•  College Decision-Making Resources

     All the links to Naviance for Admissions, Transcripts, etc: https://www.everettsd.org/site/default.aspx?PageID=38023
     

    How to complete your student brag sheet survey (to tell teachers what your activities, awards, etc are so they mention them in their letters)

     

    How to request a letter of recommendation in Naviance (to set up which teacher can send letters to which colleges/programs)

    Dept of Education College Scorecard for finding, comparing colleges (5 stars from Baker!):https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/

     
    New rules for student loans starting for Class of 24--never more than 5% of your income, NO accrued interest, 10 years to forgiveness: Fact Sheet here.
     

     

    FAFSA: https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa

    WASFA: https://wsac.wa.gov/WASFAelig

    Commonly Asked for Resources and Links

     

    Review of Why To File An Application for Aid

     

    Why do people need to fill out applications for government aid?—

     

    ‘Cuz this is the ONLY way schools/apprenticeships/training programs can verify your income to qualify for any aid (including scholarships and grants!).

     

    What is the application I fill out?

     

    FAFSA vs WASFA—don’t have a social security number and live in WA? WASFA! Have a social security number and live anywhere? FAFSA!

    Review of Aid Resources—and what the money can be used for!

     

    Student Loans versus Pell (and other) Grants

     

    The gist: there are GUARANTEED [government] student loans and there are PRIVATE loans, including for parents to take out and pay back. Guaranteed ones are limited in amount per year, but paying them back will never cost you more than 5% of your income (with no extra interest!), and if they are under 12K, they’re forgiven after 10 years of payment (even if you could only pay your 5% income).

    There are government grants (Pell) and PRIVATE grants, too (like Merit grants from your program, scholarships, etc)—these are money you don’t have to ever pay back!

     

    Government loans and grants can be used to cover all Costs of Attendance (private loans and grants may be restricted to only certain costs). What counts as a CoA? You might be surprised:

     

    computers, wifi/cell service, phone, transportation (gas, airfare, bike, car payment, etc), HEALTH INSURANCE, food (meal plan as well as groceries), clothes, rent (on-campus as well as off)

     

    If you need it to be able to live while you are in school, it’s a cost of attendance! (vacations, unfortunately do not count ☹)

     

    You are eligible for grants if you cannot count on your parents/guardians to have a place for you to live because they don’t have the means or because they kick you out

     

    Homeless means lacking fixed, regular, and adequate housing. You may be homeless if you’re temporarily living with other people because you have nowhere else to go. If you’re fleeing an abusive/nonsupportive parent, we may consider you homeless even if your parent would otherwise provide you a place to live.

     

    Unstable housing includes spending time living with different family or friends for awhile.

     

    Unaccompanied means you’re not living in the physical custody of your parent or guardian.

    This can be certified by

    Email or talk to me if you/someone you know could use info/help on this!

     

     

     

    Federal direct subsidized loans

    Based on financial need. The government will pay for the interest on subsidized loans as long as the borrower is enrolled in school at least half time. It will also cover interest payments for six months after graduation—known as a grace period. The same goes for a loan deferment, a period when payments are postponed.

    Federal direct unsubsidized loans

    These loans don’t require borrowers to demonstrate financial need. But, YOU will be charged interest during school, grace periods and deferments—that interest adds to your loan repayment. The interest rate for unsubsidized loans is the same as for subsidized loans.

    Under the SAVE plan, your annual federal loan repayment is capped at 5% of your income. If you make your monthly payments (no matter how small your required payment is—even $0!) there is no new interest. Those who take out $12,000 or less receive loan forgiveness after 10 years. For higher loan amounts, loan forgiveness is in no more than 20 or 25 years.

    Every year that you earn $32,800 or less as a single person (family of four earns $67,500 or less) your loan repayment is $0 in most states.

     

    Private loans

    Banks, credit card companies and credit unions offer private loans to students and to parents/guardians—they set the terms, interest rate and maximum amount. Since these aren’t government loans, they do not have subsidies, forgiveness or maximum % repayments.

     

     

     

    Work-Study Program https://www.benefits.gov/benefit/596

    Guaranteed part-time employment for college students to help meet financial need. Jobs are on campus and can be great for resumes and internships (lab tech?, IT help?, tutor?). They pay at least the minimum wage of the state/city where the college is located (BTW—Seattle’s is the highest in the country). The earlier you apply for jobs, the better your choices—so do it ASAP when you’ve been accepted!

     

    Washington College Grant info https://wsac.wa.gov/wcg-awards

     

    The gist: Free or reduced cost college for ANYONE who has lived in WA for at least 1 year—based on income. There’s no special application, and no GPA requirements. Your FAFSA/WASFA form tells colleges your family income and that you are a WA resident. When you enroll in any Washington college it automatically gets awarded to you. Tuition + fees means everything but the costs of books, room (dorm/apt) and board (food).

    You’re allowed to go full or part time—the program will cover your tuition+fees for 4 full time years (until you get your Bachelor’s degree). You can do that part time over 8 years, say—or take a break in between years, etc. Even if you think you do not qualify right now—the fact that the state will be paying for this means schools will have more money to offer other students—it’s a win-win-win! Plus, you’re Gen P; you know better than anyone that situations change, right?

     

     

    Washington College Bound Scholarship https://wsac.wa.gov/college-bound

     

    You signed up for College Bound Scholarship in middle school (see me if you need to verify!) For a 4-year college in WA, if you have at least a 2.0 GPA in high school—it is a grant up to full tuition for 4 years. For a 2-year college/technical/trade school in WA there is no GPA requirement; the grant can pay up to full tuition for up to 4 years.