Financial Aid & Scholarships
What
Type of Federal Student Aid Might I Get?
-
8 Steps to the Financial Aid Process -
There are three types of federal student aid:
ü
Grants – financial aid that
doesn’t have to be repaid (unless, for example, you withdraw from school and
owe a refund).
ü
Work Study – allows you to earn money
for your education.
ü
Loans – allow you to borrow
money for school. You must repay your loans, with interest.
Seniors applying for
scholarships and financial aid should plan to file a Free Application for
Federal Student Aid form (FAFSA) in January.
If you choose to file the application on-line both the student and a
parent will need to have a PIN number for their electronic signatures. You may apply for this at any time at www.pin.ed.gov and you
will receive it through the mail within a couple of weeks. Having your PIN number in advance will
simplify the application process in January.
You will need estimated or final tax information for 2006 to complete
the form. The priority filing deadline is February 14th.
U.S. Department of
Education resource - http://www.ed.gov/prog_info/SFA/StudentGuide/
Completing the FAFSA -
http://studentaid.ed.gov/students/publications/completing_fafsa/index.html
FAFSA Forms
-
Financial Aid – www.financialaidtips.org
www.collegesavings.org
Sponsored by the National Association of State Treasurers, this website
provides
information for various college savings programs and resources (e.g. Links,
state and federal initiatives, tax-exemption, etc.).
Student Loan Funding Resources, Inc. - http://www.studentloanfunding.com
Financing Your Child’s Future: A Parent’s
Guide to Planning and Paying for College
This guide for parents highlights the financing options for paying for their
child’s education, explains the pros and cons for various financing options,
provides a helpful checklist for staying on track with college preparation, and
encourages parents and their children to work together when planning to finance
a college education.
Steps to Success: A Comprehensive Guide to Preparing and Paying
for College
This brochure for high school juniors and seniors and their families features
an overview of the financial aid process and types of financial aid available,
as well as helpful resources such as an award letter comparison worksheet and
glossary of financial aid terms.
Tuition 101: A Comprehensive Guide to Funding your Undergraduate
Education
This guide for undergraduates outlines federal and private student loan
options, steps to apply for financial aid and scholarships, and tips for
budgeting and reducing expenses while in school. A college planning
Scholarships
Scholarships are a
form of financial aid awarded to qualified students on the basis of academic
performance (e.g. grades, test scores, course curriculum), competition,
particular skills, financial need, or a combination of unique
circumstances. These awards can come in
the form of cash or a tuition reduction waiver. Usually, no repayment is
required if academic obligations are met.
Where
can I find scholarships?
ü
SHS
Senior Bulletin – scholarship opportunities
that come to Sahuaro through the Cougar Counseling office. Many of these are
local and are more applicable to our student population. The Senior Bulletin can be found in the senior
Government and English classrooms, on the Scholarship Bulletin Board in the
Administration Building, and in your counselor’s office in addition to here.
ü
Internet - There are many free online scholarship search databases. Based
on information that you provide about yourself, they will match you with those
schoalrships that you may be eligible to receive.
Ř **Hint: Open
a new email address solely for the purpose of scholarship searching via the
web. This will help to avoid unwanted advertisements and spam being sent to
your primary email account.
ü
Local Libraries - Vist the college
resource section ofyour library. You should find a great selection of
scholarship books in addition to other information related to the college
application process.
ü
Your Employer/Your
Parents; Employer(s) - If you work, your employer may
offer scholarship opportunities that you can take advantage of. Additionally,
many businesses and corporations also offer scholarhsips or loans to employees
and their children.
ü
Public and Private
Organizations - Many community service organziations, churches and national
foundations offer scholarships. Some
are based on financial need, but many others are based on academics,
leadership, special talent, community service, or heritage. Others offer aid to students majoring in
fields related to the company’s products or services. Check out every option. Do yoru own search and don’t forget to
research those organizations with which you or your parents are affiliated.
ü
The College or
University you plan to attend - Search your college’s website/catalog and
financial aid office for information on scholarships they offer. Many schools
have an intneral application that has to be completed each year. You may also
want to check with individual departments on campus to see if they offer
scholarships aside from the financial aid office.
Scholarship Scam Info - http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/edcams/scholarship/
Board of Regents High Honors Tuition Waiver
Scholarship
Qualified students will receive
a full state university tuition waiver (cost of in-state tuition only) valid
for one year following graduation from high school. The scholarship is
renewable for four years based upon university-determined criteria. The actual
dollar amount of the scholarship will vary based upon the tuition charged by
the state university in which they have enrolled.
In order qualify for tuition
waiver, students must meet the following criteria:
Part 1:
Students must complete all
16 Core Competency Courses by *graduation with a B* or better in each
course OR an acceptable score (see Table 1) on the Advance Placement (AP)
Test OR on the International Baccalaureate (IB) Test for that subject area.
(16 Core Competency Courses: 4 units English; 4 units Math; 3
units Lab Science; 2 units Social Science; 2 units Foreign Language; and 1 unit
Fine Arts, as defined by the Arizona Board of Regents Tri-University Admission
requirements )
* A
"C" in a weighted course (Honors or Advance Placement course) does
not convert to a "B". The grade is as reflected on the student's
transcript.
TABLE
1 (ADVANCE PLACEMENT SCORE TABLE)
AND
Part 2:
Students must meet at least
one of the following academic requirements:
TABLE
2 (WEIGHTED
GPA SCALE)
AND
Part 3:
Students must meet at least
one of the following assessment options:
For more
information: http://www.ade.state.az.us/asd/tuitionwaiver/