Applying for Financial Aid 2011-2012 Applying for Financial Aid 2011-2012 Presented by: The East Bay Cash for College Coalition Presenter:

Applying for Applying for Financial Aid Financial Aid 2011-20122011-2012

Presented by:The East Bay Cash for College Coalition

Presenter:

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Cash for College $1,000 ScholarshipCash for College $1,000 ScholarshipEvaluationEvaluationComplete and turn in the Student Evaluation BEFORE you leave!

• Location and Date

• Write Clearly!

• Scholarship Rules on pg 2

• Must submit your FAFSA and Cal Grant GPA by March 2nd

• Winner will be chosen after March 2nd and announced by your counselor or by a letter mailed to the address provided.

Types of Financial Aid Types of Financial Aid

• Gift Aid - Grants or scholarships that do not need to be repaid

• Work - Money earned by the student as payment for a job on or off campus

• Loans - Borrowed money to be paid back, usually with interest

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Sources of Financial AidSources of Financial Aid

• Federal government

• State government

• Colleges and universities

• Private agencies, companies, foundations, and parents’ employers

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Need-Based Federal GrantsNeed-Based Federal Grants

• Pell Grants- $5,710 maximum per year

• Academic Competitiveness Grants- $750 for the first year

- $1,300 for the second year

• Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (SEOG)- $4,000 maximum per year

See Fund Your Future

Workbook pg 4

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More Need-Based AidMore Need-Based Aid

• Federal Work-Study

• Institutional Grants, Scholarships, or Fee Waivers

• Federal Perkins Loan- 5% Interest begins at repayment = 9 mo. after graduation

• Federal Subsidized Stafford Loan- 3.4% Interest begins at repayment = 6 mo. after graduation

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How Does Financial Aid Work?How Does Financial Aid Work?

Cost of Attendance (COA) Expected Family Contribution (EFC)

Financial NEED (Financial Aid Eligibility)

Colleges determine and offer their students financial aid based on the following

equation. Also known as “Need Analysis.”

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What is the Expected Family What is the Expected Family Contribution (EFC)?Contribution (EFC)?

A number produced by the FAFSA used by colleges to calculate the amount that your family (student and parent/s)

will be expected to pay for college from income and assets over time. - recalculated each time you submit a FAFSA (once per year)

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What is the Cost of Attendance (COA)?What is the Cost of Attendance (COA)?

Tuition and/or fees

Room and board

Books and supplies

Transportation

Misc. personal expenses

Cost of Attendance includes most everything related to college expenses for one academic year. Also known as the “Student Budget.”

Types of ApplicationsTypes of Applications

• FAFSA

• Cal Grant GPA Verification Form

• Other applications or forms as required by the college such as:

• 2010 federal tax returns (along with all schedules and W-2s) or other income documentation

• CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE • Institutional Scholarship and/or

Financial Aid Application

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2011-2012 Cal Grant 2011-2012 Cal Grant Application RequirementsApplication Requirements

Check with your high school or college counselor for more details on how to file the Cal Grant GPA

Verification Form

• By March 2, 2011, complete and submit:

Free Application for Federal Student Aid

(FAFSA)

Cal Grant GPA

Verification Form

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Cal GrantsCal Grants

Cal Grant A Entitlement Awards – up to $11,124 at a U.C., $4,429 at a CSU, and $9,708 at an independent or private college. If attending a Community College, award will be held in reserve for up to 3 years until you transfer to a four-year college. 3.0 gpa and aboveCal Grant B Entitlement Awards – additional living allowance of $1,551 and up to the same award amounts of Cal Grant A for the second year. 2.0 gpa and aboveCal Grant C Awards – for students from low income families pursuing vocational programs of study. Awards up to $576 for books, tools, etc. and up to $2,592 for tuition and fees at a private college.

