Dear Seniors:        Welcome back to school, we hope you had a restful break.  Now let’s get down to business!  Here are your updates for the month of January

FINANCIAL AID – Financial aid applications are available on line at www.fafsa.ed.gov.  Here are some important reminders for those intending to apply:

1.     FAFSA stands for Free Application for Federal Student Aid.  The federal government uses this form to determine your eligibility for federal financial aid for college, which may include grants, scholarships, work-study and loans.  The FAFSA can be submitted January 1, 2012 to March 2, 2012.  Students and parents can go online now to establish a pin number at www.pin.ed.gov

2.     Financial Aid night is Thursday, January 1, 2012 at 6:00.  Seniors and /or their parents will receive information about completing the FAFSA.  This will be conducted in the auditorium.

3.     Some Private institutions may also require the CSS /Financial Aid Profile form, available at www.collegeboard.com and/or their own particular financial aid evaluation forms(s).  As well, each college will have its own deadlines for filing aid applications.  It is the student’s responsibility to check with the college.

COLLEGE ELIGIBILITY – Students are reminded that they are expected to maintain a senior schedule and senior grades that meet college-preparatory standards.  Failure to do so may lead to a college rescinding an offer of admission… NO D’s or F’s

Glossary: Key Terms You Will Encounter

Award Letter: A notification telling you what financial aid your college is offering to you (including estimated costs, financing information, types of aid, amounts offered, specific program information, etc.). You may choose to accept some or all of what is offered. Unfortunately, colleges do not increase the grants in the financial aid package if you turn down the loans.

Credit/Unit (or Credit Hour): A unit of measurement for fulfilling course requirements. Most colleges require that you complete a certain number of credits/units in order to graduate.

Cost of Attendance: Includes all costs associated with attending college: tuition & fees, room/board, books, supplies, transportation, personal computer, and personal expenses. Ask the school about increasing your cost of attendance if you have dependent care or disability-related expenses.

Enrollment Status: Indicates you attend school full-time or part-time. In general, you must attend at least half-time to qualify for financial aid.

Expected Family Contribution (EFC): Amount a student and his or her family are expected to contribute financially toward the cost of attendance each year.

Open Admissions: Students are admitted regardless of their academic qualifications. Most community colleges have an open admissions policy.

Rolling Admissions: There is no set admissions deadline date; qualified students are accepted until classes are filled.

Student Aid Report (SAR): This notifies you that your FAFSA has been processed. Your EFC also appears on the SAR.