KEY FINANCIAL AID DATES
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FOLLOW THESE HELPFUL MONTH-TO-MONTH GUIDELINES FOR BEST RESULTS WITH YOUR SCHOLARSHIP, ACADEMIC, FINANCIAL NEED, AS WELL AS FOR YOUR PLANS AND GOALS FOR YOUR FUTURE . . .
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MIDDLE SCHOOL:
Yes, what you do in middle school really matters!
- The best thing you can do now is get organized, study and get the very best grades possible. Be a well-rounded student by participating in classes and activities.
- Keep in touch with your guidance counselor and indicate that you might be interested in furthering your education after high school and that you are interested in being "on track" for getting scholarships such as the Florida Bright Futures award and other awards.
FRESHMAN to JUNIORS:
High school students should keep in contact with their assigned guidance counselor.
- Community service forms are available from the school-based community service designee. Please be sure to ask for your school’s deadline for completion of community service hours and the returning of forms. Community service hours must be completed before graduation!
SENIORS: |
AUGUST |
- All seniors receive a Financial Aid Packet from their guidance counselor with a wealth of information included inside.
- Make a list of test names, dates, fees and registration deadlines, and of deadlines for college and university admissions and for financial aid applications.
- Seniors should make sure their transcript reflects correct test scores, courses, address, and social security number (correct social security number on records assists in matching student information with test scores from national test bank) before requesting transcripts be sent to colleges and universities.
- Begin asking teachers, guidance counselors and employees for letters of recommendation that will need to be included with admissions and/or scholarship applications.
- Seniors planning to apply for a Bright Futures Scholarship need to review criteria with their guidance counselor. Early admission and dual enrollment students must check with their assistant principal for curriculum and/or with their guidance counselor to make sure their coursework is acceptable for Bright Futures Scholarship qualification.
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AUGUST to MAY |
- Meet with college and university admission representatives who are visiting your school.
- “Monthly Opportunities” scholarship lists are e-mailed to each high school from the district financial aid office. See your guidance counselor for the location of the scholarship list and applications. Also see the financial aid on-line version of the monthly list at: http://www.pinellas.k12.fl.us/finaid/
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AUGUST TO JUNE |
- Apply for outside funding or scholarships. Visit http://www.fastweb.com and fill out a "bio" or try internet searches for scholarships.
A quick note: KEEP COPIES OF ALL PAPERWORK YOU SUBMIT!
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SEPTEMBER to JUNE |
- Work on college and university admission application essays. Make yours stand out.
- Take the SAT, ACT or CPT exam, if necessary. Some private universities may require that you register for CSS/Financial Aid PROFILETM .
- Seniors have through June of their senior year to take the SAT, ACT, or CPT to qualify for the Florida Bright Futures Awards. Students taking the CPT at a community college need to send a copy of the test results to the district financial aid office to ensure the test scores are added to their official transcript. Remember, you must take all three parts (Elementary Algebra, Reading and Sentence Skills) of the CPT if you wish to use the results for the Bright Futures, Gold Seal Vocational Scholars Award.
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JANUARY OF JUNIOR YEAR TO JANUARY OF SENIOR YEAR |
- Visit your top college and university choices. Interview some of the students, faculty and staff. Sign up for one of their scheduled tours or look around on your own. Be sure to visit the department you're considering majoring and minoring in. Notice what activities are offered and the housing/meal situation.
- Attend special programs such as college fairs and college financial aid nights.
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OCTOBER TO NOVEMBER |
- Financial aid seminars are held at Pinellas County public high schools. Letters advertising seminar dates and locations are mailed to parents of sophomores, juniors and seniors. Seminars are open to the public and the dates are available in school guidance offices and on this web site.
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OCTOBER TO DECEMBER |
- Pinellas Education Foundation Scholarship Program is available to every Pinellas county public high school senior. The web address is: www.Pinellaseducation.org .
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OCTOBER TO MARCH |
- Rank your finalized list of colleges and universities.
- Begin preparing your college and university applications. Check with the institutions to learn when materials must be postmarked or submitted on-line.
- Find out which financial aid applications your college and university choices require and when the forms are due.
- Contact the registrar's office at each college and university you've applied to and make certain that your application is complete.
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DECEMBER TO MAY |
- Seniors should complete the state scholarship application. State application open enrollment is December 1st through the date of the student's high school's graduation. This application is found at: http://www.floridastudentfinancialaid.org/
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DECEMBER |
- The “Free Application for Federal Student Aid” (FAFSA) worksheet forms are available from the high school guidance office. The FAFSA should be completed on-line at: http://www.fafsa.ed.gov after January 1st of the student’s senior year and every year thereafter, if the student is still attending educational institutions.
- Parents and students should apply for a U. S. Department of Education PIN at: www.pin.ed.gov before completing the on-line application.
- Check with your colleges and universities of choice as to their deadline for the Student Aid Report (SAR) results, in order to qualify for grant money. Some colleges have an early deadline of February 1st.
- School codes needed for completion of the FAFSA are available from the guidance office and on this web site's "Important Financial Aid Links" page.
- Completion of the FAFSA form and it's purpose is covered at the district financial aid seminars.
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JANUARY |
- FAFSA on-line applications must be submitted to the federal government in order to receive a Student Aid Report (SAR). The results of the SAR determine any eligibility for "need-based" funding.
- District staff members will submit the seventh semester transcript to Bright Futures for all seniors. This submission results in the notification of Bright Futures Scholarship eligibility to qualified seniors.
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FEBRUARY |
- Check and see if your mid-year transcripts have been sent to the colleges and universities to which you have applied.
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FEBRUARY TO MAY |
- Watch the mail for college acceptance and financial aid award letters. Compare the financial aid awards you receive. Biggest is not always the best! Hopefully you attended one of the Pinellas district-sponsored financial aid seminars held in the fall to find out why.
- Find out from the colleges what else you need to do to establish and maintain your eligibility for financial aid.
- Check with the college or university you've chosen to attend about the details of signing and returning your financial aid award letters.
- Notify the other schools that you will not be attending.
- Send Thank You notes.
- Watch for important deadlines at your chosen college or university (housing, financial aid, honors, etc.)
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APRIL TO MAY |
- Letters are mailed from the Office of Student Financial Assistance (OSFA) in Tallahassee, informing students of their Bright Futures Scholarship status. Funds are sent directly to the postsecondary institution. Awarding of a Bright Futures Scholarship is not official until notification from OSFA is mailed to the applicant.
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JUNE |
- Students will have their final transcripts sent to Bright Futures for final scholarship evaluation.
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AUGUST |
- Letters are mailed from the Office of Student Financial Assistance (OSFA) in Tallahassee, informing students of any Bright Futures Scholarship status change. Funds are sent directly to the postsecondary institution. Awarding of a Bright Futures Scholarship is not official until notification from OSFA is mailed to the applicant.
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Contact Jane Howell at 727-588-6013 with any problems, suggestions or questions you have.
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| Revised: 2.5.2008 - s.o. |
