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Posts Tagged ‘FAFSA’
Seniors: Can You Believe it is January Already? It’s FAFSA Time.
Tuesday, January 8th, 2013The Application is Submitted! What Should I Do Next?
Thursday, September 20th, 2012You’ve submitted your application but you still have some work to do. It’s time to put the icing on the cake you’ve been baking for the last three and a half years. We’re down to the details and crumbs.
Get your official transcripts sent from your school to each college. These are not sent automatically and colleges must receive them by the application deadline. Be sure to confirm the transcript before it goes out. In particular, please make sure that your classes, grades, community service hours (if on your transcript), test scores (if on your transcript and you want it there) are correct. You’ll be amazed at all the stories we’ve heard about mistakes on transcripts. Then, order transcripts for each of your colleges. While many schools send transcripts for you, if you are mailing them yourself, please send them registered mail. Addresses for transcripts can be found on Naviance, the Common App, and simply by Googling the school’s admissions office.
** Very important for our non-U.S. students – If your transcript is in another language, it needs to be translated into English (If you need help- let us know!).
Confirm that your Letters of Recommendation have been sent/ are in the process of being sent. While many public colleges do not require letters of recommendation, all the common app schools do require a counselor recommendation and at least one teacher recommendation. If your school uses Naviance, the counselor will be tracking the letters for you, but for everyone else, you can simply look under the “School Forms” tab on the common application for those letters that have been “Assigned” and those that have been “Submitted.”
Send your best test scores. Make sure you send the best of your ACT or SAT, Subject tests and/ or TOEFL. These need to be sent by you, and come directly from the College Board, ACT.org or ETS. These do not get sent automatically to the schools unless you indicated where you wanted your scores sent when you registered or tested (depending on the test). If you’ve retaken the test and received higher scores, you will want to send the higher scores to the schools.
Fill out and send in your financial aid documentation. All U.S. students regardless of family income should fill out the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) and CSS profile. International students, students who are not citizens, or students who are not permanent U.S. residents may have to send a certificate of finances and a bank letter. Check with each school either by calling or searching their website, to find what you need. Make sure all deadlines are met! These are inflexible deadlines. For Floridians, Bright Futures applications are not available until January.
Visit the campus if you have not done so already. Meeting with admission staff, faculty members and/or sitting in on a class demonstrates that you are truly interested in a school. Also attend any regional events that the school hosts. Schools like to see that you are interested and this gives you extra points with the admissions committee. Visiting a school and/or attending events are also good ways for you to get more information on whether a school if a good fit for you.
Please remember that without just one of the pieces above, your application is not considered complete. In all cases, once you submit your application, you can confirm receipt of these supplemental documents either via an online portal (save those log in and passwords they send you!) or via a phone call to the admissions office. This is another reason to get your applications in early- to provide you with enough time to confirm receipt, and to re-send if something does not make it.
Just a few more steps, and you are officially done! Congratulations! Now the hard part…. the wait!
This year, college advisors at International College Counselors helped more than 200 students find, apply to and gain acceptance into the college of their dreams. The expert college counselors at International College Counselors are dedicated to helping students and their families successfully navigate the college application process.
For more information on International College Counselors or to contact an expert college counselor, please call 954 414-9986 or visitwww.internationalcollegecounselors.com.
Free Upcoming ICC Seminars – Save the Dates!
IMACS Plantation – Oct. 11 – 7pm
IMACS Boca Raton – Oct. 25 – 7pm
Space is limited. Call 561 470-1178 for more info and to reserve your spot.You’ve submitted your application but you still have some work to do. It’s time to put the icing on the cake you’ve been baking for the last three and a half years. We’re down to the details and crumbs.
Get your official transcripts sent from your school to each college. These are not sent automatically and colleges must receive them by the application deadline. Be sure to confirm the transcript before it goes out. In particular, please make sure that your classes, grades, community service hours (if on your transcript), test scores (if on your transcript and you want it there) are correct. You’ll be amazed at all the stories we’ve heard about mistakes on transcripts. Then, order transcripts for each of your colleges. While many schools send transcripts for you, if you are mailing them yourself, please send them registered mail. Addresses for transcripts can be found on Naviance, the Common App, and simply by Googling the school’s admissions office.
** Very important for our non-U.S. students – If your transcript is in another language, it needs to be translated into English (If you need help- let us know!).
Confirm that your Letters of Recommendation have been sent/ are in the process of being sent. While many public colleges do not require letters of recommendation, all the common app schools do require a counselor recommendation and at least one teacher recommendation. If your school uses Naviance, the counselor will be tracking the letters for you, but for everyone else, you can simply look under the “School Forms” tab on the common application for those letters that have been “Assigned” and those that have been “Submitted.”
