FINANCIAL AID GUIDELINES FOR SENIORS

Attending college and/or vocational school is expensive, but if you plan wisely and carefully, there is no reason why money should be a limiting factor. Every student who needs money for additional schooling should carefully follow the next 3 steps listed:

STEP ONE (Sept. - Oct.)

Read through the scholarships listed in box number five.  As you go through the list, make note of the "Eligibilty" line of each scholarship.  As you do this, make a list of all scholarships for which you qualify.  We suggest that this list be kept in the Career Center notebook titled, "The Money Book". You may then access this list at any time.  It will remind you of those that you are qualified for.  We will make a copy for you to keep as well.

STEP TWO (Sept. - Dec.)

Contact your college directly to secure individual scholarship forms that colleges may require.   The application for admission forms that you may have already mailed do not always serve as applications for financial aid - there may be two separate forms.  Also, check out the possibility that your parents may be employed by a firm that offers scholarships to its employee family members.

STEP THREE (Nov. - Dec.)

Pick up a copy, or information, regarding the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) from the Career Center. Your parents are required to complete this financial aid form based on their income tax. This Federal Government financial aid process should be completed as close to Jan. 1 of your graduation year, as possible, although it may not be done before Jan. 1.  No matter what your parent's income level, schools request this information to determine your eligibility for all scholarships, grants, loans, etc. The FAFSA form is should be completed online to have the quickest and most accurate application.

IMPORTANT NOTE: You may input your FAFSA information directly by computer and save six weeks of processing time. First request a personal ID number (PIN) at "www.pin.ed.gov". Next, log on to "www.fafsa.ed.gov". Click here to see additional definitions and information on grants and loans.

STEP FOUR (Oct. - May)

Scholarship applications and information regarding the scholarships that you are qualified for, may be picked up in the Career Center when their

Posting sheet appears on the Bulletin Board on the outside of the Career Center. Please read through the other boxes on this webpage for futher information regarding the Posting of the scholarships.