1. FAFSA Night for the Senior Class of 2014

2. Financial Aid Types
Grants are money you don’t have to repay, typically based on financial need.
Scholarships are free money, usually based on your area of study or merit.
Work-study or student employment programs—federal and college.
Loans are borrowed money that you must pay back, usually with interest.

3. Basic Steps to Financial Aid
Prepare for college
Apply for financial aid
Pay for college
Manage your money

4. GRANTS Cal Grants Federal Pell Grant
Cal Grant A: up to $12,192
Cal Grant B: up to $1,551 first year, up to $13,743 thereafter
Cal Grant C: up to $3,168
Middle Class Grant
Federal Pell Grant
Up to $5,550 a year
Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant
Up to $4,000 a year
Federal TEACH Grant

5. Special Programs Fee waivers and other college-based programs
See your college financial aid office
Work-study
Federal work-study
College work-study
Student employment programs

6. FAFSA STEPS
Get a Personal Identification Number (PIN) for both the student and at least one parent
Sign up for your PIN anytime at
FAFSA application for the college year opens January 1st, 2013
Complete the FAFSA by March 2nd, 2013
Make sure the site you input data to ends in .gov

7. www.pin.ed.gov Get your PIN Why use a PIN? Who can apply?
Sign FAFSA electronically
Access your FSA records online
Make corrections
Who can apply?
Students
Parents

8. Using the PIN Website www.pin.ed.gov
REQUIREMENTS:
Social Security number
Name
Date of birth
Address
address (encouraged)
Challenge question response
A PIN will be issued upon submitting the request.
Note: A PIN will be rejected if there is no Social Security Administration match.
ALLOWS THE FOLLOWING:
Apply for a PIN
Check PIN status
Request a duplicate PIN
Access/Update address and personal information
Change PIN
Disable, reestablish, activate PIN
Note: Never ask for or give your PIN to anyone.

9. www.fafsa.gov FAFSA on the Web (FOTW) Using FOTW Ask Questions
Browse Help
Deadlines
Announcements
…and more

10. www.fafsa.gov FAFSA on the Web (FOTW) Contact Us Live “chat”
(800)

11. FAFSA on the Web (FOTW)

12. www.fafsa.gov Start Here: Initial FAFSA Corrections Signatures
Continuing a Saved FAFSA
Renewal FAFSA

13.
Make sure the site you input data to ends in .gov

14. FAFSA 7 Steps The Student School Selection Student’s Dependency Status
Parent Information for Dependent Students
Student Income / Assets
Signatures and Certification
Confirmation

15. Step 1: Student Demographics
Check for:
Name matches student social security card
Transposed numbers
Incorrect data on numeric fields
Tip: Use the Help & Hints section on each page.
Simple mistakes can delay determining eligibility for aid

16. Step 1: Student Demographics
Students with a high school diploma and who have never attended college must:
Identify their high school
Select Confirm to find a match.
Select the school from the list or select Next to continue.

17. Step 2: School Selection
Add a School
Federal School Code
Search by:
State
City
Name
Housing Plans
On campus
With parent
Off campus

18. NET PRICE CALCULATOR
Congress passed a law requiring all colleges to offer a “net price calculator” on their websites
Allows prospective students to figure out how much it will cost them to go to college
Compare net price of one school to another school

19. Step 3: Dependency Determination
“No” to all questions:
Makes the student “dependent”
Must submit parent information
Note: child must be supported financially—more than 50%

20. Foster Care
Select Yes if at any time since the student turned age 13, he/she was in foster care even if no longer in foster care today due to:
Adoption
Reunification
Reached the age of majority (18 yrs.)
Note: documentation may be required.

21. Emancipated Minors Select Yes if the student:
as of today, is an emancipated minor or
was an emancipated minor immediately before turning 18 years old.
Note: Documentation issued from a court in the student’s state of legal residence may be required.

22. Legal Guardianship

23. Homeless, Unaccompanied Youth
Select Yes if any time after July 1, 2013, the student meets all three criteria:
“Homeless” or “at risk of being homeless”
Lacking fixed, regular and adequate housing. Includes living in shelters, motels, cars, or temporarily living with other people because you had nowhere else to go.
“Unaccompanied”
Not living in the physical custody of a parent or guardian
“Youth”
21 years or younger
Still enrolled in high school at the time the FAFSA is completed

24. Homeless, Unaccompanied Youth
A student is eligible for homeless youth status if he/she meets the homeless definition and was determined to be homeless by his/her high school or school district homeless liaison, the director of a runaway or homeless youth center, or HUD
Students who meet this criteria are independent
A student is also eligible for homeless youth status if he/she meets the homeless definition, but was determined to be homeless by the financial aid office;
Students who meet this criteria can use FAFSA on the Web to self-identify.

