By Dasia Dunn

A

s seniors approach the end of their high school careers, many are searching for ways to pay for their college education. One way is through FAFSA, which stands for Free Application for Federal Student Aid.

If you qualify for FAFSA, you can get free money (as well as loans or work study) for college from the federal government to cover the costs of tuition, books, and supplies. But, there is a catch: the March 2 deadline for FAFSA is for specific grant money.

FAFSA also includes the application for the Cal Grant and the Pell Grant. “The Cal Grant is only for residents of California. In order to receive this grant, you must have a grade point average of a 3.0 or above, and an expected family contributer number that you will receive when you complete your FAFSA,” said Ms. Medina, Gear-Up Site Coordinator, located in the College and Career Center (room 107).

To have access to this grant, students must complete the necessary requirements. One crucial requirement is the GPA Verification Form, which must be submitted by March 2. You can get the GPA Verification Form from your counselor, and turn it in to the schools registrar, Ms. Valis, who is located in the back of the school's library (hours are from 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.)

Students must have the following items in order to complete their FAFSA application.

• Your social security number
• Your income tax returns, W-2, and 1099 forms from previous year (if you had/have a job)
• Parents’ income tax returns, W-2 forms and 1099 forms from previous year
• Current bank statements and mortgage information
• Records relating to stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and investments
• Documentation of non-taxable income such as Social Security Income, AFDC, and Veterans Benefits
• Business and farm records (if applicable)
• Records relating to any unusual family financial circumstances such as medical and dental expenses not covered by health insurance, tuition expenses at elementary or secondary schools, unusually high child care costs, divorce, death, and loss of employment

“Parent tax returns are probably one of the most important things to make sure you have because they help you answer important questions when filing out your FAFSA,” said Medina.  If your parents have not yet filed their 2011 tax returns, make sure to use 2010 tax figures or estimate and submit by the March 2 deadline. 

For help with FAFSA applications, you can attend a workshop offered by Cal-Soap. Lincoln High School will hold one this Saturday, January 28, 2012, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Every student that attends a Cash for College Workshop will be entered into a $1,000.00 Scholarship opportunity. If you cannot attend this Saturday, there are 8 more scheduled in San Diego.

• Saturday, February 4, 2012; El Cajon High School (9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.), San Ysidro High School (9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.), Hoover High School (9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.)
• Saturday, February 11, 2012; Montgomery High School (9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.)., MiraCosta College (10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.)
• Saturday, February 25, 2012;Madison High School (9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.), CSU San Marcos (9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.), Olympian High School (9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.)

Each time you attend one of these workshops, your name is entered in the raffle for the $1,000.00 scholarship.  The more you attend, the greater your chances of winning. For more information on these workshops, visit www.californiacashforcollege.org

You can also receive assistance on your FAFSA at the College Club after school with Ms. Frankenberg (room 468) or Mr. Castro (room 654) on Tuesday’s, Wednesday’s, and Thursday’s through the ASSETS Afterschool Program.

Each year that you attend college, you must fill out the FAFSA form.  Additional information regarding FAFSA, including an online form, can be found here.