College of the Desert

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College of the Desert

• You Can Afford College

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How do I apply for Financial Aid?

• Complete the Free Application for Federal Student
  Aid (FAFSA) online
  
• www.fafsa.gov
• The FASFA is processed in 3-7 days. You can
  print your results when you receive them (the
  Student Aid Report SAR).
• Once the Financial Aid Office receives your
  information, they will notify you by letter
  through the regular mail.

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What types of financial aid may be available for
me?
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Financial Aid Includes

• BOG Enrollment Fee Waiver
• Scholarships
• Federal Pell Grant
• FSEOG Grant
• CAL Grant
• Federal Work-Study
• Federal Stafford Loans

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What are the maximum awards for each of these
components?

• BOG Enrollment Fee Waiver - 728
• Scholarships - varies
• Federal Pell Grant - 5,550
• FSEOG Grant - 500
• CAL Grant B - 1,551
• CAL Grant C - 576
• Federal Work-Study - 4,000
• Loans - 3,500 (1st year UG subsidized amount)

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Who May Qualify for Financial Aid?

• Anyone who has unmet financial need
• Unmet need is found by taking
• Cost of Attendance (COA is 10,809)
• Expected Family Contribution (EFC)
• Unmet need
• 10,809 EFC Unmet need
• For dependent students living at home.

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Determining the Cost of Attendance
Dependent (living _at_ home) 728 1,620 4,392 3
,078 963 10,809
Independent (away from home)
728 1,620 10,980 2,817 1,080 17,253

• Fees/Health
• Books Supplies
• Food Housing
• Misc./Personal
• Transportation
• TOTAL

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Did You Know . . .

• Over 50 of full time students receive some form
  of financial aid.
• 1 out of every 2 students who did not apply for
  financial aid are usually eligible for some type
  of financial aid.
• 1 of unmet need makes you eligible for the BOG
  Enrollment Fee Waiver.

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BOG Enrollment Fee Waiver(Board of Governors Fee
Waiver)

• Waives all enrollment fees at COD regardless of
  how many classes in which you enroll.
• There are 3 ways to qualify
• Method A for recipients of TANF/CalWORKs or
  SSI/SSP or General Assistance (complete the BOG
  Fee Waiver application and provide appropriate
  documentation)
• Method B based on family size and family income
  (complete the BOG Fee Waiver application and
  provide appropriate documentation)
• Method C based on the EFC number derived from
  your Student Aid Report (FAFSA results)

Many people qualify using Method C!
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Scholarships

• Available through many sources both external
  internal
• COD offers scholarships through an online generic
  application available in late February/early
  March
• Students must have a 2.5 GPA meet other
  requirements
• Intro. to Scholarships STDV 062 (class)
• Free on-line scholarship searches
• (for a list of free scholarship search websites,
  visit the
• Financial Aid Offices website and view under
  Scholarships)
• Scholarship money does not have to be repaid!!!

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Federal Pell Grant

• Money from the Federal Government that does not
  have to be paid back.
• The amount of the award is based on COA, EFC,
  enrollment status, and length of enrollment.
• Federal Pell Grants target high need students.
• Some students do not qualify for the Federal Pell
  Grant but qualify for other financial aid.

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FSEOG Grant(Federal Supplemental Education
Opportunity Grant)

• Money that does not have to be repaid.
• COD receives a specified allocated amount each
  year.
• This money is distributed to students with the
  highest need (500 awards)
• FSEOG is awarded on a 1st come 1st served basis.
  Once the funds are gone, theyre gone.

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CAL Grant

• There are 3 types of CAL Grants
• Cal Grant A 4-year institutions (do not turn it
  down - you may place it on reserve until you
  transfer)
• Cal Grant B for high need students
• Cal Grant C vocational programs (i.e., nursing)
• Cal Grant application takes - 2 FORMS
• FAFSA
• Cal Grant GPA Verification
• 1st Application Deadline is March 2
• 2nd Application Deadline is September 2 (for
  Community College students only)

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Federal Work-Study

• Students with financial need are provided
  part-time work.
• 8.50 hourly wage rate.
• This income does not affect your financial aid
  eligibility for next year. (i.e., McDonald's
  versus Work-Study)
• Most jobs are on campus (great location)
• Work hours are flexible to meet your school
  schedule needs.

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Federal Direct Stafford Loan(not recommended for
community college students)

• Subsidized
• Must be repaid
• Based on financial need
• Federal Government pays interest on the loan
  while you are attending school at least 1/2 time
  (6 units or more)

• Unsubsidized
• Must be repaid
• NOT based on financial need
• Federal Government does NOT pay interest on the
  loan while you are attending school

• PLUS Loans for Parents
• Must be repaid
• Credit is checked
• Lower interest rate because it is an educational
  loan

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Websites recommended by the Financial Aid Office

• www.fafsa.gov
• www.college.gov
• www.finaid.org
• www.hsf.net (Hispanic Scholarship Fund)
• All of these websites are free (there are no
  fees or charges) and provide a wealth of
  important information and resources.

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DEADLINE dates are important to remember

• March 2
• March 2
• March 2
• March 2

This is the deadline date for the state Cal Grant
Program and for the submission of the FAFSA to
both the CSU UC colleges
and universities. Transfer students BE AWARE!
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What if I miss the March 2nd deadline?
For students attending a California Community
College

• BOG Enrollment Fee Waiver Application must be
  completed before the end of the current school
  year and is retroactive to the beginning of the
  financial aid award year.
• Federal Pell Grant The FAFSA must be completed
  and all requested forms returned to the Financial
  Aid Office before the end of the school year
  (Spring semester) to ensure eligibility and
  payment.
• 2nd deadline for the Cal Grant is September 2nd
  for community college students only. This
  deadline is for the submission of both the FAFSA
  and the Cal Grant GPA Verification form.

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BEWARE OF SCAMS!

• DO NOT USE WWW.FAFSA.COM or WWW.EASYFAFSA.COM
• They charge fees!!!
• www.fafsa.gov FREE
• Financial aid is free. If anyone wants you to
  pay for financial aid services, you are being
  taken advantage of and should go to your
  Financial Aid Office for help!
• DO NOT PAY FOR FINANCIAL AID INFORMATION,
  SCHOLARSHIPS, ETC.

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College of the Desert
Now that you know you can afford college, dont
forget to complete all of the required forms,
keep copies of everything you submit to the
Financial Aid Office and meet the deadlines! Good
Luck!