25. Step 4: Parent Information
Parents must answer both demographic and financial information to determine
Custodial parent(s)
Ability to contribute to student’s education expenses

26. Divorced or Separated
Provide parent’s information for the parent(s) with whom the student lived with most during the last 12 months
If the student spent equal time with both parents, use the information for the parent who provided the greatest amount of financial support for the student

27. Remarried Parent Agreement of “nonsupport” Prenuptial agreement
Provide information about the parent and stepparent regardless of:
Agreement of “nonsupport”
Prenuptial agreement
Divorce decree designating tax filing exemptions
Note: parent claiming the student on the tax return need not be the parent required to provide data on the FAFSA

28. Parent Information Do not provide parent information for
Foster parent(s)
Student is automatically considered an independent student
Grandparents, other relatives or legal guardian(s)
Colleges may use professional judgment to allow the student to file as an independent student

29. Parent Information For Upcoming Year
Household Size: Parent provides more than 50% financial support
Number in College: Student enrolled at least half-time

30. Parent Information Definition of a Dislocated Worker Lost job Laid off
Self-employed/ unemployed or underemployed
Displaced homemaker

31. Parent Income and Asset Information
Same questions asked of students
Selecting a box displays additional fields to complete

32. Parent Income and Asset Information
Question displays if the student:
Is not eligible for an automatic zero EFC or simplified needs calculation, and
Reports a state of legal residence that allows students to skip income and asset questions

33. Step 5: Student 2013 Income and Assets
IRS Data Transfer
Transfer information directly from the IRS
Requires PIN
Available January 31st
After filing tax return

34. Income Reporting and Verification
Selected students and parents must submit income and asset documentation
Using IRS Data Transfer (unchanged) meets verification requirements for some income information
Otherwise only an IRS Tax Return Transcript will meet verification requirements
ID Theft updates

35. Student Income and Assets
Adjusted Gross Income (AGI)
Amount earned from work
Taxes paid
Exemptions
Cash/Investments
Asset Threshold

36. Step 5: Student Financial Information
Students are asked the same questions as parents.

37. Step 6a: Student Sign and Submit
Select Signature Method
PIN or printed signature page
Terms of Agreement
$$$ for education expenses only
Not in default on a federal student loan
Not owe money
Receive one Pell Grant from one college at a time

38. Step 6b: Parent Sign and Submit
Select Signature Method
PIN or printed signature page
Terms of Agreement
Provide documents to verify accuracy of information
IRS verification

39. Step 7 : Confirmation Confirmation Page Confirmation # DRN
Confirmation Page
Confirmation #
DRN
Optional feature: transfer FAFSA data
Eligibility information
College information
Next steps

40. Student Aid Report (SAR)
Received electronically or by mail,
Summarizes FAFSA information
Displays the EFC and DRN (upper right-hand portion on the SAR)
EFC- Expected Family Contribution; used to determine eligibility for federal aid
DRN- Data Release Number; used to send SAR to additional schools

41. www.csac.ca.gov Cal Grants Overview
Find out if the school you want to attend qualifies for Cal Grants

42. Basic Cal Grant Eligibility

45. Low to middle income students who:
Cal Grant A
Low to middle income students who:
Meet the income and asset ceilings
Have financial need
3.00 High School GPA minimum
AA and BA programs only
Maximum annual award amounts
Used for tuition and/or fees only
Held in reserve while attending community college
CSU UC
Independent
For Profit
$ 5,970/yr
$ 12192/yr
$ 9,084/yr
$4,000/yr

46. Cal Grant B Very low income students who: 2.00 GPA minimum
Meet the income and asset ceilings
2.00 GPA minimum
AA, BA/BS and Certificate programs
Annual Awards
$1473 stipend first year
Fees/Tuition plus $1473 in 2nd, 3rd, 4th yr
Available as Entitlement & Competitive Awards

47. Cal Grant C Low and Middle income students who:
Enroll in vocational courses of study
AA and Certificate programs only
Can be used for any school expenses including tuition and fees
Eligibility determined only after full Cal Grant A and B consideration

48. Cal Grant C Priority now given based on Occupational Goal
Meeting 2 of the 3: High employment need, High employment growth, and High wage

49. Cal Grant Renewal Eligibility
Renewal participants must meet income and asset ceilings.
Students must meet satisfactory academic progress standard of school

50. Cal Grant Income & Asset Ceilings

51. Cal Grant High School Entitlement
Make sure to include the high school name on the FAFSA
CSAC can then match between GPA and FAFSA information
High School Graduation Confirmation *Required*
Students can confirm on-line using WebGrants for Students
Schools & school districts can assist to provide post-graduation confirmation of HS graduation
Students needing to mail use the High School Graduation Confirmation form, HS transcripts or other authoritative documents

52. Student Notifications
Recipients that submit a FAFSA & GPA will receive a California Aid Report (CAR) via
E-CAR indicates Cal Grant eligibility
Sent as early as January
Letter notification will be sent if no address
Mark these addresses as not junk:

53. California Aid Programs
UC Student Aid
Average grant $14,000
State University Grant
Full systemwide fees
California Chafee Grant
Up to $5,000 a year
Child Development Grant
Up to $2,000 a year
California National Guard Education Assistance Award
$1,551 - $12,192
Law Enforcement Personnel Dependents Grant
Up to $13,743 a year

54. Student Notifications
Applicants should access WebGrants for Students (WGS)
Use WGS to track awards, GPA and FAFSA Submission

55. Notification

56. WebGrants for Students (WGS)
WGS is a CSAC web-based application for students that provides:
Secure, 24/7, student-friendly access to manage their Cal Grant and Chafee Grant award
Links to other related financial aid sites
empowers students with critical financial aid information to ensure successful processing of grant application & maintenance of their award status
The WGS URL is

57. Cash For College Workshop
RVHS has applied to host a Cash For College Workshop for January or February 2014 The date will be announced if we are selected. If not selected we will hold a “hands on” FAFSA workshop in the RVHS computer lab so that parents and students have personal assistance submitting their FAFSA application online.

58. Thank you for attending
Loretta Abbott, MSW, PPSC
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