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California Chafee GrantCalifornia Chafee GrantCalifornia Chafee GrantCalifornia Chafee Grant• The California Chafee Grant program provides up to $5,000 annually to current and former foster youth for college or vocational training at any accredited college in the U.S. based on available funding

• To be eligible, foster youth must have been in California foster care on their 16th birthday and not have reached their 22nd birthday before July 1, 2011

• Foster youth are encouraged to apply during their senior year of high school

• To apply, the foster youth must complete:• 2011-2012 FAFSA• California Chafee Grant Program Application

To learn more about the Chafee Grant, go to:

www.chafee.csac.ca.gov

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Undocumented StudentsUndocumented Students

• if the student is applying to any California public college or university, check to see if he/she might be eligible for in-state tuition/fee costs

• check with colleges and universities to see if institutional financial aid is available

• apply for all private scholarships for which the student may be eligible

• watch for changes in federal and state laws regarding the eligibility of undocumented or under-documented students

• start inquiring in elementary, middle or high school to see if it is possible for younger students to become permanent residents

For more information and a list of scholarships, go tohttp://www.maldef.org/leadership/scholarships/2010_Scholarship_List.pdf

www.latinocollegedollars.org www.finaid.org/otheraid/undocumented.phtml

NOTE: if the student is undocumented

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FAFSA Information & TipsFAFSA Information & Tips• File early, but no later

than March 2, 2011

• Check financial aid deadlines with each college/university

• Use estimated 2010 income information if taxes are not complete at time of FAFSA submission

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FAFSA on the Web FAFSA on the Web

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• Internet application used by students and parents to complete electronic FAFSA at:

www.fafsa.gov

• Sophisticated on-line edits and skip logic so that errors are less likely to be made

• On-line help is available for each question

• Student and one custodial parent should get a federal PIN at:

www.pin.ed.gov

Special CircumstancesSpecial Circumstances• Contact the Financial Aid Office if there are

circumstances which affect a family’s ability to pay for college such as:

– Loss or reduction in parent or student income or assets

– Death or serious illness

– Natural disasters affecting parent income or assets such as the recent California wild fires, floods, or mudslides

– Unusual medical or dental expenses not covered by insurance

– Reduction in child support, Social Security benefits or other untaxed benefit

– Financial responsibility for elderly grandparents, or

– Any other unusual circumstances that affect a family’s ability to contribute to higher education

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Questions and Questions and AnswersAnswers

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FAFSA on the Web FAFSA on the Web WorksheetWorksheet

The 2011-2012 FAFSA on the Web Worksheet may be used for the January 1, 2011 through June 30, 2012 federal aid application cycle

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Section 1Section 1Student NameStudent Name

• The FOTW will ask for the student’s last name, first name, and middle initial

• Make sure to report the student’s name exactly as it appears on the student’s Social Security card

JONES SUSAN

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Double check the student’s Social Security Number when entering it on the FOTW. Both student name and Social Security Number will be compared through a database match.

123 – 45 – 6789

Section 1 Section 1 Student Social Security NumberStudent Social Security Number

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Section 1 Section 1 Citizenship StatusCitizenship Status

• If U.S. citizen, status will be confirmed by Social Security match

• If eligible noncitizen, status will be confirmed by Department of Homeland Security (DHS) match. This includes:

• U.S. permanent residents with I-551

• Conditional permanent residents with I-551C

• Eligible noncitizens with I-94

• If neither a citizen or eligible noncitizen, the student is ineligible for federal/state aid, but might still be eligible for institutional funds

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Section 1 Section 1 Alien Registration NumberAlien Registration Number

If eligible noncitizen, write in the student’s eight- or nine-digit Alien Registration Number (ARN)

• Precede an eight-digit ARN with a zero

• Copy of the student’s Permanent Registration Card might be requested by the financial aid office

9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

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Section 1Section 1 Selective Service RegistrationSelective Service Registration

• Male students who are between the ages of 18 and 25 years must be registered with Selective Service to receive federal and state aid

• Answer “Register me” only if you are male, aged 18-25, and have not yet registered.

