1. How to Plan for College: Financial Aid and Admissions
How to Plan for College: Financial Aid and Admissions
By: Andrea Navarro
ASA College Planning Center

2. The College Application Process Financial Aid & Scholarships
Choosing Your Pathway
The College Application Process
Financial Aid & Scholarships
Programs & Resources 03 05 11 23
Agenda
How to Plan for College

3. ASA College Planning Center
About Us
ASA College Planning Center

4. ASA College Planning Center
What we do
Free Services
Walk-in only, no appointment necessary!
One-on-one Advising
Assistance completing applications and forms
Resources on education, financial aid and loan counseling
Multilingual Advisors
English, Spanish, Chinese, French, and Haitian-Creole
@ASAPlan4College
ASA College Planning Center

5. ASA College Planning Center
Come visit us!
Main location: Boston Public Library, Copley Square
700 Boylston St. Boston, MA 02116
(617) or Toll-free: (877)
Mon-Thurs. 9AM-7:30PM Friday-Saturday 9AM-5PM
Satellite Location: Asian American Civic Association
87 Tyler St. Boston, MA 02111
Every Wednesday 9AM-12PM and 1PM-5PM
ASA College Planning Center

6. Applying to College
How to Plan for College

7. Assistance with completing applications and forms
Free Services
One-on-one advising
Assistance with completing applications and forms
Resources on education, financial aid and career planning
Advising available in English, Spanish, Chinese, French, and Haitian Creole.
How to Plan for College 7

8. Myths About Getting Into College
I can’t get into a selective college if you did poorly in 9th or 10th grade.
I don’t need to visit a college I plan to apply to or attend.
Anyone can get into a public college, but its hard to get into a private college.
Liberal arts colleges don’t often have great science and math programs.
Students should only apply to schools that are popular- regardless of how much they cost.
Only a guidance counselor can help a student plan for college, career, and academic success.
How to Plan For College

9. Many Roads, One Destination
How to Plan for College

10. Vocational Certificate
Make College a Reality
Work
Tech/Trade or
Vocational Certificate
Pathways to College
2-Year College
High School
4-Year College
4-Year University
How to Plan for College

11. College, Defined Community College (or Junior College)
Grants students Associates Degrees
Usually two years or less
Colleges & Universities
Grants students Bachelor’s degrees and higher
Usually 4 to 6 years
How to Plan for College

12. Community College Academic Benefits Financial Benefits
Open Admissions
Chance to start anew
Financial Benefits
Affordable
Stackable credits/programs
Mass Transfer (MA residents)
New Program: Commonwealth Commitment
How to Plan for College

13. 2-Year College Admission Requirements
Admissions Requirements
HS Diploma or HiSet (formerly the GED)
Admissions Application
“Phone book” information
Intended program of study
All previous college transcripts, if transferring
Accuplacer / Computer Placement Test
Required of ALL students in Math and English
How to Plan for College

14. 4-Year College Admission Requirements
Early Action – Non-Binding
Early Decision – Commitment to attend
Regular Decision
Rolling Admission
– Application form
– A personal statement or essay
– High school transcript
Entrance Examinations: SAT or the ACT
(for juniors and seniors)
– Subject Tests (for seniors)
Ask if you are eligible for
Application Fee Waivers!
Some colleges may also require:
multiple letters of recommendation
An interview
How to Plan for College

15. Applying for Financial Aid
How to Plan for College

16. Financial Aid Private Scholarships Institutional Aid Federal Aid
Depending on the institution, “need” and “merit”-based grants/scholarships may be offered directly from the school.
“Need-based” Federal Grants
(Pell, SEOG)
Federal Student Loans
Federal Work Study
Students must apply to these separately.
Local and national scholarships available.
Requirements will vary with each scholarship
Private Lenders
Self-help
State Aid
How to Plan for College

17. Applying for Financial Aid
Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for ALL Colleges.
Determine if the CSS Profile or Institutional Financial Aid forms are required.
Provide any additional information required by the institution
How to Plan for College

18. The FAFSA – FSA ID (Replacement of the PIN)
Comprised of an user-created USERNAME and PASSWORD
“Right to access” your personal information on Federal sites
If “dependent” one of your parents need an FSA ID too!
Instantly access your FSA ID online
It’s best to have a personal account with which to apply for an FSA ID
FSAid.ed.gov
Sign Federal documents, access records, and make binding legal obligations
How to Plan for College

19. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid
The FAFSA
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid
The FAFSA Available on October 1st
Required application for ALL Federal and State Aid
Must sign in with a FSA ID (create one on fsaid.ed.gov)
Apply before May 1st to be eligible for the Mass Grant.
The FAFSA will provide you with your Expected Family Contribution (EFC)
Prior-Prior Year (PPY) income data needed
How to Plan for College

20. FAFSA on the Web Worksheet can help too.
The FAFSA
What information will I need to complete the FAFSA?
FAFSA on the Web Worksheet can help too.
Student Information
Parent Information
Spousal information required if married.
Social Security number
Alien registration or permanent resident card (if not U.S. citizen)
Current asset statements
Driver’s license (if applicable)
Prior year’s W-2 forms(s) and federal tax returns
Prior year’s untaxed income records
For dependent students
Parent(s) Date of Birth
Parent(s) Date of marriage/divorce/separation/widowed
Current asset statements
Prior year’s w-2 form(s) and federal income tax return(s)
Prior year
How to Plan for College

21. How Financial Aid Works
Cost of Attendance (COA) -
Expected Family Contribution (EFC)
_____________________________
= Financial Aid Need
How to Plan for College

22. How Financial Aid Works
Congratulations on being accepted to SALT University! After a careful review of your financial aid application, we are pleased to offer you the following financial aid award:
(Your EFC = $8,225)
How to Plan for College

23. How Financial Aid Works
At SALT University…
$34,750 (COA) -
$8,225 (EFC)
_____________________________
= $26,525 (Financial Aid Need)
If SALT University has given you $26,500…
WHAT IS YOUR BALANCE?
How to Plan for College

24. How Financial Aid Works
The balance: is $8,250
$25 (Balance after award from SALT university’s financial aid award) +
$8, (EFC)
__________________________________
= $8,250
How to Plan for College

25. Accepting the Financial Aid Award
Compare all award letters and look for:
Cost of attendance
Amount and types of aid awarded
Amount you are expected to pay toward the costs
The total to be paid by you
Follow the instructions to accept the financial aid package.
Be aware of the school’s deadline.
Be aware of additional steps that may be required depending on the types of aid you accept.
How to Plan for College

26. Private Scholarships How to Plan for College Local v. National
Staying organized is key to a successful scholarship search
It’s never to early to start looking!
Create separate account for scholarships information
You should never pay to fill out an application
Be mindful of online “sweepstakes”
How to Plan for College

27. Special Programs
How to Plan for College

28. Free Tuition Program for BPS Graduates
Tuition-Free Community College Application for BPS Students is now Live
If eligible for the plan, Students can attend BHCC or RCC
The plan pays for: ) Tuition for up to three years of community college
2) Mandatory college fees
For more questions,
or call the city hotline, at 3-1-1
How to Plan for College

29. Free Tuition Program for BPS Graduates
Students must meet the following requirements:
Graduate from a BPS high school
Have a grade-point average of at least 2.0
Be able to complete community college within 3 years
Be eligible for a Pell Grant, as determined by the FAFSA
Require no more than three developmental courses by the start of the semester
Be accepted to either Bunker Hill Community College or Roxbury Community College
Be a Boston resident
Have low to moderate household income, per HUD guidelines
How to Plan for College

30. Mass Transfer
New MASS TRANSFER Pathways – course-by course maps in certain popular majors to guide you through your Associate’s and Bachelor’s degrees, starting in June 2016
MASS TRANSFER benefits:
Provide community college students who complete associate degrees and enroll in linked MassTransfer programs with the full transfer of credit (2.5 GPA), guaranteed admission (2.5 GPA), and a tuition discount (3.0 GPA)
Provide any student who completes the MassTransfer Block with the benefit of satisfying the general education/distribution/core requirements at any other public higher education institution.
How to Plan for College

31. Commonwealth Commitment
How to Plan for College

32. Resources
How to Plan for College

33. FAFSA Day Massachusetts
Free assistance with completing the FAFSA!
Over 25 locations across Massachusetts
Exact dates in late 2016 and early 2017 will be listed soon.
Additional dates and all locations listed at fafsaday.org
How to Plan for College

34. For Free Education Advising
Visit us at the
ASA College Planning Center
Located at the Boston Public Library
700 Boylston Street
Boston, MA 02116
(The lower level of the Johnson Building)
Phone:
How to Plan for College

35. Thank you