From the JA Student Center (Studentcenter.ja.org)
You have quite a life in front of you. Much of it will be spent working. That’s good news, because working in your chosen career field can be awesome. Join the JA Student Center Community to explore more features of the Student Center.
As your “map to tomorrow,” the JA Student Center is an online navigational tool geared to help you become workforce ready. Here you can search for colleges based on your wants and needs, seek out financial aid to help you pay for that higher education, gain knowledge on how to handle your money, explore careers you have always been interested in, get tips on how to start a business of your own, and much more!
So buckle up, enjoy the ride, and don’t let this valuable knowledge pass you by on your road to the future!
From the St. Tammany Parish College Counseling Center
Financial aid is money used for educational expenses that comes from sources other than the family and is meant to supplement the family’s contribution to make college education affordable.
The most important words of advice we can offer are apply for aid: You will not receive aid if you do not apply. Please do not eliminate a college immediately because of price. If you do not mind disclosing the information requested, you have nothing to lose except the time required for completing the forms. The purpose of these forms is to determine your family’s eligibility for financial aid.
So what forms are needed and who completes the form(s)?
The most widely used “needs analysis” form is the FAFSA or Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Any college to which a student applies for financial aid will require completion of the FAFSA. This form is used by colleges AND some scholarship programs to determine a student’s eligibility for federal and state financial aid (this is the application required for TOPS). Many colleges will also determine distribution of their need-based financial aid on the information provided through the FAFSA. Again, a student cannot quality for federal aid unless he/she completes the FAFSA.
This form cannot be completed until after January 1st of the student’s senior year of college because it requires income information for the calendar year preceding a student entering college. So for 2007-2008 graduates, the FAFSA cannot be completed until after January 1, 2008 and will require income information (and income tax information) from the year 2007. Both the student and his/her parent(s) will provide income information for completion of the FAFSA. The official (and free) website for information or to file a FAFSA, go to www.fafsa.ed.gov.
Depending upon the college or university, it is possible that the institution will have their own needs analysis form. This may be the third form required for application for financial aid. Again, check with the colleges and universities to which you will apply to see what forms are required.
Determine what forms are to be completed and when they are due as it is imperative to meet the financial aid application deadline established by the college or university.
Each college will have their own deadline, normally beginning around February 15.
Because these forms require information from the student’s and parent’s income tax forms, it is NOT a good idea to wait until April 15th to prepare income tax papers. It is a good idea to complete the FAFSA online because processing time is cut in half by doing so.
The CSS Profile can only be completed online. When completing the forms, parents and students will be asked to itemize their income and assets, and list savings and earnings.
Working with this information, and taking into account such factors as family size, number of family members in college, and parents’ ages, the federal processing agency estimates the amount that parents and the student should be able to contribute to the first year of college.
The information submitted is then processed on a computerized sheet (SAR). Once the forms have been completed, the student will receive (either by mail or email depending upon how the original form was submitted) a Student Aid Report (SAR). This is a verification form that requires the student to verify that the information initially reported is correct.
Copies of this computerized sheet are sent to you and to each of the colleges to which you list on your original FAFSA or CSS Profile. Once the colleges receive your Student Aid Report, they can begin to put together a financial aid package for you. Also on your SAR you will find the family’s Expected Family Contribution or EFC. This is the amount of money the family isexpected to contribute to the student’s education in the first year of college.
Students must re-apply for financial aid by completing the FAFSA every year.
Additional information can be found in the St. Tammany Parish Public Schools College Counseling Handbook
Helpful links:
www.Going2College.org
www.fafsa.ed.gov
www.osfa.la.gov
https://profileonline.collegeboard.com
— From the St. Tammany Parish College Counseling Center
The three Students of the Year representing the St. Tammany Parish Public School System for the 2008-2009 School Year were honored at the annual May Reception held recently at the C. J. Schoen Administrative Complex.
The outstanding students were chosen from the fifth, eighth, and twelfth grades based on criteria including writing ability, community involvement, academic success, and interview skills. They were chosen Students of the Year at the school level first, then at the district level.
Shalin Bhatt, a fifth grade student from Tchefuncte Middle School, was named Student of the Year for St. Tammany Parish public schools and was also named a finalist at the regional level. When being introduced at the May reception, his interest in science and community service was acknowledged. His activities at school include student government, 4-H, and the French Club, and his career goal is to become a neurologist. He is the son of Dr. and Mrs. Suresh Bhatt.
The eighth grade district winner is Raya Islam from Boyet Junior High. At the May reception, she was congratulated for her outstanding academic record, her community service, and involvement in community sports programs. She won first place in her school’s science fair when she was in kindergarten, has been active for years in local Girl Scout programs, and has also taken part in school robotics challenges. She hopes to attend Duke University and major in international affairs in medicine so she can help less fortunate people across the globe. She is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Quazi T. Islam.
Samantha Lee Parker won the Student of the Year honors for the 12th grade level. While a student at Fontainebleau High School, she was active in honor societies, student government, and the quiz bowl. The daughter of Gordon and Dr. Janine Parker, who are both first responders, she has assisted in many blood drives and other community service projects. In addition to gathering an excellent academic record, she has been involved in volleyball, softball, ballet, gymnastics, figure skating, and piano. Her experiences during Hurricane Katrina taught her lessons that will last a lifetime, she said, and her mother’s career has inspired her to explore a career in the medical field.
During the School Board meeting following the May reception, Superintendent Gayle Sloan congratulated each Student of the Year and presented them with an award recognizing their achievement.
— St. Tammany Parish School Board