• The student may also register by going to:

www.sss.gov

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• Residency relates to the student’s permanent home state• if the student is dependent, the state of legal residence is

usually the state in which the custodial parent(s) lives

• State of legal residence is also used• to determine eligibility for state grants • in the need calculation to determine the appropriate

allowance for state and other taxes paid by that state’s residents

An important question NOT on the Worksheet:

Section 1Section 1 Student State of Legal ResidenceStudent State of Legal Residence

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Section 1Section 1 Grade Level in 2011-2012Grade Level in 2011-2012

Grade Level in 2011-2012

When the student begins the 2011-2012 school year, what will be his/her grade level?

• Never attended college/1st year• Attended college before/1st year• 2nd year/sophomore• 3rd year/junior• 4th year/senior• 5th year/other undergraduate• 1st year graduate/professional• Continuing graduate/professional or beyond


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Section 1 Section 1 High School QuestionHigh School Question


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High School Question

• Enter the name, city and state location of the school the student attends

• Mark “Confirm” to retrieve the high school information

• The student will select the school attended from the list provided

• If no matches are found, the student should select “Next” to save the search information and continue with the FOTW application

Section 1Section 1 Degree or Certificate ObjectiveDegree or Certificate Objective

Degree or CertificateIn the 2011-2012 school year, what degree or certificate will you, the student, be working on?

•Some options are: - 1st bachelor’s degree - Associate degree (occupational or technical program) - Associate degree (general education or transfer program)

- Graduate or professional degree


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Section 1Section 1School SelectionSchool Selection

• FAFSA on the Web allows the student to list up to 10 colleges/universities that will receive his/her student and parent information

• List a California college or university (for Cal Grant consideration)

• List those schools with the earliest financial aid deadlines

• If the student is applying to more than ten schools, wait for the processed Student Aid Report (SAR) and add additional schools via the Web or by phone using the student PIN


NOTE: Each UC and CSU campus must be listed separately

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Section 1Section 1School SelectionSchool Selection

• The student will be asked to select the housing plan that best describes the type of housing the student expects to have while attending each listed school

• The choices for housing are:• On Campus • With Parent• Off Campus

• The student’s choice of housing may affect the amount of financial aid for which he/she is eligible. It is usually more expensive to live on or off campus than with parents or relatives

• Remember, selecting the On Campus housing option is not an application for On Campus housing. Check with the colleges/ universities for housing information when you apply for admission

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Section 2Section 2

Determination of Student Dependency StatusDetermination of Student Dependency Status

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• If any one of the items in this section applies to the student, he/she should mark the appropriate box, skip Section 3, and go to Section 4. The student is considered an independent student for FAFSA filing purposes and is NOT required to provide parental information

Section 3Section 3Parent InformationParent Information

See Page 3 of FAFSA on the Web Worksheet about who is considered a parent

– Biological or adoptive parent(s)

– In case of divorce or separation, provide information about the parent and/or stepparent the student lived with more in the last 12 months

– Stepparent (regardless of any prenuptial agreements)

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Section 3 Section 3 Who is Not a ParentWho is Not a Parent

• Do not provide information on:– Foster parents or legal guardians

• If the student is in foster care or has a legal guardian, he/she is automatically considered an independent student

– Grandparents or other relatives are not considered parents unless they have adopted the student• In this case, the student must attempt to get

biological parental information

• Colleges may use Professional Judgment to allow the student to file as independent

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Section 3 Section 3 Parent InformationParent Information

• If the student is providing father’s/stepfather’s and/or mother’s/stepmother’s information, the student will need those parents’:

• Social Security Numbers• Names• Dates of birth

• If the parents do not have a social security number enter all zero’s (000-00-0000)

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0

12,356

Section 3Section 3Parent InformationParent Information

• If the answer to any question is zero or the question does not apply, enter 0:

• Report whole dollar figures:

• Recommendation: If your parents have not filed their 2010 federal tax return, use W-2 forms and/or other employment records - such as final 2010 pay check stubs - to estimate total income

• Remember, rather than miss any filing deadline, use estimated 2010 income information

(no cents)

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Section 3Section 3 Parent Dislocated WorkerParent Dislocated Worker

• The student will be asked to check if the father/stepfather and/or mother/stepmother is a dislocated worker

