GEORGIA HIGHLANDS COLLEGE

CA$H FOR COLLEGE

• Visit Your School’s Financial Aid Website!• Contact the Financial Aid Office if You Need

Additional Information!• Complete ALL Paperwork Carefully. Read and

Follow Instructions.• Know Your Schools Deadline Dates & Meet Them!• Keep Copies of Everything!!!• Reapply for Financial Aid By The Deadline Each

Year!

• GACollege411.org• What is Financial Aid?• HOPE Program Regulations (Rules)• Types of Financial Aid• FAFSA Processing and Results• Questions?

What You’ll Learn

GACollege411.org

Types of Financial Aid

FEDERAL AID

STATE AID

INSTITUTIONAL SCHOLARSHIPS

COMMUNITY GROUPS

Religious Organizations, Civic Organizations, Corporations,

Professional Organizations, etc.!

Check your options with your institution!

HOPE Scholarship, Zell Miller Scholarship,

Student Access Loan! Check GAcollege411.org

Pell Grant, Direct Loans, Federal Work Study, Federal Supplemental Opportunity Grant!

SCHOLARSHIPS

4 Types of Scholarships & Examples:

Academic Ability – Presidential ScholarshipsArtistic Ability – Music Scholarships

Athletic Ability – Athletic ScholarshipsAffiliation with Groups – Religious Organizations

FREE $$$$

Georgia’s HOPE ScholarshipLargest Non-Need Based Program in the Nation

Students MUST meet certain requirements by HS Graduation:

- Academic Requirement of a 3.0 GPA in academic CORE CLASSES- Citizenship- Resident of GA - Enroll in a HOPE eligible institution in Georgia- Must Maintain minimum 3.0 HOPE GPA while in college

Note: Seniors who are on Technical Diploma, the GPA requirement is a 3.2 in academic CORE CLASSES.

Georgia Student Finance Commission determines eligibility from HS transcripts that are sent from the HS.

Georgia’s Zell Miller Scholarship

New Scholarship went into Effect July 2011

Students MUST meet the same residency and citizenship requirements as HOPE

Must graduate from a GA HS with at least a 3.7 GPA (calculated by GSFC)

Plus receiving a score of at least 1,200 combined Critical Reading and Math score on a single administration of the SATs or…At least a 26 ACT Score

Or graduate as the HS Valedictorian or Salutatorian

Must maintain a minimum 3.3 GPA to keep the Zell Miller Scholarship in college.

GAcollege411.org for more details!!!!

HOPE Scholarship Awards

GA Public Institution

- Majority of In-State

Tuition (no fees or books)

GA Private Institution

- $4000 per academic

year for Full-Time Study

Zell Miller = 100% In-State Tuition(no fees or books)

Maintaining HOPE and Zell Scholarships

End of each Spring Term30 Attempted Semester Hours

60 Attempted Semester Hours90 Attempted Semester Hours

HOPE = Minimum 3.0 GPAZell Miller – Minimum 3.3 GPA

Maximum 127 Attempted Hours to be awarded HOPE/Zell Miller Funds

Financial Aid Based on NeedGovernment- Based Awards

Federal Pell Grant

Federal

Supplemental

Opportunity

Grant (FSEOG)

Campus-Based Awards

Federal Work Study

Perkins Loan

Pell Grant Awards- Maximum Pell Grant Amount for the Year = $5,550- $2,775 per semester- Full-Time student (12+ Hours)- Based on $0 EFC (Expected Family Contribution)

- Minimum Pell Amount = $577- $288 per semester- Full-Time student (12+ Hours) - Maximum EFC = $5,278

Direct Loan Program

Subsidized Direct Loans

• Interest is paid by the government while enrolled (6 or more hours) “Need-Based”

Unsubsidized Direct Loans

• Student is responsible for paying the interest on the loan

*Repayment of loan begins six (6) months after graduation or ceasing to be enrolled half-time*

Federal Loan Programs for 2012-2013

Subsidized Loans – Current Interest Rate 6.8% (disbursed after July 1, 2012)

• Annual Limit 1st Year = $3,500

Unsubsidized Loans – Current Interest Rate – 6.8%

• Annual Limit $2,000 (Parents who are approved for PLUS)• Annual Limit $6,000 (Parents who are denied for Plus)

Direct Parent Plus – Current Interest Rate 7.9% (Maximum Amount depends Cost of Attendance)

How Do I Apply?

APPLY ELECTRONICALLY AT:

www.GACollege411.org – State Application GSFApps

www.FAFSA.gov – Free Application for Federal Student Aid

Apply for your PIN online (MUST HAVE TO SIGN FAFSA) www.pin.ed.gov

Check with the college Financial Aid Office for other applications that may need to be completed!

What Does the FAFSA Do?

• FAFSA will determine the Expected Family Contribution (EFC)

• EFC estimates the family’s ability to contribute towards educational costs

• The EFC formula includes financial information collected on the FAFSA, family size and # of dependents

College Cost of Attendance (Determined by the School)

Minus the Expected Family Contribution _________________________________________

Equals the Amount of Need-Based AidFor which the Student May Qualify

What Does the FAFSA Do?

Gather All Information Prior to Filling Out the FAFSA!

Student Driver’s LicenseStudent Alien Registration Card

Student and Parent Social Security Cards2011 W-2 Forms and Other Records of $$ Earned

2011 Federal Income Tax Forms Current Bank Statements, Business, Real Estate or Farm

RecordsBoth Parent and Student PIN # to sign FAFSA

________________________________________________

What Does the FAFSA Require?

Use the IRS DATA Retrieval Option on the FAFSA

Do Not Use Estimates…

Sign with PIN# (both parent/student) Prior to Submitting FAFSA!

NEVER PAY TO COMPLETE FAFSA!!!

“Parent” Refers to the Biological or Adoptive Parent

Department of Education will send you a Student Aid Report (SAR) with your EFC to the email provided on the FAFSA

EFCs with * Means You Were Chosen For Verification

What is Verification?

The Department of Education select FAFSAs that the Institution MUST verify the information provided on the FAFSA before any aid can be awarded.

Your school will verify your information but requesting additional documentation from you.

Check with your Office of Financial Aid to see what documentation is needed along with your 2011 Tax Transcript.

Only Tax Transcripts will be accepted if you are chosen for Verification

QUESTIONS?