Send your best test scores. Make sure you send the best of your ACT or SAT, Subject tests and/ or TOEFL. These need to be sent by you, and come directly from the College Board, ACT.org or ETS. These do not get sent automatically to the schools unless you indicated where you wanted your scores sent when you registered or tested (depending on the test). If you’ve retaken the test and received higher scores, you will want to send the higher scores to the schools.
Fill out and send in your financial aid documentation. All U.S. students regardless of family income should fill out the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) and CSS profile. International students, students who are not citizens, or students who are not permanent U.S. residents may have to send a certificate of finances and a bank letter. Check with each school either by calling or searching their website, to find what you need. Make sure all deadlines are met! These are inflexible deadlines. For Floridians, Bright Futures applications are not available until January.
Visit the campus if you have not done so already. Meeting with admission staff, faculty members and/or sitting in on a class demonstrates that you are truly interested in a school. Also attend any regional events that the school hosts. Schools like to see that you are interested and this gives you extra points with the admissions committee. Visiting a school and/or attending events are also good ways for you to get more information on whether a school if a good fit for you.
Please remember that without just one of the pieces above, your application is not considered complete. In all cases, once you submit your application, you can confirm receipt of these supplemental documents either via an online portal (save those log in and passwords they send you!) or via a phone call to the admissions office. This is another reason to get your applications in early- to provide you with enough time to confirm receipt, and to re-send if something does not make it.
Just a few more steps, and you are officially done! Congratulations! Now the hard part…. the wait!
This year, college advisors at International College Counselors helped more than 200 students find, apply to and gain acceptance into the college of their dreams. The expert college counselors at International College Counselors are dedicated to helping students and their families successfully navigate the college application process.
For more information on International College Counselors or to contact an expert college counselor, please call 954 414-9986 or visitwww.internationalcollegecounselors.com.
Free Upcoming ICC Seminars – Save the Dates!
IMACS Plantation – Oct. 11 – 7pm
IMACS Boca Raton – Oct. 25 – 7pm
Space is limited. Call 561 470-1178 for more info and to reserve your spot.
FAFSA To Be Required for Florida Bright Futures effective July 1
Wednesday, June 15th, 2011While we can’t confirm the details, but here is what we know so far:
All students applying for and/or receiving a Bright Futures scholarship will be required to fill out a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
This new law, which goes into effect July 1, applies to incoming freshman, graduating from high school in 2012 as well as students renewing their Bright Futures scholarships.
No FAFSA = No Bright Futures $$$$ even though Bright Futures is still a merit-based scholarship and NOT need-based.
Students who do NOT submit a FAFSA application will not receive their Bright Futures Scholarship money this fall.
The FAFSA is also required for students getting Florida Resident Access Grants and Access to Better Learning and Education Grants.
A FAFSA is a detailed financial form used by the government to determine a student’s eligibility for need-based federal student financial aid. Until now a FAFSA was never required for Bright Futures. Lawmakers claim their only aim with a required FAFSA is to get more demographic information about students who are attending college on taxpayer money. Common wisdom says that lawmakers are making it more difficult for students to get the scholarship money. Students will need their parents help to fill out the forms, which are very detailed.
Parents and students with questions about the FAFSA requirement should contact their college, a university financial aid counselor, or a college admissions expert at International College Counselors.
International College Counselors
954-414-9986
ABOUT INTERNATIONAL COLLEGE COUNSELORS
International College Counselors provides expert college counseling on undergraduate and graduate college admissions, financial aid, tuition, essays, and college applications. Mandee Heller Adler, college admissions consultant and Founder of International College Counselors tailors her college counseling and college coaching services to address the goals, needs, and dreams of each student. Our college advising company works with domestic and international students. Let us help you make the best decisions in choosing, getting into, and paying for college.
FAFSA Deadline is Fast Approaching – Apply Now
Tuesday, January 11th, 2011The deadline to file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (http://www.fafsa.gov) is February 1. June 30 is the official government deadline but for many schools including Boston U, Brandeis, and Carnegie Mellon it is February 1. If you do not get your form in by this date, you may not be eligible to receive certain merit scholarships and/or school financial aid.
We repeat: Some MERIT scholarships are tied to filling out the FAFSA. Check the college websites to see if you need to apply.
ALL students should fill out the FAFSA no matter what their household income is, if they would like to be eligible for aid. This is a strong recommendation from the expert college counselors at International College Counselors.
There is no penalty for filling out the FAFSA whether you receive aid or not. Many students are surprised by the aid they are eligible to receive. And then you can choose to use this aid or not.
The FAFSA is free. You do not need to pay for it, and you do not need to have checked the “financial aid” box on the common application.
The FAFSA is also a long document with many questions, and you need to gather documentation (a list is below). Do NOT leave this until the last minute.
