FREE APPLICATION FOR
FEDERAL STUDENT AID
In the 21st century, adults who earn a postsecondary degree have higher average earnings and are less likely to face
unemployment.
The only families with rising incomes during the past two
decades have been households with bachelor’s degrees or higher.
Beyond the economic effects, adults with college degrees live healthier life styles, are more likely to have health insurance, spend more time with their children, and are more civically engaged.
The economic and personal impact makes it clear why
students should go to college.
Source: www.collegeaccess.org/collegechoice
College is increasingly competitive and expensive.
The total cost of attendance at public four-year schools has
risen 45 percent in the past decade and 87 percent in the past two decades.
College tuition and fees have risen four times as fast as median family income over the past three decades.
Students do not know how much they will have to pay, or how much financial aid they will qualify for, until after they have applied to college.
Source: www.collegeaccess.org/collegechoice
The out-of-pocket cost of college will depend on the family’s financial situation.
Unfortunately, low-income parents are least likely to recognize
that students pay a lower price upon receiving financial aid
If low-income students are unaware that they will likely
qualify for aid, and never apply for it, they are quite unlikely to continue their education beyond high school.
Many students who apply and are accepted to college, do not enroll in college. The #1 reason is lack of financial aid
literacy.
$150 billion of federal financial aid is awarded each year
Last year, $500 million went unclaimed in California,
according to the US Department of Education.
In addition to federal aid, there is also state aid, university aid, private scholarships, loans, and work-study programs.
Most of this aid can be accessed by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
You must submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) if you want to apply for federal and state financial aid.
Many colleges and universities, especially public institutions, require the FAFSA.
You must submit the FAFSA every year that you want aid. As the title implies, it is free to apply!
There are different options to complete and submit the FAFSA.
FREE APPLICATION FOR FEDERAL STUDENT AID
(
FAFSA)
You may choose any of these three methods to file a FAFSA:
Apply online (Recommended) Login
Complete a PDF FAFSA (Note: PDF FAFSAs must be mailed for processing)
Request a paper FAFSA by calling 1-800-4-FED-AID (1-800-433-3243). If you are hearing impaired, contact the TT Y line at 1-800-730-8913.
The best option is to complete the web-based version of the FAFSA at www.fafsa.ed.gov, known as FAFSA on the Web.
It includes step-by-step instructions for completing the online FAFSA as well as pre-application worksheets.
You can obtain a PIN to electronically sign the form by visiting
www.pin.ed.gov.
If you have technical questions about using FAFSA on the Web, call 1-800-4-FED-AID.
https://fafsa.ed.gov/fotw1415/pdf/PdfFafsa14-15.pdf
FAFSA on the Web offers several benefits, including:
You will get your Student Aid Report (SAR) sooner than with
the paper or PDF forms.
Your FAFSA will be more accurate, since the FAFSA on the Web has built-in edit checks to catch simple errors.
The online FAFSA allows you to list up to ten colleges, while the paper FAFSA has space only for four colleges.
You may be able to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool to prefill the answers to some questions on the FAFSA by transferring data from your federal income tax returns.
Deadlines to Apply for Financial Aid:
California Aid Deadline – March 2, 2014
Community College Aid Deadline – Sept 2, 2014
Federal Aid Deadline – June 30, 2015
You can check the status of your application once you receive your Student Aid Report.
As a result of AB540, California students who are
undocumented immigrants can qualify for in-state tuition if they have:
Attended a California high school for three years,
Graduated from a California high school, and
Complete an affidavit making a commitment to apply for US
residency as soon as possible.
AB540 students now also qualify for scholarships and state aid. Students can apply by going on line to:
http://www.csac.ca.gov
School Counselors
Financial Aid Workshops
Cash for College workshops
On-line resources
http://studentaid.ed.gov https://fafsa.ed.gov http://www.csac.ca.gov http://financialaidtoolkit.ed.gov http://blog.jkcf.org
ON-LINE RESOURCES
Antonio Garcia
Principal in Residence Instructional Services
Division of Educational Services (951) 826-6304
angarcia@rcoe.us
