College Essays - USC Viterbi School of Engineering



How to Pay for College

For parents

Regardless of which college or career school your child chooses, you will probably need help paying for tuition, fees, books and living expenses. Where is the money going to come from? Often parents, particularly those who have not gone to college themselves, think that their child should work. A job at McDonald’s pays more than five dollars an hour. That could help! Yes, it could help but let’s look at other sources of funding. Financial aid provides money in many different ways. Some of it in the form of work-study or loans requires working or repayment. Other money in the form of grants or scholarships does not need to be repaid.

Let’s first look at the programs available for high school seniors:

California Grant Programs: Cal Grant A, Cal Grant B and Cal Grant C

Every high school senior who meets the academic requirements (3.0 GPA for Cal Grant A; 2.0 GPA for Cal Grant B) falls within certain income and asset ceilings, and APPLIES ON TIME will receive a Cal Grant A or B Entitlement award. This money can cover tuition and fees for a public college in California. Cal Grant C assists students in occupational or career training programs with tuition and training costs. This money is FREE MONEY in that it does not have to be repaid. For more information, visit csac. on the web.

Federal Student Aid: grants, loans and work-study

The federal government offers a number of financial aid programs, including grants, loans, and work-study. To be eligible for most programs, you must:

• have financial need.

• be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen

• have a valid social security number

• register with the U.S. Selective Service, if required to do so

• be accepted in a degree or certificate program at a school by the U.S. Department of Education.

As with the Cal Grants, federal grants do not have to be repaid. They are based on the need of the student and his/her family. If the expected family contribution (EFC) is low, the federal government can award grants, offer low interest loans that must be repaid, or offer the student the opportunity to work on campus part-time.

Institution-Based and Private Scholarships and Grants

Not all financial aid is provided by the state or federal government. Many public and private colleges have their own grants, loans, and scholarships; e.g., Gates Millennium Scholars Program (). Also many companies, individuals and organizations offer grants and scholarships. Many are restricted to certain ethnicities, races, majors, or interests and usually require an essay and recommendations but may not be that difficult to get if your child follows the directions. Students should use the internet and check in their high school College Center daily for scholarship opportunities. They should NOT pay a scholarship service to do what they can do themselves. For free scholarship searches, visit on the web.

Required Financial Aid Applications and Forms

The first thing a student must do to get any money is to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and it is highly recommended that students do this over the internet at fafsa.. File the FAFSA as soon as possible after January 1. Do not wait for your tax returns. In addition to submitting the FAFSA to the federal processor by the deadline of MARCH 2, students must send GPA Verification Forms to the California Student Aid Commission by MARCH 2 as well.

All students should fill out the FAFSA and the GPA Verification Form for the Cal Grant, whether they think they are eligible for money or not. They should keep copies of all financial aid forms submitted and obtain Certificates of Mailing. They will receive notification or a letter of denial and can correct any errors through mid-May. Money is available for most MESA students from various sources. Seek it out. It could be there for your child.

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