Completing the FAFSA, an introductory publication for students, provides free instructions on how to complete the FAFSA.
If you have specific questions, representatives at FAFSA are EXTREMELY helpful. Do not hesitate to call the contact numbers.
FAFSA contact info.
For more information on financial aid, please contact International College Counselors.
Also, when beginning your FAFSA, please refer to the “Common Errors When Filing for Financial Aid” page in your binder. If you are missing it, please let us know.
Before submitting the FAFSA double-check EVERYTHING.
Documentation and paperwork you need to complete the FAFSA
In addition to gathering financial information, you will need a FAFSA account and a FAFSA pin. Go to FAFSA.gov to get one.
NOTE: All financial information needs to be for the previous financial year. Students filing for the 2011-2012 FAFSA need documentation from tax year 2010. If you don’t have your W-2 tax forms from 2010, you can estimate by using pay stubs and then file a FAFSA correction later.
• Your Social Security card. Make sure you enter the number correctly!
• Your driver’s license (if any)
• Your 2010 W-2 forms and other records of money earned
• Your (and your spouse’s, if you are married) 2010 Federal Income Tax Return.
• IRS 1040, 1040A, 1040 EZ
• Foreign Tax Return, or
• Tax Return for Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Marshall Islands, the Federal States of Micronesia, or Palau
• Your Parents’ 2010 Federal Income Tax Return (if you are a dependent student)
• Your 2010 untaxed income records
• Your current bank statements
• Your current business and investment mortgage information, business and farm records, stock, bond and other investment records
• Your alien registration or permanent resident card (if you are not a U.S. citizen)
Contact International College Counselors with any questions you may have.
International College Counselors
Main office: 954.253.5719
ABOUT INTERNATIONAL COLLEGE COUNSELORS
International College Counselors provides expert college counseling on undergraduate and graduate college admissions, financial aid, tuition, essays, and college applications. Mandee Heller Adler, college admissions consultant and Founder of International College Counselors tailors her college counseling and college coaching services to address the goals, needs, and dreams of each student. Our college advising company works with domestic and international students. Let us help you make the best decisions in choosing, getting into, and paying for college.
Grants, General School Scholarships, and Loans. Oh my!
Monday, October 11th, 2010Parents. There are ways your student can go to college for free. Even to the best colleges in the country. Westinghouse scholars, Olympic champions, and tween founders of multi-million dollar companies all qualify.
But, there’s hope for the rest of us! It’s all about maximizing your financial aid and minimizing your costs.
Top ways the expert college counselors at International College Counselors recommend to make college more affordable include:
1. Government Loans
As International College Counselors wrote about in our last blog, the US government loans money to every student who needs it. To receive FAFSA aid, a student (or parent) needs to fill out and file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (http://www.fafsa.gov). This federal application for financial aid is also used to apply for aid from other sources, such as your state or school.
For our clients with the United States from San Francisco to Miami, our expert college counselors recommend that ALL students fill the FAFSA out regardless of their house-hold income, if they even have the remotest need.
2. Grants
Grants are better than loans because students don’t have to pay the money back. (Free money!) But they’re not available to everyone.
Pell Grants are federal grants awarded strictly on the student’s financial need. Other federal grant programs include the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (also based on financials), and grant programs for students with good grades in competitive high-school programs or specific fields of study, such as math, nursing or teaching. States and colleges also have their own pools of grant money. Like loans, grants are awarded based on the FAFSA results.
3. General and School Scholarships
For students who are seniors, juniors, sophomores and freshmen, whether in public school, private school, or home schooled (meaning everyone in high school) scholarships are available. They’re highly desirable because recipients do not have to pay them back and a good number of scholarships are not based on financial need.
Thousands of scholarships are available. Sources of scholarships can be national organizations, employers, corporations, professional associations, local clubs, contests, and the schools themselves. The trick is finding the ones that best match the student. If you’re not a Native American there’s no point in going for the scholarship. You’d be better off knitting a clever outfit out of wool, measuring less than 4’ 10” in height, having the last name Zolp. All are scholarship worthy. Here are the details on those scholarships and other unusual scholarships.
There aren’t many of these scholarships with unusual eligibility requirements, but it doesn’t hurt to see what may be out there. Some scholarships are based on financial needs. Others are awarded to students with special abilities qualified as academic, artistic, or athletic achievement. Still more are reserved for people who have certain religious affiliation, ethnicity, memberships, hobbies, or special interests.
School-specific scholarships, where a student can usually receive the largest amount of scholarship aid, are typically given to top athletes, top test score recipients, and other outstanding students. In order to apply for these scholarships, you need to contact each school individually. A rule of thumb is that if you are in the top 25% of the admitted class, there could be some scholarship money waiting for you. So, a student who can get into MIT with no scholarship money may receive a full ride at Georgia Tech (still a great school!), and a student who can get into Penn could get a full ride at Drexel (a terrific option!).
