FINANCIAL AID HELP

How do I make an appointment to see a Financial Aid Advisor?

The student may come to the financial aid counter to schedule an appointment with the Advisor.

Note: Depending on the nature of the appointment, Advisor will refer student to see the Assistant Director or Director.

Where can I get help with the FAFSA?

There are two options:

1. Assistance is available from the FAFSA Website (www. fafsa.ed.gov) through Live-Chat, Phone (1-800- 433-3243), and financial aid questions.

2. The student may go to the Financial Aid Office for assistance.

FOLLOW UP

I submitted my FAFSA and I got an email saying it was received two or more months ago, but haven’t heard anything since.

Try to bring the student up in Banner using their SSN, or Student ID, or Name search.

• If you cannot find the student in Banner. This can be due to 1 of 4 different reasons:

o We may not have downloaded the FAFSA Applications for the new academic year.

o Student may have recently completed the FAFSA or Admissions Application.

o Student completed the FAFSA but did not include PCC on the application.

o The student did not provide a social security number on the Admissions application.

• If you did find the student in Banner, inform the student of their current status and how they can monitor their status on LancerPoint.

Note: January is the start of a new financial aid application year; Financial Aid Office may have the student’s both application years (current year and the new upcoming FAFSA).

To determine which applies to the student:

1. Ask the student which award year they applied for and when they completed their application.

2. Try to bring up the student in Banner using their SSN, Student ID, and Name.

• Reason 1: If the student’s is applying for the next academic year, inform the student that it is too early to view this information and give them the date that we will be loading the applications.

• Reason 2: If the student is applying for the current academic year and has recently applied, inform student that it takes about 10 business days to process a new application and to try again at a later time.

• Reason 3: If the student has applied more than 2 weeks ago and they are not in Banner, inform the student that we have not received their FAFSA application and that they need to make sure their application included PCC under “School Selection.” If the student needs assistance, inform the student we can help the student login to FAFSA and add PCC (School code 0012610)

• Reason 4: If the student is in Banner you will need to verify that their SSN is correct by having the student bring in their original SS Card.

• If the SSN in Banner does not match the SS Card, student will need to complete a new FAFSA application under the correct SSN.

What is the status of my financial aid?

Pull the student up in Banner by using their Student ID number.

• If the student information is not found in Banner – refer to the previous question.

Inform the student of their status:

• If the student’s file is Incomplete: Ask the student if they have checked their Financial Aid Status in LancePoint and inform the student how to access the page if they do not know. The student may have missing documents to submit and may need to know how to submit them.

• If the student’s file is Ready for Packaging (Awarding): Check “Banner” for the last day that docs were submitted. Let the student know if files are reviewed based on a priority basis and it will take 2-3 weeks for process (If it is within March – September, the time frame may be longer). Let the student know we will always process the file in a timely manner.

• If student has no preliminary award eligibility, file may have missing document(s) or SAP is pending.

Student may need to see the advisor for further review/research.

• If the student’s file is Awarded: The student’s file could be waiting for SAP to be done or for the next disbursement to be run. Check Banner to make sure the student is enrolled and review “Comments” screens to see if SAP has been performed or any other flag(s). Do not give the student an extra date of

disbursement. Refer to a time frame of 1-2 weeks. Also allow checks to be mailed via U.S. postal.

Note: Refer students to the website for financial aid office disbursement schedule.

I haven’t heard anything about my Financial Aid, what is going on?

Please refer to the previous question, “What is the status of my financial aid?”

What is a Tax Return Transcript and why do I need one?

The Tax Return Transcript is essentially a receipt from the IRS that contains all the Tax Return information.

This is necessary because the student’s file has been selected for Verification by the Department of Education and/or the student has reported low income on the FAFSA.

Make sure the student knows to order the Tax Return Transcript (not the Tax Account Transcript).

How do I get a Tax Return Transcript?

There are three options to submit (see below). Please advise the student that they should make a copy just in case.

1. Order online from www.IRS.gov.

a. Click on the “Order a Return or Account Transcript” link on the right under “Tools.”

b. Make sure to order the Tax Return Transcript.

2. Order by phone: they can call the IRS at 1-800-908-9946.

3. The student/parent can go to a local IRS branch office and TRY to request a Tax Return Transcript from them.

Note: When ordering online, the student/parent must provide the address that was reported to the IRS on the Tax Return.

How do I fill out the Dependent/Independent verification worksheet? Can I turn my documents into you?

Students needs to check their status online through LancerPoint to view their missing document(s). The online status check will show the missing documents that are needed to complete their financial aid file. Financial aid forms are fillable PDF – complete it online and print it out to sign it.

 2014-2015 AB540 Board of Governor's Grant (Fee Waiver) Application

 2014-2015 Board of Governor's Grant (Fee Waiver) Application

 The AB540 version of the 2014-2015 Dependent Verification Worksheet (V1)

 The AB540 version of the 2014-2015 Independent Verification Worksheet (V1)

 2014-2015 Dependent Verification Worksheet (V1)

 2014-2015 Independent Verification Worksheet (V1)

 2014-2015 Dependent Child Support Paid Verification (V3)

 2014-2015 Independent Child Support Paid Verification(V3)

 2014-2015 H.S. status, Educational Purpose, SNAP, Child Support Verifications (V4)

 2014-2015 Dependent Aggregate Verification Worksheet (V5)

 2014-2015 Independent Aggregate Verification Worksheet (V5)

 2014-2015 Dependent Verification Worksheet (V6)

 2014-2015 Independent Verification Worksheet (V6)

 2014-2015 Verification Worksheet (V6-B) Statement of Financial Support

 2014-2015 Income Adjustment Appeal

 2014-2015 Satisfactory Academic Progress Petition

 2014-2015 Federal Direct Loan Application

 2014-2015 Federal Direct Parent Loan (PLUS) Application

Note: Below documents will be required to bring in the original. Office staff will make copy for student.

• Information Release Authorization Form

• Social Security Card

• Certificate of Naturalization

• Permanent Resident Card

• Birth Certificate

• Identity and Educational Purpose

• High School Diploma – Student needs to bring the original H.S. Diploma for validation.

FINANCIAL AID AWARDS

What Financial Aid grants does PCC offer?

Direct the student to visit the Financial Aid webpage of the PCC Website for a complete list of the different financial aid grants. There are videos that the student can watch for further explanation of the grants.

What Financial Aid grants do I qualify for?

We will not know what the student’s eligibility until FAFSA has been submitted to the Department of Education. Several different elements are considered when determining eligibility such as:

• Student income (and/or parent’s income, if dependent)

• Number of people in the household

• Number in college

• Untaxed income

• Business/Investment

• Untaxed income

• etc…

The student may complete the FAFSA at www.FAFSA.ed.gov. Once it has been processed, students will know what they will be eligible.

I need a Financial Aid Award Letter can you send me one?

Direct student to his Financial Aid Status page and have the student print his/her award information.

If this is not accepted by his requestor, then he/she needs to get a Financial Aid Verification Form from their requestor and submit it to the financial aid office for completion.

DISBURSEMENT/REFUND INFORMATION