Title: Financial Aid Information Workshop
1FINANCIAL AID STRATEGIC PLANNING FOR
COLLEGE Lake Braddock Secondary School December
4, 2006
2CONTACT
- Katherine Cooper
- Director of Financial Planning Assistance
Office - Randolph-Macon Womans College
- 2500 Rivermont Avenue
- Lynchburg, VA 24503
- (800)745-7692
- kcooper_at_rmwc.edu
3Agenda
- Narrowing the field
- Types of Aid
- Applications and deadlines
- FAFSA details
- Calculating aid
- Evaluating awards
- Comparing offers
- Lets talk..
4Where we are
5 Who we are
- 750 students
- 42 states, 46 countries
- 12 international
- 15 students of color
- Student/faculty ratio 91
- Average class size 12
- 25 majors (2 Graduate Programs)
- Recent grads 53 employed, 32 grad schools
6Narrowing the field How do we find the best
fit???
- Choose 3-5 schools
- Public, private?
- Large, small?
- In-state vs out?
7How/Where do we start looking?
- Web
- College fairs
- Guide books
- Career Counselors and Teachers
- Hint Never rule out a college because of price.
8www.virginiamentor.org
9www.collegeboard.com
10Applying for financial aid
- Early Aid Estimator Form
- Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
- Scholarship applications?
- State Grant applications?
11Types of aid
- Academic, merit, leadership, talent, athletic,
etc. - Need-based aid
12Honor and Merit Scholarships
- Check for separate application deadlines
- Check on renewability number of years and
criteria - Get to know your admissions counselor!
13Need Varies Based on Cost
Source N A S F A A National Association of
Student Financial Aid Administrators
14Applying for financial aid
- Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
- Institutional application?
- CSS Profile form?
- Scholarship applications?
- VTAG application?
- DEADLINES
15Need-Based Aid Includes
- Gift aid
- Non-repayable grants
- Grants and Scholarships
- Self-help aid
- Student Loans and
- work-study
16The Free Application for Federal Student Aid
(FAFSA)
- File after Jan 1
- Prepare taxes early
- Complete all questions
- Fill out the form as a family
- Dont include retirement, home values
17Versions of the FAFSAPaper Application
18FAFSA on the Webwww.fafsa.ed.gov
19www.fafsa.ed.gov
20To Register for a PIN www.pin.ed.gov
21CAUTION
- Processes of completing and processing the FAFSA
are FREE - If filing FAFSA on the Web, make sure you go
directly to www.fafsa.ed.gov - Contact the financial aid
- office if you need help
- completing the FAFSA
22Wait a minute! They didnt ask about
- Uninsured Medical dental expenses
- Private school tuition
- Upcoming reduction to income
- Unusual income on tax return
- Other special circumstances
23Suggestions for providing additional information
- Be clear
- Provide as many facts, numbers and details as
possible - The same letter will work for all schools
- Update circumstances when file official FAFSA
- Call the financial aid office for guidance on
expenses that can be considered
24FAFSA Processing Results
- CPS notifies the student of the FAFSAs
processing results by - Paper Student Aid Report (SAR) if paper FAFSA
filed and students e-mail address was not
provided - SAR Acknowledgement if filed via FAFSA on the Web
and students e-mail address was not provided
25If you are applying to more than 4 schools
26Federal Need-Analysis Formula
PARENTS Parental Income -Allowances Contributio
n from Income Parental Assets -Allowances _at_ 12
assessment rate Contribution from assets
STUDENTS Student Income - Allowances (first
2,440) Contribution from Income Student
Assets -Allowances _at_ 35 assessment
rate Contribution from Assets
27 More than one in college?
- The federal formula allows a significant offset
when siblings are also enrolled at least half-time
28The Expected Family Contribution (EFC)- an index
- Parental Contribution Student Contribution
- EFC
- Cost of Attendance EFC Maximum Eligibility
- for need-based aid
29Divorce Situationshow do I file?
- Information for the parent that the student
resides with is reported on the FAFSA. - If parent has re-married then parent and
step-parent information is reported.
30Cost of Attendance
- Tuition and Fees
- Room and Board
- Books and Supplies
- Loan Fees
- Study Abroad Fees
- Etc
31Definition of Need
- Cost of attendance (COA)
- -Expected Family Contribution (EFC)
- ________________________________
- Financial Need
32Gift Aid-Grants and Scholarships
- Institutional
- Need-based
- Merit
- State
- CSAP
- VTAG
-
- Federal
- Pell Grant
- ACG/SMART Grant
- SEOG
- Private
- Outside scholarships
33Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACG)
- Eligibility Requirements
- U.S. Citizen
- Federal Pell Grant recipient
- First or second year student in a two or four
year degree program - Full-time enrollment
- Graduate with either AP or IB diploma or
completed a set of courses similar to those
required under the State Scholars Initiative.
34ACG Grant cont
- First Year Students
- Maximum of 750/year.
- Second Year Students
- Maximum of 1,300/ year.
- Cumulative GPA of at least a 3.0 from first year.
35National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain
Talent (SMART) Grant
- Eligibility Requirements
- U.S. Citizen
- Federal Pell Grant recipient
- Third or fourth year student in a baccalaureate
degree program
36SMART Grant cont
- Full-time enrollment in an eligible major
- Computer Science
- Engineering
- Foreign Language
- Life Science
- Mathematics
- Physical Sciences
- Technology
- Cumulative 3.0 GPA
- 4,000/year to college juniors and seniors
37Self-Help Aid-Loans
- Federal Stafford
- Subsidized
- Unsubsidized
- NEW LOAN LIMITS FOR 2007!
- First year students from 2,625 to 3,500
- Second year students from 3,500 to 4,500
38Additional Loan Options
- Federal PLUS
- Institutional
- Private
- Federal Perkins
39Work Study
- Federal Work-Study
- State Work-Study
- Institutional
- Off-Campus
40Begin Searching now for outside scholarships!
- Fastweb.com
- Finaid.org
- Guidance office
- DO NOT
- PAY
- FOR ADVICE
-
41Evaluating Award Packages
- Biggest is not always best
- Are costs realistic?
- Grant/loan balance
- Loan terms/conditions
- Renewable vs non
- Types of aid/career objectives
- Get to know financial aid and admissions
counselors
42Compare Award Packages..
- Compare
- Call
- Ask for help
43QUESTIONS TO ASK!!!!!!!
- Scholarship programs? Competitions, deadlines
- Renewability
- Deadlines
- Percentage on need-based aid
- Percentage receiving merit scholarships
- Average financial aid package
44Good Luck!