◦ Typically based on need  Student Loans ◦ Federal Loans  Paid back at federally backed low interest rates with helpful terms  There are federal loans for students (Stafford loans) and parents (PLUS loans) ◦ Private Loans  Use federal first and be sure to research the rates and terms carefully if you need a private loan to fill the gap.

Cost of Attendance (COA) - Expected Family Contribution (EFC) ______________________________ = Financial Need

 Cost of attendance refers to the cost for attending college for one year (2 semesters)  Colleges often define total cost of attendance to include: ◦ Tuition and fees ◦ Room and board ◦ Books and supplies ◦ Medical expenses ◦ Transportation ◦ Personal expenses Fixed Costs Variable Costs

Fall Apply for colleges Apply for scholarships Winter/Spring Complete and submit the FAFSA online The government processes the form and determines your EFC Receive and review the Student Aid Report (SAR) The information goes to colleges Late spring The colleges create an “Award Letter” Compare offers; make decisions *Must be accepted to a college to receive an award letter

 Estimate your cost  What is the schools average rate most pay?  % of need met

Pays a portion of total in-state tuition per credit hour… $62 per credit hour at public 2/4-year colleges & universities = approx. $1488 p/year $31 for Pell-eligible students at private Colorado colleges (University of Denver, Regis University and Colorado Christian University) Must apply – just once at Must be admitted to participating institution Available for undergraduates only Paid directly to the college

 Created by CollegeBoard  CollegeBoard is a not-for-profit association that tries to connect students to colleges  $9 for application fee, $16 for each school  More detailed than the FAFSA  Will calculate an EFC, may differ from EFC that the FAFSA calculates  Students can begin filling this out October 1 st prior to school year  Colorado institutions that require the profile: ◦ Colorado College ◦ University of Denver ◦ Daniels Fund 

 Parents and student need their OWN pin number  Apply for PIN now!  File after January 1, 2011 completed by February 15, 2011  Know your schools priority filing date  Pre-populate the form after your taxes have been completed

 Available every January 1 st - apply early!  Online application is fastest ◦ Processed in 72 hours ◦ Student and one parent need to get Personal Identification Numbers to sign application electronically ◦ Parent and Student Information required:  Social security numbers, drivers license numbers  Records of money earned last year, tax returns and bank statements, etc. ◦ Complete FAFSA online at ◦ FEDAID paper applications ◦ Student Aid Report (SAR)  BEWARE of any service that requires you to pay a fee to submit your FREE application

 A “practice” FAFSA  Outlines family/student eligibility for: ◦ Federal Grants ◦ Student Loans ◦ Federal Work Study 

BEWARE… of any service that requires you to pay a fee to submit a FAFSA or Scholarship application.

 Social Security Numbers  Divorced/remarried parental information  Income earned by parents/stepparents  Untaxed income  Household size  Number of household members in college  Real estate and investment net worth  Dependent vs. Independent Student  Verification  IRS DATA match

 Life insurance plans  Retirement plans  Equity from primary residence  Investment value of small business ◦ 100 full-time employees or less  Farm when it is primary source of income

 The U.S. Department of Education processes the information on your FAFSA and provides you and the colleges you selected your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) ◦ The information will be used to determine a student’s eligibility for most federal and state assistance ◦ The Dept. of Ed. does not expect you to have this amount in cash

Community College Four Year Public Four Year Private COA (variable) $10000$20000$40000 EFC (fixed)$10000 Need (variable) $0$10000$30000

 Moffat County High School  Free help filling out the FAFSA ◦ Bring your tax information, income documentation, etc.  Information on scholarships and college planning  Scholarship giveaways   February 13, 2011

 SAR from the government  Award letter from the school ◦ EFC + need = total ◦ How do they meet need  Scholarships, grants, loans, work study

 Eligibility determined from FAFSA  maximum amount $5,550  Pro-rated if student is less than full-time  Need based grant  EFC must be under $5,273

 Colorado State Grants  Based on need, academics, & talent  Types and amounts vary by school  Institutional Grants  Based on need, academics, & talent  Types and amounts vary by school

 Naviance ◦ Login is student id ◦ Password is initials and birth date dm ◦ Collegincolorado.org

2010 first place winners2009 Winners from Golden, CO

 1. Go to college where you are on top  2. Be realistic about what you are going to earn  3. Only borrow what you need  4. Visit before you commit  5. Get to know the college administration (financial aid counselors, director of housing)

 We will talk about ◦ FASFA issues ◦ How to compare award letters ◦ Types of loans  Subsidized vs. Unsubsidized  PLUS Local Scholarships What else you can do if you are not happy with your award letter