Cal Grants Overview

High School Counselor Workshop

Cal Grants Overview2013 CASFAA/CSAC High School Counselor Workshops Presented by the California Student Aid Commission

Agenda2Read agendaBasic Cal Grant Eligibility

Questions?Basic Cal Grant Eligibility4Federal RequirementsAdditional Cal Grant Requirements*U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen*California ResidentMeet Selective Service requirementsAttend an eligible California school*Have a Social Security numberBe enrolled at least half-timeMaintain Satisfactory Academic ProgressHigh School GPA required (Entitlement)

Not owe a grant repayment or be in default on a student loanNot be incarceratedNot have earned a BA/BS degree* These requirements are supplanted by other eligibility criteria for AB 540 students

Review text on slide

In general, Cal grant eligibility is the same as Federal Aid eligibility but there are also some differences. For example, a Cal Grant recipient must be a California resident and plan to attend a CA college or university.

HS seniors and recent high school graduates are generally classified as Entitlement Students (E1)FASFA must be filed by March 2ndHigh School GPA required and must be submitted my March 2.

There are also competitive awards that we will discuss later.

Dependent students whose parents are in registered domestic partnerships should go to http://www.csac.ca.gov/pubs/forms/grnt_frm/G-37.pdf

Cal Grant Income & Asset Ceilings5

Eligible and Ineligible Cal Grant School Lists6

Starting with the 2011-12 award year, 154 institutions have been found ineligible for Cal Grant program participation due to acts of the Legislature.Cal Grants A, B, and C

Questions?Cal Grant ACSUUCIndependentFor Profit$ 5,472/yr$ 12,192/yr$ 8,056/yr$4,000/yr8Cal Grant A has been around since 1955; it used to be called California State Scholarship

Academic requirement: student must have a B average. To receive this Cal Grant, the student must be working toward a two-year or four-year degree.Annual Entitlement awards can be used for tuition and/or fees at California public and private colleges as well as some private career colleges.

For year 2014-15, a Cal Grant A pays $12,192 at the University of California, $5,472 at California State University, $8,056 at private nonprofit colleges and for-profit colleges accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, and $4,000 at all other qualifying for-profit colleges.Access Cal Grants at a California Community College are $1,463Students attending a California Community College do not receive their Cal Grant A payment, but the award is kept on reserve until they transfer. Note that students can apply to keep the grant on reserve for 3 year. 2 years is automatic but must apply for extension.

Please see R03 for the Cal Grant Ceilings, etc. 8Cal Grant B9Good for Degree and certificate programs. See income and asset ceilings in Reference 03.Cal Grant B Entitlement awards provide low-income students with a living allowance and assistance with tuition and fees. Most first-year students receive an allowance of up to $1,473 for books and living expenses. After the freshman year, Cal Grant B also helps pay tuition and/or fees in the same amount as a Cal Grant A. For a Cal Grant B, your coursework must be for at least one academic year.

Cal Grant B Competitive Awards are for students with a minimum 2.0 GPA who are from disadvantaged and low-income families. These awards can be used for tuition, fees and access costs ( such as books and supplies) at qualifying California schools whose programs are at least one year in length. These costs include living expenses, transportation, supplies and books. If the student receives a Cal Grant B Competitive Award it can only be used for access costs in the first year. Beginning with the second year, one can use a Cal Grant B Competitive Award to help pay tuition and/or fees at California public or private four-year colleges or other qualifying schools.Cal Grant C10Read slide and add

At the CC students receive a very modest books and supply payment.Cal Grant CPriority given based on Occupational GoalMeeting 2 of the 3: high employment need, high employment growth, and high wage

11Automotive Service Technicians and MechanicsLicensed Practical and Licensed Vocational NursesCarpentersMedical SecretariesComputer Specialists, All OtherParalegals and Legal AssistantsComputer Support SpecialistsPolice and Sheriff's Patrol OfficersCooks, RestaurantPreschool Teachers, Except Special EducationFire FightersRegistered NursesFitness Trainers and Aerobics InstructorsNew scoring system for 2012-13. Priority given to students in programs meeting 2 of the 3 requirements: High employment need, High employment growth, and High wage

High School Entitlement Awardsand Graduation Verification

Questions?

High School Entitlement Awards

132013-14 will be the 13th year of the Entitlement program.

CHSPE = HS graduation but test results cannot be used to meet Cal Grant academic qualifierGED = HS graduation and test results can be used to meet Cal Grant academic qualifier

Funding has not been eliminated that this point.

Note that CAHSEE requirement must be passed.

SAT or ACT meet the academic requirement portion. Some students can combine GED with test scores for example, to meet requirements.

High School Entitlement Awards14The addition of the students high school information on the FAFSA will allow the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC) to better match FAFSA/ DREAM Act Applications and GPAs. High schools should look for notices from CSAC on these new functionalities.Be looking for reports from CSAC which will provide students opportunities to resolve missing data; for example, GPA by High School.