• A person may be considered a dislocated worker if he or she:• is receiving unemployment benefits due to being laid off or losing

a job and is unlikely to return to a previous occupation• has been laid off or received a lay-off notice from a job • was self-employed but is now unemployed due to economic

conditions or natural disaster• is a displaced homemaker

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Section 3Section 3 Parents’ Tax Return Filing Status for 2010Parents’ Tax Return Filing Status for 2010

• The student will be asked to provide information about parent tax filing status for 2010:• If his/her parents have completed a 2010 federal income tax

return, mark the first box• If they have not as yet filed, but plan to file a 2010 federal

income tax return, mark the second box• If the have not, nor will not, file a 2010 federal in tax return and

are not required to do so, mark the third box

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Section 3Section 3 Money Earned from Work by Parent(s) in 2010Money Earned from Work by Parent(s) in 2010

Use W-2 forms and other records to determine all income in 2010 earned from work (including business income earned from self-employment) for father/stepfather and/or mother/stepmother

$$$,$$$

$$$,$$$

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Section 3Section 3 Parents’ Household 2009 or 2010 Benefits ReceivedParents’ Household 2009 or 2010 Benefits Received

Indicate if the student, his/her parents, or anyone in the parents’ household received benefits in 2009 or 2010 from any of the federal programs listed• Supplemental Security Income (SSI)• Food Stamps• Free or Reduced Price School Lunch• Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)• Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC)

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Section 3Section 3 2010 Additional Financial Information2010 Additional Financial Information

The student will be asked to report if his or her parents received or paid any of the following items in 2010 (check all that apply)

• America Opportunity, Hope or Lifetime Learning tax credits• Child support paid• Taxable earnings from work-study, assistantships, or fellowships• Taxable grant and scholarship aid reported to the IRS• Combat pay or special combat pay• Cooperative education program earnings

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Section 3Section 3 2010 Parent Untaxed Income2010 Parent Untaxed Income

• The student will be asked to report if his or her parents had any untaxed income in 2010. Check all that apply. Some examples of the most common items are:

• Payments to tax-deferred pension and savings plans such as 401K, IRA deductions, and payments to self-employed SEP and Keogh

• Child support received• Tax exempt interest income• Housing, food and other living allowances paid to members of the

military and clergy

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Section 3Section 3 Parent Asset InformationParent Asset Information

NOTE: Some financial aid offices may request supporting documentation for the answers to these questions

Parents may be asked to report their assets. If so:

• List the net value of your parents’ assets as of the day you complete the FAFSA

• If net worth is one million dollars or more, enter

• If net worth is zero, enter 0

999,999

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0

999,99

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Section 3 Section 3 IRS Data RetrievalIRS Data Retrieval

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An important question NOT on the Worksheet

• If you are filing the FOTW after 1/30/2011, you will find a

question in the parent section that asks:

For 2010, have your parents completed their IRS income tax return?

• If parent(s) answer “Already completed,” they will be given the option to transfer their 2010 income tax information directly from IRS records

• If you are filing the FAFSA within 6-8 weeks of having filed your tax return, you should ignore this question and use your actual 2010 IRS tax return to complete the FOTW so you do not miss any important financial aid deadlines.

Section 3Section 3 Parent Household SizeParent Household Size

• Include in the parents’ household:• the student• parent(s)• parents’ other dependent children, if

the parents provide more than half their support or the children could answer “no” to every question in Section 2, regardless of where they live

• other people, if they now live with the parents and will continue to do so from 7/1/11 through 6/30/12, and if the parents provide more than half their support now, and will continue to provide support from 7/1/11 through 6/30/12


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Section 3Section 3 College Students in the Parent HouseholdCollege Students in the Parent Household

NOTE: Some financial aid offices will require proof that other family members are attending college

• Always include the student even if he/she will attend college less than half-time in 2011-2012

• Include other household members only if they will attend at least half-time in 2011-2012 in a program that leads to a college degree or certificate

• Never include the parents


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Section 3Section 3Parents’ 2010 U.S. Income TaxesParents’ 2010 U.S. Income Taxes

• What was the amount parents paid in U.S. income tax for 2010?

