Cal Grants

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Cal Grants
2
Agenda

• Student Eligibility
• Cal Grant A
• Cal Grant B
• High School Entitlement Awards
• Student Notifications
• WebGrants
• Calculate GPA
• Best Practices
• WebGrants for Students

3
Student Eligibility

• California resident
• U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen
• Meet Selective Service requirements
• Attend an eligible California School
• Not owe state or federal grant repayment
• Not in default on a student loan

• Not have earned a BA/BS degree
• Maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress
• Not incarcerated
• Be enrolled at least half-time
• Must have a Social Security number
• March 2 and September 2 due dates

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What is an entitlement award?

• Recent high school graduates or equivalent (GED,
  CHSPE)
• 2010/11 award year graduated on or after 7/1/09
• High school GPA required
• Passes minimum GPA, Common, Program and financial
  edits
• Unlimited number of awards

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Cal Grant A

• Must meet all of the following requirements
• Low- to middle-income students who
• Meet the income and asset ceilings
• Have financial need
• GPA minimum (3.0 H.S.)
• AA and BA programs only

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Cal Grant A (cont.)

• Maximum annual award amounts
• Can be used for tuition and fees only
• Community Colleges not paid, but held in
  reserve
• CSU - 4,026 per year
• UC - 7,788 per year
• Independent - 9,708 per year

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Cal Grant B

• Must meet all of the following requirements
• Very low income students who
• Meet the income and asset ceilings
• Must have at least 700 in financial need
• AA, BA/BS and Certificate programs
• Requires minimum 2.0 GPA
• Can be used for any school expenses including
  tuition and fees

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Cal Grant A B Comparison

• Cal Grant A

• Cal Grant B

• CA Grant eligibility requirements
• 3.0 GPA
• CSU 4,026
• UC 7,788
• Private 9,708

• CA Grant eligibility requirements
• 2.0 GPA
• Ed Level 1 1,551 access
• Ed level 2 gt tuition and fee award same as CGA
  1551 access except at a CC

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Cal Grant B Award Amounts by EL
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Cal Grant C

• Must meet all of the following requirements
• Low- to middle-income students
• Can be used for tuition, fees, books and supplies
• Occupational or technical programs resulting in a
  certificate
• Students in an AA program with no intention of
  transferring
• GPA not a requirement, but will be considered if
  submitted

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Cal Grant C program length is 2 years
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How to calculate GPAs for High School seniors

• Base GPA only on courses taken during sophomore
  and junior years (including any Summer courses
  taken for sophomore and junior years). DO NOT
  include grades from P.E., ROTC or remedial
  courses (use your schools own definition of
  remedial). Failing grades not retaken prior to
  the students senior year must be included.
  Calculate the GPAs based on a maximum 4.00 scale
  (anything over a 4.00 will reject).
• For high school graduates include their senior
  year grades as well
• To calculate a college GPA, go to
  http//www.csac.ca.gov/doc.asp?id1177 and look
  for Cal Grant GPA Calculation Instructions

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GPA Submission

• To obtain access to WebGrants
• Complete forms
• System Administrators Access form
• Information Security and Confidentiality
  Agreement
• Faxes are not accepted
• Immediate access

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Ways to Submit GPAs

• WebGrants
• Upload by batch file (.txt)
• Submit one-by-one (Add GPAs screen)
• GPA Verification form
• Complete demographic information and then print
  out
• Download blank form
• Certificate of Mailing

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GPA Submission

• GPAs can be uploaded by batches or individual
  records
• WebGrants has built-in edits to catch errors
• Confirmation of receipt of records
• Access to GPA summary and school of origin
  reports
• More secure than U.S. Postal mail

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GPA Top Tips

• DONT WAIT! (GPAs can be uploaded right now)
• Establish a WebGrants account
• Know how to access the WebGrants User Guides on
  the GPA upload process
• Use the Add GPA screen for a small batch of GPA
  records (example less than 100)
• Upload a GPA data file in .txt format if you have
  a lot of GPA records (more than 100)
• Use WebGrants reports to see the status of your
  submitted GPA records

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Student Notification

• If student is eligible
• California Aid Report (CAR)
• Mailed when student eligibility is determined
• Sent as early as January
• WebGrants will show status as well
• If student is not eligible
• Disqualification letter and Disqualification Fact
  Sheet is sent (to entitlement students only)

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Student Notifications
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High School Graduation Certification

• Upcoming graduating high school seniors who are
  awarded a Cal Grant must provide documentation or
  confirmation of their high school graduation to
  CSAC
• HS may use WebGrants to submit this information
  on behalf of their students
• Students may submit the High School Graduation
  Certification Form (G-8) online using WebGrants
  or by paper, which can be located at csac.ca.gov

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WebGrants for Students

• Students can
• Check if their application data has been received
  by CSAC
• Check their award status and view their payment
  history
• Check the address on file and update it online
• Simulate a school change and submit the change
  online
• Process a leave of absence request online
• Complete online forms that automatically update
  student accounts
• Links to other financial aid information and Web
  sites

webgrants4students.org
22
CSAC Contact Information

• CSAC General School Support
• Hours
• 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.
• 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
• Contact information
• [phone]
• schoolsupport_at_csac.ca.gov

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WebGrants Contact

• CSAC Technology Help Desk
• [phone]
• csachelpdesk_at_csac.ca.gov
• WebGrants access request forms from the CSAC Web
  site www.csac.ca.gov
• WebGrants https//webgrants.csac.ca.gov

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CSAC Information and Updates

• Executive Director updates
• CSAC Web site includes
• Calendar of Events
• Students and Parents
• Schools
• Newsroom
• Outreach
• Publications
• About CSAC

www.csac.ca.gov/default.asp
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CSAC List Services Sign up to receive

• Grant Operational Memos (GOMs), Grant Policy
  Bulletins (GPBs),Grant Special Alerts (GSAs),
  Fast Blasts and CSAC list serve e-mails
• www.csac.ca.gov ?Links?CSAC List Services

counselor_at_csac.ca.gov
students
1SEC2001
X
X
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Cash for College
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Overview

• Workshops
• 1,000 Incentive Scholarships
• 4,000 Performance Scholarships
• Resources

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• California Cash for College Workshops
• Partnership effort with CSAC, high schools,
  campuses, business, outreach and community
  organizations
• Workshops offered Jan. to Mar. 2 Cal Grant
  Deadline
• 1,000 incentive scholarship continued at
  qualifying workshops. New performance-based
  scholarships of up to 4,000 offered in certain
  areas Los Angeles, S. San Joaquin Valley,
  Capitol area and Far North state
• For more info or to register workshops, visit
  www.californiacashforcollege.org

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• California Cash for College Workshops
• Open to all student and families with a focus on
  low-income and first-generation seniors
• Focus this year on computer lab-based workshops
• Involve parents/guardians
• Provide line-by-line help on the FAFSA, learn
  about Cal Grants, AB 540, other grants and
  scholarships
• Offer multi-lingual materials
• Site support funds offered to help defray costs
  of workshop
• Organizers help notify scholarship recipients in
  late May/early June

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FAFSA WORKSHOP REGISTRATION BEGINS LATE OCTOBER
2009

• For more information, contact
• Statewide Cash for College office e-mail is
• cash4college_at_csac.ca.gov
• Find your regional Cash for College coordinating
  organization
• www.californiacashforcollege.org

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Questions?
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College Access and AB 540
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Agenda

• Students Without Legal Immigration Status
• AB 540 California State Law
• Benefits under AB 540
• Rights and Responsibilities under AB 540
• The DREAM Act
• High School Counselor Role

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Students Without Legal Immigration Status
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Who are students without legal immigration status?

• Undocumented students
• May have lived in the U.S. for a long time
• May have been brought here as children
• Might have entered the U.S. with a temporary Visa
  and chosen to stay
• May have no immigration papers at all
• Come from many different countries

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What challenges face students without legal
immigration status?

• Undocumented students are often
• Low-income
• Lacking academic preparation
• First generation in their family to go to college
• Without financial or other support to help them
  apply to and attend college

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AB 540 - California State Law
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AB 540 Benefits

• Allows certain students to pay only in-state fees
  at UC, CSU and the Community Colleges
• Saves these non-resident students thousands of
  dollars each year
• Does NOT provide financial aid eligibility or
  make these students legal residents of the state

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AB 540 Who is eligible?

• Any student who
• Attended a California high school for at least
  three years (public, private, home school)
• Graduated (or received the equivalent) from a
  California high school and
• Swears to apply for legal immigration status (if
  undocumented) whenever that is possible.

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AB 540 Benefits for U.S. Citizens

• AB 540 also provides in-state tuition to
  citizens and permanent residents if they meet the
  same eligibility rules
• Example

A student leaves California after high school,
becomes a resident of New York for a few years
and returns to go to UC. This student pays only
in-state tuition under AB 540.
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Benefits Under AB 540

• In-state Tuition

• Out-of-state Tuition

• Community College
• 780.00
• California State University
• 4,812
• University of California
• 8,720

• Community College
• 6,480
• California State University
• 15,972
• University of California
• 31,389

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Rights and ResponsibilitiesUnder AB 540
43
Rights of Undocumented Students

• In most states (including California),
  undocumented students
• Cannot be denied admission based on immigration
  status
• Are not required to show an ID or Social Security
  card for admission and
• Are not required to show proof of legal U.S.
  residency or prove California residency for
  admission.
• .

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Responsibilities Under AB 540

• UC, CSU and the Community Colleges have special
  application forms for these benefits
• Students must contact the Registrars Office at
  these colleges and request the AB 540 application

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The DREAM Act
46
Possible Federal Relief

• There may be relief for students without legal
  immigration status at the national level
• The DREAM Act
• Introduced March 2009
• By Senators Durbin (D) and Lugar (R)
• Provides a path for undocumented students to
  become permanent U.S. residents and eligible for
  some financial aid benefits

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Who might be helped by the DREAM Act?

