Information for parents of seniors
The College Counseling office has arranged a special meeting to help parents and students complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). This meeting will be held on January 8, 2009 following the “Senior Graduation” meeting. The Senior Graduation meeting will be conducted by Mrs. Sergi and will cover very important information that you need to know to be able to graduate in June. The Senior Graduation meeting will begin at 6:00PM in the school cafeteria.
The meeting to assist students in completing their FAFSA will begin immediately following the Senior Graduation meeting. To be considered for most of the federal student aid programs and many private scholarships, a student must complete and submit the FAFSA. This application (available in both English and Spanish) collects financial and other information used to calculate the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) which most colleges and universities use to determine the student’s eligibility for aid.
Students may apply for aid electronically through FAFSA on the Web, or they may submit a paper FAFSA. Applying online with FAFSA on the Web, at www.fafsa.ed.gov is faster and easier than using a paper FAFSA. FAFSA on the web worksheets are available in PDF format at the above website or from the college counseling office. I encourage families to use this worksheet if they plan to file their FAFSA online because the order of the questions on the paper FAFSA is not the same as the order of the questions on FAFSA on the web.
To sign your FAFSA on the web, students and parents will need a PIN. The PIN is used to electronically sign the FAFSA, drastically reducing the processing time of the FAFSA. If you are planning to complete your FAFSA electronically and have not already requested a PIN, I encourage you to request one before the end of the year. The PIN must be requested online at www.pin.ed.gov.
Again, this special meeting will be held on January 8, 2009 following the senior graduation meeting at 6:00PM. The meeting will be conducted in English and Spanish and will address the needs of families filing both the paper and web versions of the FAFSA. I have a limited number of FAFSA on the web worksheets and paper FAFSA applications. It would be helpful if families came prepared with their own forms. As mentioned above both versions are available online or you may request single copies of the paper FAFSA or web worksheet, by phone at 1-800-4-FED-AID.
I look forward to seeing you on January 8, 2009 at 6:00PM in the school cafeteria. In the meantime, you may find information regarding financial aid and the financial aid process on the CSHM website. From the main page choose the college counseling link under academics then click aid.
Tips & Reminders for seniors
- Download and print the college preparation PDF.
- Complete and submit applications early. Waiting until the last minute is stressful.
- Apply to four or more colleges.
- Have standardized test results sent by the testing agency to all schools to which you are applying.
- Check your email. Many campuses communicate with applicants by email. Students should have a reliable email account that they will check regularly and keep throughout the admissions process. Schools may ask for additional information or clarification about items on your applications and these requests must be answered quickly
- Never mail anything until a photocopy has been made
- Please check links page for additional information
Free Tuition
Stanford University today announced a big boost in financial aid that would give free tuition to most undergraduates from families that earn less than $100,000 a year and a complete package of tuition, room and board to those whose household incomes are less than $60,000.
Stanford joins a string of wealthy, elite schools, including Harvard University, Yale University, Dartmouth and Pomona College in Claremont, that have taken similar steps in the last few months to help middle-class families pay for college. Such schools in the top level of American universities have been under congressional pressure to spend more of their multibillion-dollar endowments on scholarships and to take other steps to reduce expenses for students.
Stanford President John L. Hennessy said the move was intended to ensure that no high school senior rules out applying to the university because of cost. Next year's tuition at Stanford is set to be $36,030 and room and board $11,182
|
