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www.grasp4va.org

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Post-

Secondary�Financial Aid

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GRASP Advisors

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Appointments through school counseling

Confidential and free

Assistance with college financial aid process and scholarships

Knowledgeable about special circumstances: foster care, adoption, legal guardianship, divorce, financial challenges (i.e. due to COVID-19), layoffs

Help accessing important opportunities

Last Dollar and Community College Scholarships

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GRASP Advisors are prepared to help students and families both in person and virtually through…

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In-person meetings at high schools

Phone calls

Text messaging

Emails

Video conferencing

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What is Financial Aid?

Non-need Based

  • Merit Scholarships
  • Athletic Scholarships

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Need Based

  • Grants
  • Work-study

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Federal Loans

  • Subsidized 6.53%
  • Unsubsidized 6.53%
  • Parent Plus 9.08%

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Financial Aid Forms – Which do You Need?��Not all students will complete all of these��Depends on individual circumstances

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FAFSA – Free Application for Federal Student Aid

VASA – Virginia Alternative State Aid Application

CSS Profile – College Board’s Application

College Scholarship Applications

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Why Complete the FAFSA?

COA

​

- SAI

=Demonstrated financial need

  • Cost of Attendance (COA) includes: books, fees, room and board, tuition, personal expenses and transportation.

​

  • The FAFSA will tell you your family’s Student Aid Index (SAI)

​

  • The difference between your SAI and the COA is your financial need

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FAFSA in 5 Steps

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Meet

Meet with a GRASP Advisor to help throughout this process!

Respond

Respond to emails or requests for documentation.

Check

Check email regularly! Look for FAFSA Submission Summary sent to student's email address. Correct any errors online.

File

File online at www.fafsa.gov hopefully in December but before your colleges’ priority filing deadlines.

Get

Get a FSA ID at https:/studentaid.gov to create student's and contributor's individual username and password.

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Choosing to not file the FAFSA means that your school will not consider you for financial aid – including some loans, work study and “free money” like grants.

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FYI - 2024-2025 school year

​

MAXIMUM PELL GRANT : $7395

FEDERAL STUDENT LOAN RATE : 6.53%

FEDERAL PLUS LOAN FOR PARENTS : 9.08%

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Maximum Undergraduate Dependent Student Loan Amount per year:

Freshman - $5500

Sophomore - $6500

Junior - $7500

Senior - $7500

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VASA – for qualifying noncitizen students

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  • Allows certain noncitizen students who are ineligible to complete the FAFSA to be considered for Virginia grants
  • VASA stands for Virginia Alternative State Aid Application
  • Summary of eligibility requirements:
    • Attendance at a Virginia high school for two years
    • Completion of high school is or will be after 7/1/2008
    • Student (and parents if student is dependent) filed Virginia taxes for at least two years
    • Student has or will register at a Virginia college or university
    • Precise requirements outlined at vasaapp.org

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More Forms?

Some schools have additional forms, so look closely at the financial aid section of each school’s website.

    • Check if you need to file CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE. Examples: William and Mary, University of Richmond, Washington & Lee, University of Virginia, Christendom College
    • School specific scholarship applications: University of Richmond, Washington & Lee, UVA, William & Mary, for example.
    • Ask about due dates. You may lose aid if you miss due dates.

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Timeline for Financial Aid

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ADMISSION

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  • Admission decision sent
  • notification of merit-based scholarship
  • info sent to school’s FA office

FINANCIAL AID OFFICE

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  • Once notified of admission, FAFSA results pulled
  • unmet need determined
  • evaluated for state and school specific aid
  • FA award package sent
  • File FAFSA
  • Results from FAFSA within a week (usually)
  • FAFSA sends copy of results to colleges

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Award Notification Example

Sample School COA: $30,000

Sample Student SAI: $5,000

Sample Student Initial Need: $25,000

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All numbers are estimates for illustration.

Fall Spring Total

Federal Subsidized Loan $1,750 $1,750 $3,500

Federal Unsubsidized Loan $1,000 $1,000 $2,000

Federal Work Study $2,000 $2,000 $4,000

University Grant $1,000 $1,000 $2,000

Pell Grant $1,000 $1,000 $2,000

VGAP Grant $2,400 $2,400 $4,800

TOTAL $9,150 $9,150 $18,300

Initial need

-

Financial aid package

=

Unmet need

$25,000

-

$18,300

=

$6,700

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��For more information, click here�

�Available in English and Spanish

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Steps to Financial Aid Success

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Scour college websites for scholarship dates, priority filing dates for financial aid, application dates

File FAFSA/VASA/CSS Profile on-time regardless of your perceived financial need

Don’t get “emotionally hooked” on one school if finances matter

Maximize your high school’s resources:

    • Check out school counseling area of high school website for college information
    • Let your school counselor know about special circumstances

Meet with your GRASP Advisor

Pay attention to emails and college assigned student accounts

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Borrowing Money for College

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FAFSA completion is required for federal student and parent loans.

Federal loans have fixed interest rates.

Repayment for students is usually deferred until student leaves school.

Students do not have to have a good credit rating.

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SCHOLARSHIPS

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  • Check colleges’ deadlines for applying for merit scholarships
  • GHS scholarship page in Canvas
  • GRASP WEBSITE: GRASP4VA.ORG
  • COLLEGEBOARD.ORG
  • FASTWEB.ORG
  • CFRICHMOND.ORG
  • SCHOLARSHIPAMERICA.ORG

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Financial Aid and Scholarship Advising

Lindsay Bradley,�Goochland GRASP Advisor

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Email:

goochland@grasp4va.org

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Available every Monday and Tuesdays

For appointments visit: https://calendly.com/goochlandgraspadvisor

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Thank You�from�

�

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