Financial Aid: Show Me the Mooola!
OVHS Counseling Department: October 19, 2020
SENIORS:
Senior Google Classroom
Make sure you add this Google Classroom Code as we will send out College App, scholarship opportunities, FAFSA information, Senior activities and much more!
Save the Dates: Upcoming Senior Financial Aid Events
Mooola Mondays!!!
Get started on your FAFSA/CADAA Applications. Counselors are available to help via Zoom every Monday from 12:00-3:00pm. See Flyer and Zoom link below. Weekly Prize Drawings for those who complete their application.
Zoom Meeting ID: 871 6063 1535
Passcode: 890783
FAFSA/CADAA Fact Fridays!!!!
FAFSA Bootcamp Webinars for Students and Parents.
Use the link below to register for the workshops!
Federal Student Aid (FSA) will be hosting a two-day virtual financial aid boot camp on Oct. 20 and 21. This boot camp is ideal for students, parents, guidance counselors, college access professionals, and other members of the financial aid community. Attendees will also discover how to access and share FSA's tools and resources, along with best practices to resolve unique circumstances in the COVID-19 environment.
This boot camp will feature day and evening sessions with subject matter experts providing information designed to help participants learn about
- the federal financial aid process;
- how to complete the 2021–22 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®); and
- FSA tools and resources.
Day 1 – Oct. 20, 2020
Session 1: Understanding the FAFSA® Form
2–3 p.m. Eastern time
Session 2: FSA ID and FSA Resources
4–5 p.m. Eastern time
Session 3: Understanding the FAFSA® Form
(Same as 2pm session)
4–5 p.m. Eastern time
Day 2 – Oct. 21, 2020
Session 1: 2021–22 FAFSA® Line by Line (live demo)
11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. Eastern time
Session 2: 2021–22 FAFSA® Line by Line (live demo)
(Same as 11:30 a.m. session)
6–7 p.m. Eastern time
FAFSA/ CA Dream Act Submission is a Graduation Requirement
We recommend completing the FAFSA/CADAA early so you can get your award letter back prior to having to decide on a college by May 1st.
***Seniors: Please memorize or take a picture of your Social Security Number, as you will need it for your College and Financial Aid Applications***
FAFSA: Free Application for Federal Student Aid application must be submitted to receive Federal and State aid. https://fafsa.ed.gov/
FAFSA opens October 1st 2020. The California deadline is March 2, 2021. The Federal deadline is June 30, 2020. You will be completing the 2021-2022 FAFSA Application. You will use your Parent's 2019 IRS Tax Return to complete income questions.
FSA ID: Federal Student Aid Identification
An FSA ID gives you access to Federal Student Aid’s online systems and can serve as your legal signature. https://fsaid.ed.gov/
· You and your parent will need to create an FSA ID.
· Be sure to record your username and password.
· You will need to renew your FAFSA each year you are in college.
· Your parent will need their FSA ID if you have siblings who will complete the FAFSA.
CA Dream Act Application:
Completion of the California Dream Act Application is required to determine financial aid for California AB540 eligible students. The California Student Aid Commission will process your application.
https://dream.csac.ca.gov/CA Dream Act- Step-by Step Video
California Colleges Guidance Initiative (CCGI)
California Colleges.edu
https://www.californiacolleges.edu/
The platform provides high school students the tools to match their interests and skills to postsecondary college and career opportunities. They can take career assessments and use search tools to develop college, major, and career lists, write goals and journals, track activities, and read a variety of age-appropriate content to develop and expand their knowledge on all college, career, and financial aid planning topics.
OV students should use their VVUSD Google Account to log-in to CCGI. We will be using this platform to launch he FAFSA/CA Dream Act Applications.
Cal-Grant
Cal-Grant: Offers grants (free money) to eligible students attending qualifying Colleges, Universities or Technical Schools.
GPA verification is submitted by our school Registrar.
Changes in Income Since Filing 2019 Taxes
If your and your family’s ability to pay for college changed drastically due to COVID-19, you may be wondering, “What do I do now?”
First, take a deep breath and remember you’re not alone. This is a time of financial uncertainty for many college-bound students and their families.
If you need more financial aid than you initially expected, check out these recommended steps from experts.
Complete the FAFSA First
Yes, complete the form even if your financial situation has changed. And yes, even if you’re worried you may not be awarded as much as you need. While it may not be an accurate reflection of your family’s current financial situation, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) is still the first step in getting financial aid.
“Students and families who have experienced job loss or significant changes in income as a result of the pandemic should complete their FAFSA using the income information from the appropriate year tax forms, (2019) even if it does not currently reflect their financial circumstance,” says Allie Arcese, a spokesperson for the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA).
Why can’t changes be made on the FAFSA to include more recent financial data? By law, the FAFSA relies on tax data from two years prior to determine need. And the formula used to determine a family’s expected contribution is set by Congress. Modifications to these rules would require legislative changes that may come too late to affect the financial need that families are facing today. The only way to start the process of securing any financial aid at all — along with gaining access to many scholarships — is to complete the FAFSA.
Appeal Your Financial Aid Award
After you’ve filled out the FAFSA, you can reach out to the schools on your list for next steps. “When there are unusual situations or circumstances that impact a student’s federal student aid eligibility, federal regulations give a financial aid administrator discretion — on a case-by-case basis and with adequate documentation — to make adjustments to the data elements on the FAFSA that impact the student’s Expected Family Contribution,” says Ben Kohl, former president of the Kansas Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators. Kohl also adds that a financial aid appeal goes by different names at different schools, such as a “professional judgment” or a “special circumstances process.”
Don’t be shy about asking for a recalculation. Financial aid offices are prepared for such requests.
A financial aid appeal isn’t the only part of the process that varies by school. Since this is a new and evolving set of circumstances, there’s no standard way for schools to handle appeals. It’s likely that each school’s process will be a little different.
Arcese recommends contacting financial aid offices directly to be sure you understand their professional judgment process. Keep a spreadsheet of what each school requires and what you’ve submitted, similar to your college or scholarship application spreadsheet.
Kohl recommends having documentation of your financial change ready, as you will likely have to share it to initiate the process. This can include a letter of termination, unemployment insurance forms or court documents, depending on the situation.
If you’re appealing your financial aid award after receiving your award letter, be sure to call attention to aspects of the award that could be impacted by COVID-19. For example, if you’ve been awarded work-study but your school has shifted to online-only classes, you likely won’t be able to secure a work-study job.
Don’t be shy about asking for a recalculation. Financial aid offices are prepared for such requests.
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Meet the OV Counselors
Mrs. Clark
Mrs. McMahon
AVID, NCAA Counselor (9-12)
11th and 12th grade Scholars
10th-12th N-O
951-490-4660 ext. 33167
Mrs. Janis
A-Z
951-490-4660 ext. 33172
Click Link below to make an appointment: https://calendly.com/coyotes-2o24/30-minuteMrs. Rivera
Mrs. Saludes
Middle College
10th-12th grade Ge-M
Dual Enrollment
951-490-4660 ext. 33166
Ms. Vansant
Department Chair
10th-12th grade A-Ga
Foster Liaison
951-490-4660 ext. 33173
Click below to make an appointment
OVHS Counseling Intern
Hello Coyotes! My name is Jeremy Garcia and I am a USC student intern for school counseling with Mrs. Janis (AKA my "Yoda"). I am excited to continue my internship with the amazing Orange Vista school counselor team (AKA my "Jedi Council") and further build my relationship within the Coyote community! Fight on!
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Mrs. Romero
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