1. 5/23/2013 1www.collegenowgc.org
Financial Aid Options
for Foster Youth
www.collegenowgc.org

2. 5/23/2013 2www.collegenowgc.org
What is Financial Aid?
Money to help students pay for
their college education
(not always FREE!)

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Types of Financial Aid
There are three types of financial aid:
1. Gift money
• Grants & scholarships
2. Earned money
• Federal work study
3. Borrowed money
• Education loans (federal & private)

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What is the FAFSA?
• Free Application for Federal Student Aid
• Why should I complete it?
– Generates every type of financial aid
• When should I complete it?
– After January 1 of High School Senior Year
• How should I complete it?
– Complete the FAFSA at www.fafsa.gov

5. 5/23/2013 5www.collegenowgc.org

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FAFSA Dependency ?’s

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FAFSA
• You need to complete it every year to get
financial aid
• File your FAFSA by your school’s priority
filing deadline
– February 15th is a common deadline

8. 5/23/2013 8www.collegenowgc.org
Expected Family Contribution
(EFC)
• The EFC is what the Department of
Education feels the family can contribute
to the cost of the student’s education
– Is it fair? Most people think “no!”
• The EFC does not change from school to
school

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Student Aid Report (SAR)
• Summary of your FAFSA information
• It is sent electronically to the schools you
have listed on your FAFSA
• Schools will use the information from your
SAR to help determine your financial aid

10. 5/23/2013 10www.collegenowgc.org
Cost of Attendance (COA)
Tuition & Fees
+ Room & Board
+ Books & Supplies
+ Personal Expenses
+ Transportation
Cost of Attendance

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Financial Need
Cost of Attendance
- Expected Family Contribution
Financial Need
Financial Need is used to determine what
type of financial aid a student will receive

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Award Letter
• Award letters sent from schools in late
March or the beginning of April
• Compare award letters for:
–Gift Money
–Earned Money
–Borrowed Money
–Unmet Need

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Extra Monies Available
• ETV
• College Bound (Cuyahoga
County)

14. 5/23/2013 14www.collegenowgc.org
ETV
The Ohio Education and Training Voucher Program is a federally-funded,
state-administered program designed to help youth who were in foster
care. Students may receive up to $5000 a year for qualified school related
expenses. Funding is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis to
eligible students. Applicants must complete the ETV application which includes
documentation each semester that is sent directly from the school to ETV
confirming enrollment, the cost of attendance (COA) and unmet need.
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
1. You must be a current or former foster student who:
– was in foster care on your 18th birthday and aged out at that time.
– OR
was adopted from foster care with the adoption finalized AFTER your
16th birthday.
– OR
will have your foster care case closed between the ages of 18 and 21.

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ETV – cont.
2. You must be a U.S. citizen or qualified non-citizen.
3. Your personal assets (bank account, car, home, etc.) are worth less
than 10,000.
4. You must be at least 18 but younger than 21 to apply for the first
time. You may reapply for ETV funds, if you have a current grant, up
to the age of 23.
5. You must have been accepted into or be enrolled in a degree,
certificate or other accredited program at a college, university,
technical, vocational school. To remain eligible for ETV funding, you
must show progress toward a degree or certificate.
6. Apply or re-apply after July 1st.
website: www.statevoucher.org

16. 5/23/2013 16www.collegenowgc.org
Finding
Scholarships
because they aren’t going
to find you.

17. 5/23/2013 17www.collegenowgc.org
Where to start?
The college that you
want to attend.

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Dedicated Scholarships
Foster Youth:
Foster Care to Success
• www.fc2success.org
Adopted Youth:
UMPS Care Charities
• www.umpscare.com/AllStarScholarship
Children’s Action Network
• www.childrensactionnetwork.org/scholarship

19. 5/23/2013 19www.collegenowgc.org
Strategy # 1:
Think Local
– Local civic organizations, churches, your high school,
your place of employment all might offer scholarships.
– Your chance of getting a scholarship goes up the more
local it is!

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Strategy # 2:
Think Specific
– Scholarships are available for students based on
academic achievement, for certain majors, for
underrepresented students, etc.
– There are scholarships for specific people; as specific as
YOU!

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Strategy # 3:
Think Easy
−Apply to the most obvious scholarships first.

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Applying for Scholarships
• Be sure you meet all deadlines
• Understand what is required for
submission
• Follow up in a timely manner if you have
not heard from awarding institution

23. 5/23/2013 23www.collegenowgc.org
The Essay Step 1:
• Choosing a topic
– Are you answering the question
– Do you have enough information to support your topic
– Is your topic too controversial or too boring
– Is your topic unique or can you put a unique spin on it

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The Essay Step 2:
• Writing your essay
– Use the essay as a chance to separate yourself from
other applicants
– Write so people understand what you are saying
– The body of your essay should support the
introduction

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The Essay Step 3:
• Proofing an essay
– Ask at least two honest and qualified people to read
over your essay
– If you quoted something make sure you cited it
correctly
– Make sure each word counts

26. 5/23/2013 26www.collegenowgc.org
Don’t do this . . .
Eye halve a spelling checker
It came with my pea sea,
It plainly marquees four my revue
Miss steaks eye kin knot sea.
Eye strike a key and type a word
And weight for it two say,
Weather eye am wrong oar write
It shows me strait a weigh.
As soon as a mist ache is maid
It nose bee fore two long,
And eye can put the error rite
Its rare lea ever wrong.

27. 5/23/2013 27www.collegenowgc.org
Beware!
• Not all scholarship providers have your
best interest in mind!
–Watch out for:
• Application Fees
• Guaranteed Winnings
• Too-good-to-be-true offers

28. 5/23/2013 28www.collegenowgc.org www.collegenowgc.org
Questions?

29. 5/23/2013 29www.collegenowgc.org www.collegenowgc.org
Stacy Watts
Resource Center Coordinator
216-241-5587, ext. 140
swatts@collegenowgc.org