HOW TO FIND SCHOLARSHIPS & APPLY FOR THEM
Students don’t have to look farther than their computer to find scholarships to apply to. Several free scholarship databases are available online, offering millions of different scholarships worth billions of dollars. For International College Counselors students, please be sure to look to Naviance for scholarship options. With thousands of scholarships to choose from, any student can find a scholarship to which to apply.
For non ICC students, and for ICC students who would like an additional resource, ICC recommends the scholarship database FastWeb.com. It’s large, most often accurate and frequently updated. Students should also look to their high school’s website for LOCAL scholarship opportunities. Clearly, a scholarship for students at your school, or your community will be easier to get than one that draws a national applicant pool.
Please remember during your search, if you are considering a legitimate scholarship site or scholarship you will not be asked for any money to apply or receive details.
Florida students should not forget to apply to the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program. The Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program provides scholarships based on high school academic achievement, and could cover up to 100% of a public college’s tuition.
Scholarships pay off in more ways than just Free Money. College advisors can say with certainty that they also look impressive on your college applications.
Getting out of college with little or no debt is hard, but not impossible, and with initiative, you and your student don’t have to rob a bank to do it.
Next week, I’ll write about How to Apply for Scholarships.
If you need help, contact a private college counselor at International College Counselors to help you with college admissions and finances.
Homework for Mom and Dad
Wednesday, September 30th, 2009You’re not free and clear yet, mom and dad! College crunch time also includes you. Don’t forget to fill out any appropriate financial aid forms before the financial aid deadlines.
Don’t miss out on valuable financial aid money, and please don’t rely on your children to fill in the forms. Very few will understand all the financial jargon and will need your guidance.
Making mistakes on your financial aid forms like FAFSA could delay your application and quite possibly make you lose out on some financial aid. And, you know, If you receive federal financial aid because your FAFSA contained incorrect information, you have to repay it.
The best way to complete financial aid forms is early. Do them online if possible, many websites (like FAFSA) are designed to catch errors.
Our expert college counselors say, you can’t go wrong if you:
1. Very carefully read the directions and the questions.
2. Clearly, accurately, and completely fill in every field.
3. Meet the deadlines.
Here is a link to some information on common mistakes parents make when filling out financial aid forms from the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators.
http://www.nasfaa.org/publications/2009/rntips021209.html
The biggest mistake, however, is not applying!
Although our expert college counselors at International College Counselors do not provide financial aid support, we can help you find some help from a reputable financial planner.
Remember, the longer you wait, the harder it will be.
International College Counselors
Mandee Heller Adler
mandee@internationalcollegecounselors.com
Barry Liebowitz
barry@internationalcollegecounselors.com
If you have any other college admissions questions for a college counselor, we’d be happy to answer them.
International College Counselors provides expert college counseling on undergraduate and graduate college admissions, financial aid, tuition, essays, and college applications. Mandee Heller Adler, college admissions consultant and Founder of International College Counselors tailors her college counseling and college coaching services to address the goals, needs, and dreams of each student. Our college advising company works with domestic and international students. Let us help you make the best decisions in choosing, getting into, and paying for college.
Making it easier to apply for college aid
Wednesday, June 24th, 2009by Mandee Heller Adler
Thanks to the Obama administration, students and their families will find it easier to apply for financial aid. The forms for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) are being streamlined to be shorter, simpler and more user friendly. For students and their families, this means, the forms will be easier to complete.
Anyone who has seen the form in the past will tell you, it was truly complicated. Students seeking financial aid for college needed to answer about 150 questions.
Next year’s applicants should see a 20 percent reduction in questions.
Most of the extra questions will be eliminated by avoiding redundancies. For example, students who are at least 24 or older will be able to skip the 11 questions concerning parental financial information. Also, in the simplified FAFSA form, low-income students will be able to skip over the questions about assets, since they aren’t even needed to determine their aid eligibility.
The administration will seek legislation to simplify the form further.
Next year’s form goes online in January. The FAFSA form is necessary to apply for Pell grants, Stafford loans, Perkins loans, work-study programs and much state aid.
Over 16 million students and families apply for federal financial aid every year. The government estimates that 1.5 million potential college students could be eligible for Pell grants but have not applied, perhaps because of the complicated paperwork.
Said Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, “President Obama has challenged the nation to once again have the highest percentage of college graduates in the world. To do that, we need to make the college-going process easier and more convenient, and to send a clear message to young people as well as adults that college is within their reach. Simplifying the financial aid process is an important step toward reaching that goal.”
The full Times article can be seen at http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/24/education/24fafsa.html?_r=1