– Use U.S. income tax paid (or to be paid)

• not the amount withheld from parents’ paychecks


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Section 3Section 3Parents’ 2010 Tax ExemptionsParents’ 2010 Tax Exemptions

• Enter the parents’ tax exemptions for 2010 • Be sure to include all persons being

claimed on the parents’ 2010 federal tax return, regardless of whether they are included in the parents’ household size question


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Section 4Section 4Student InformationStudent Information

• Questions in Section 4 are identical to the parent financial questions we covered in Section 3• If the student is single, ignore

references to “spouse”

• If the student is married, also report spouse’s income and assets

• The questions in Section 4 ask:

• Which 2010 federal tax return the student filed or will file• The student’s 2010 Adjusted Gross Income, if filing a tax

return, and earnings from work as well as untaxed income and assets

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Section 4 Section 4 Student Information (Independent Students)Student Information (Independent Students)

There are questions in Section 4 that the student will be asked only if he/she checked at least one response in Section 2 – Student Dependency Status

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Section 4 Section 4 Student Benefits (Independent Students) Student Benefits (Independent Students)

Indicate if the student, his/her spouse, or anyone in the student’s household received benefits in 2009 or 2010 from any of the federal programs listed

• Supplemental Security Income (SSI)• Food Stamps• Free or Reduced Price School Lunch• Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)• Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC)

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Section 4 - Student Household Size Section 4 - Student Household Size (Independent Students) (Independent Students)

Student Household SizeInclude in student’s household:

• the student and the student’s spouse.(if married)• the student’s dependent children, if the student

provides more than half their support• other people, if they now live with

the student and will continue to do so from 7/1/11 through 6/30/12, and if the student provides more than half their support now, and will continue to provide that level of support from 7/1/11 through 6/30/12


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Section 4 - Student Number in CollegeSection 4 - Student Number in College(Independent Students)(Independent Students)

Student Number in College

• Count the student even if the student will attend college less than half-time in 2011-2012

• Include others only if they will attend at least half-time in 2011-2012 in a program that leads to a college degree or certificate


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DO NOT MAIL THIS WORKSHEETGo to www.fafsa.gov to complete and submit your application.

For more information on federal student aid,

visit www.FederalStudentAid.ed.gov.

You can also talk with your college’s financial aid office

about other types of student aid that may be available

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http://www.federalstudentaid.ed.gov/

What Happens Next? What Happens Next?

Students and the colleges the student listed receive Student Aid Report (SAR) from federal processor

Students who complete FAFSA and Cal Grant GPA Verification

Form receive California Aid Report (CAR)webgrants4students.org

Students and families review SAR and CAR for important

information and accuracy of data

Colleges match admission records with FAFSA and other

required financial aid forms to determine aid eligibility

Colleges mail notices of financial aid eligibility to admitted students who have completed all required financial aid forms

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Summary of the Summary of the Financial Aid ProcessFinancial Aid Process

• Submit all required forms, including the FAFSA, by each college’s published deadlines (but no later than

March 2)

• By March 2, submit a Cal Grant GPA Verification Form• Keep a copy of all forms submitted

• Review the electronic Student Aid Report (SAR) Acknowledgement or the paper SAR sent to the student

• Review the California Aid Report (CAR)

• Watch for financial aid award notifications from colleges to which the student has been admitted

• Be sure to apply for financial aid this year and every year as soon as possible after January 1 to receive the best financial aid award possible

• ASK QUESTIONS!

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If You Need Help At Any TimeIf You Need Help At Any Time

• FAFSA on the Web – Live Help

• Phone 1-800-4-FED-AID (1-800-433-3243)

• E-mail the U.S. Department of Education at: [email protected]

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Questions and Questions and AnswersAnswers

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Documents

Applying for Financial Aid 2011-2012 Applying for Financial Aid 2011-2012 Presented by: The East Bay Cash for College Coalition Presenter: