Paying For College

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Paying For College

• Presented by
• Rose Carmona Arbulú SF State
• Jocelyn Vila Skyline College
• Yolanda Santiago Venegas UC Santa Cruz

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How Undocumented Students Are Paying For College

• State Grants Fee Waivers CA Dream App
• Scholarships
• Work
• Private loans (from friends, family)
• Private loans (from banks with legal resident
  co-signer)
• Private sponsorships (from mentors, teachers,
  community allies)
• Installment plans
• Matched saving-earned IDA programs
• Cultural grassroots fundraising

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California Community College
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• Cal Grant B (2.0 GPA) 1,472
• High School Seniors Entitlement
• CC Transfer Student (2.4 GPA) Entitlement
• Cal C (Technical/Vocational) 547 Competitive
• California Dream Act Application by March 2nd
• Non SSN GPA Verification Form by March 2nd
• Meet Income and Assets Ceiling Limits
• WebGRANTS for Students Account

• California Resident
• Students can apply via
• Online via student portal
• Paper application
• Submit CA Dream Act Application

• Academic Counseling and Support
• Textbook Voucher (200-300 per semester)
• Calculator Loan Program

2014-2015 Cal Grant Income and Assets
Ceiling http//www.csac.ca.gov/facts/2014-15_inco
me_ceilings_new_apps_renewing_recips.pdf 2014-201
5 Board of Governors Fee Waiver Income
Standards http//extranet.cccco.edu/Portals/1/SSS
P/FA/20141520BOGFWB20INCOME20Standards.pdf

• On Campus
• Off Campus

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California State UniversitiesCSU
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• California Residents including AB540
• Must file a CA Dream Act by March 2nd
• EFC 5200

• Cal Grant A (3.0 GPA) 5,472
• Cal Grant B (2.0 GPA) 1472
• Dream Act Application by March 2nd
• Submit Non SSN GPA by March 2nd

• Must Apply for EOP during admission
• EFC 5200
• File CA Dream App by March 2nd
• 800 EOP Grant

• On Campus
• Off Campus
• Search SF State database with over 800
  scholarships

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University of CaliforniaUC
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• California Residents including AB540
• Must file a CA Dream Act by March 2nd
• EFC 9750

• Cal Grant A (3.0 GPA) 5,472
• Cal Grant B (2.0 GPA) 1472
• Dream Act Application by March 2nd
• Submit Non SSN GPA by March 2nd

• Must Apply for EOP during admission
• EFC 9750
• File CA Dream App by March 2nd
• EOP book loan program, internships

• On Campus
• Off Campus
• Search E4FC database for scholarships

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CA Dream Act of 2011 Overview
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AB 540 Students Requirements

• Must have attended a CA High School at least 3
  Years
• Graduated from a CA High School, Pass GED or CA
  HS Proficiency Exam
• Register or be currently enrolled in accredited
  public institution in CA
• File a non-resident tuition exemption affidavit
• If without lawful immigration status, indicate
  that he/she will apply for legal residency as
  soon as possible
• Receive confirmation from school that they have
  been classified/approved as an AB 540 student

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Dream Act Aid is Not Deferred Action (DACA)
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CA Dream Act Application
www.caldreamact.org

• Priority filing deadline for all 4 year
  Universities
• Dont miss the deadline!
• Missing deadline has major financial implications

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Dont Wait Estimate

• Meet the March 2nd Deadline!
• Do an estimate of your income and select
• ? Will File Taxes ? Already Filed Taxes ? Not
  Required to File Taxes
• After taxes are filed, go back to your CA Dream
  Act Application at www.caldreamact.org and
  update from
• ? Will File Taxes
• ? Already Filed Taxes
• Input actual numbers from the tax forms

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Applying for Cal Grant 2014-15

• Must submit by March 2, 2014
• Submit California Dream Application
• Non-SSN Cal Grant GPA Verification Form

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Information Available Online
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Middle Class Scholarship (MCS)

• New, transfer and returning undergraduate
  students to the University of California (UC) or
  California State University (CSU) with a family
  income of up to 150,000 who also meet the
  following requirements may be eligible
• California resident or have AB 540 status
• Not in default on a student loan
• Maintain satisfactory academic progress
• Meet income and other financial aid standards
• Submit by March 2nd a
• 2014-2015 FAFSA or California Dream Act
  Application
• GPA Verification Form
• For more information visit http//www.csac.ca.go
  v/mcs.asp

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ScholarshipsWays to Help Your Students
Apply!
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Hope Encouragement

• College IS possible
• Make college or transferring a reality
• Pay it forward method
• Organize campus tours with campus groups
• Create a network of potential mentors
• Create a safe place for students
• Educate your campus community

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Develop Leadership

• Many organizations are seeking student leaders
• Encourage campus involvement community service
• Create new leadership opportunities
• Establish a network of community service
  agencies
• Think broadly about community service
• Begin a log or resume

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Plan Ahead

• Scholarships available for High School students
• Deadlines Vary
• Primarily January-May
• Begin research September-December
• Educate yourself on campus scholarship
  opportunities

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Search!

• Lists of scholarships E4FC, SF State, Maldef
• Learn how to use scholarship databases
• Refine searches
• Keep organized- Search Chart

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Applying

• Requires A LOT of time and energy
• Encourage an organized system
• Apply for as many scholarships as possible

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Personal Statement

• Help students create a master scholarship essay
  and teach them how to adapt it to different
  scholarship applications
• Example who are you what do you want to study
  and why and what will you do with your college
  education--think past, present, future
• If writing is not your strong suit, recruit
  writing teachers at your school to help
• Include a master scholarship essay or statement
  of purpose essay in the existing English
  curriculum/classes at your school.
• Teach adapting your essay to match the
  scholarship as a skill, a key strategy students
  need to learn
• Encourage students to get their essay reviewed by
  at least two people and to revise it MANY (at
  least 10) times.
• Develop Scholarship Essay workshops that you can
  do or know that you can bring from scholarship
  agency.
• E4FC has writing experts who can come do
  workshops on writing a strong scholarship essay
• Large scholarship organizations may have outreach
  people who can do a workshop on writing a strong
  essay and submitting a strong application at your
  school. Contact them directly.

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Scholarship Portfolio

• Teach students to develop a scholarship portfolio
  with letters of recommendation resume, or
  curriculum vitae
• Bring in resume and curriculum vitae experts such
  as College and Career Counselors from your school
  or other school to do workshops
• If you are a high school teacher and have
  Naviance available at your school, you should use
  it actively and teach your students to use it.

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Build Community

• Plug all of the above into academic and student
  services work that is already happening at your
  school
• Develop a Scholarship Advising Strategy for
  advising Undocumented Students
• Team up with Colleagues
• Share documents you create with allies, edublog
  or WordPress

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Stay Updated

• Know relevant Policies and Legislation
• Policies and Legislation constantly changing
• Show leadership by educating yourself and others
  at your school
• Stay informed about available Resources
• Ask for help! E4FC team can come to your school

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Thank You for the Work YOU are doing!

• Rose Carmona-Arbulú rcarmona_at_sfsu.edu
• Jocelyn Vila vilaj_at_smcc.edu
• Yolanda Santiago-Venegas yvenegas2_at_gmail.com