• The DREAM Act would permit undocumented students
  to become permanent residents if the student
• Arrived in the U.S. at age 15 or younger
• Lived in the U.S. for at least five years
• Graduated from high school
• Served in the military or attended college for at
  least two years and
• Has a good moral character.

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The High School Counselor Role
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The High School Counselor Role

• You can help
• Include AB 540 information in your college
  application materials
• Educate the teachers and counselors at your high
  school and encourage outreach

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The High School Counselor Role (cont.)

• Let undocumented students know they should not
  file a FAFSA unless directed to do so by the
  Financial Aid Office
• Direct them to contact the Registrar at public
  colleges to apply for AB 540 in-state tuition
  benefits
• Maintain a scholarship database and help students
  with scholarship applications

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Questions?
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Scholarships and Resources
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Agenda

• Scholarship Basics
• Types of Scholarships
• Scholarship Searches and Scams
• The High School Counselor Role
• How are scholarships treated in the financial aid
  package?
• Other Valuable Resources

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Scholarship Basics
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What is a scholarship?

• Scholarships are quite diverse and come from
  many sources, but must be FREE money to help with
  college expenses.
• Note sometimes grant and scholarship are
  used interchangeably thats okay!

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Who funds scholarships?

• Private organizations -- such as churches,
  foundations and service groups
• Colleges and universities
• Government

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Types of Scholarships
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Scholarships Merit-based

• Merit is a term applied to scholarships that
  reward some attribute of the student.
• Often merit refers to good grades or test scores
• Merit may refer to accomplishments, service,
  special abilities or other unique characteristics
• Merit scholarships may (or may not) be need-based
  as well

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Scholarships Need-based

• Need-based means the donor considers financial
  circumstances.
• The financial criteria are set by the donor
• Need-based might be a simple income limit or a
  complex formula
• Need-based scholarships may (or may not) be based
  on merit as well

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Scholarships Non-need Based

• Non-need means the donor does not consider
  financial circumstances.
• Non-need (like need-based) is a definition
  used by donors and does not necessarily mean the
  same as the college financial aid definition
• A very needy student might receive a non-need
  scholarship it simply means the donor used other
  criteria

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Scholarship Searches and Scams
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Scholarship Searches

• There are several excellent FREE online search
  engines. Two good examples
• www.fastweb.com
• www.collegeboard.com

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Scholarship Searches

• Additional search activities include
• Reading bulletin boards at the school (on a
  regular basis)
• Checking with personal connections (like scouts,
  unions, churches, etc.) for opportunities and
• Checking at local libraries.

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Scholarship Scams

• WARNING SIGNS
• A service promises financial aid
• Someone asks for any money upfront
• A company offers a free workshop on financial
  aid but when the student and parent arrive, they
  discover there is a product being sold
• A student receives an offer that sounds too good
  to be true it probably isnt true!

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The High School Counselor Role
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High School Counselor Role

• Maintain a current scholarship database
• Post Scholarship Scam warnings
• Provide access to online scholarship search
  engines
• Give advice on scholarship applications (e.g.,
  how to write an essay) and
• If time permits, develop new sources of
  scholarships for your students.

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How are scholarships treated in the financial aid
package?
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Scholarships in the Financial Aid Package

• Scholarships are an important resource to help a
  student pay for college
• Students must report all scholarships to the
  financial aid office at the college of attendance
  if they have applied for (or are receiving)
  financial aid

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Scholarships in the Financial Aid Package

• Student packages of aid are unique there are
  differing rules for differing fund sources.
• The financial aid office will explain how a
  scholarship will (or will not) affect the package
  for an individual student
• Sometimes the scholarship will reduce other aid
  sometimes it will not

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Other Valuable Resources
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Service Options

• College assistance in return for service
• Americorps www.americorps.gov
• Peace Corps www.peacecorps.gov

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Tax Credits

• Tax credits refund a portion of college expenses
• For latest IRS information
• www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id211309,00.html

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Military

• ROTC www.collegeboard.com/student/csearch/majors_c
  areers/36978.html
• GI Benefits
• www.gibill.va.gov
• Veterans Dependents Benefits
• www1.va.gov/OPA/vadocs/current_benefits.asp
• California Benefits
• www.calguard.ca.gov/Pages/Resources.aspx

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Questions?
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High School Counselors Best Practices
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Share Your Strategies

• Now we want YOU to train usand each other!
• Divide into groups
• Brainstorm and share BEST PRACTICES
• Come back together and share good ideas

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Groups

• Pick a recorder take good notes, please!
• Brainstorm and share BEST PRACTICES
• How do you get FAFSAs in the hands of students?
• How do you reach the tough-to-reach populations?
• How do you help AB 540 students? Foster youth?
• How do you communicate with parents?
• Other ideas?
• Please write legible, we will make a record of
  these ideas even if we dont have time to share
  them today.

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Sharing Best Practices

• Lets read a couple of ideas from each group and
  continue to share as long as time permits
• We will distribute these ideas to the e-mail
  addresses you provided today

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Thank you for joining us today!