Provide plug- CSAC will be doing GPA calculations webinars in November and December so watch for announcements or information on the CSAC website.Cal Grant High School Entitlement15Entitlement program will be in its 13th year for the 2013-2014 award year.

WGS- WebGrants for Students, G-8 (graduation confirmation ) If student needs a form s/he can go online and download.

Applicants should expect to communicate electronically with the Student Aid Commission. CSAC will use email provided on FAFSA. Students without email will receive a hard-copy letter. However, we encourage to students set up g-mail accounts because will increase the effectiveness of all communication.

Last minute mailings are best sent with Certificate of Mailing from the Post Office. The cost is $1.15.High School Graduation Verification16

High School Graduation Verification17



Student Notifications

Questions?Student Notifications21Students need to watch for e-mail from CSAC. E-mail will sent from [email protected] or [email protected] Students should mark these as safe.

Student account allows them to look at their CAL Grant Statuses.22Student Notifications (CAR)

Email Delivery

Provides grant type and estimated amounts for up to 3 CA schools listed on the FAFSA

Communication with CSAC is emphasizedStudent will be sent an e-mail asking them to check (WebGrants) WGS for their Cal Grant award status. Student can check anytime.Read Slide:The notification will include:Grant typeEstimated award for up to 3 California schools listed on the FAFSAWebGrants for Schools

Questions?WebGrants for Schools24CSAC Technology Help Desk information for schools only. Please do not give these contact addresses to students!!!!!WebGrants for Schools25https://webgrants.csac.ca.govBatch upload is a text document in the proper GPA record layout WebGrants has built-in edits to catch things like incorrect GPAs (over 4.00 or less than three characters), incorrect SSNs (SSNs starting with an 8 or 9, for example)Confirmation of GPA submissions is helpful for us to track a file submission problem because of time/date stamp and helps during a late GPA appeal from schoolGPA Summary report is a cumulative report so it grows as more GPAs are successfully submitted by the schoolSchool of Origin report is available starting in April and lists all students by name that were offered a Cal Grant Award from your schoolWebGrants is a secure website (encrypted) and students personal data (i.e. SSN) is not as easily accessible like a paper form could be

GPA and Academic Qualifier Submission

Questions?Academic Qualifiers & Submissions27SAT Reasoning test is acceptable if no GPA is available. SAT subject tests are not acceptedCal Grant GPA CalculationCurrent High School Seniors28The definition of remedial course is a course that does count towards the students graduation (as determined by the high school or school district). CSAC does not determine which courses are remedial because there are far too many courses within each school with various curriculum differences.

Those students who have completed Advanced Placement or Honors coursework may have GPAs that are higher than a 4.00 because of the college credit.but those GPAs must be re-calculated based on the 4.00 scale because state law requires a maximum 4.00 scale.

Accelerated Juniors GPA can include Sophomore year, summer following sophomore and all grades completed in the junior year at the time of GPA certification

For second chance students, high school counselors can expect students to ask for senior grades since students will show that they have graduated and submit the GPA including senior grades.

Although many high schools are using GPA above 4.0 there is no additional weight given to these honors courses for the Cal Grant GPA.

Cal Grant GPA Calculation Last Years High School Graduates29The definition of remedial course is a course that does count towards the students graduation (as determined by the high school or school district). CSAC does not determine which courses are remedial because there are far too many courses within each school with various curriculum differences.





Statewide Student Identifier30The definition of remedial course is a course that does count towards the students graduation (as determined by the high school or school district). CSAC does not determine which courses are remedial because there are far too many courses within each school with various curriculum differences.





Ways to Submit GPAs31Ways to Submit GPAs:Non-SSN GPA File Upload32Ways to Submit GPAs33 How to retrieve GPA Reports

How to retrieve GPA Reports

Non-SSN GPA Status Report36

This new report will combine the Non-SSN GPA School Unmatched and Non-SSN GPA Roster Reports.

Student Summary ReportNew Comprehensive Report

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GPA-Best Practices38Remember, you can submit GPAs now!

So, if you are submitting GPAs for your Seniors, you already have their grades needed to calculate their GPA by the previous June if they did not take any Summer courses (i.e. dont wait until the last minute to calculate GPAs).Cannot electronically upload GPAs without access to WebGrants and you also cannot retrieve the reports that give information on the status of your students GPAs either.There are a lot of resource materials available in WebGrants to help you use all of the functions of WebGrants to their fullest potential.Some schools will use the Add GPAs screen for large batches of GPAs too, and thats OK. It is still an electronic submission of the GPAs so they will be processed much faster than using the paper GPA Verification Form. Once you have established the process for uploading GPAs via a text batch, it is much easier and quicker to do and is the fastest way to submit large numbers of GPA records.GPA Summary Report and the School of Origin Report. GPA Summary Report is cumulative so it grows as you submit more GPA records and you can keep track of how many GPAs were successfully submitted to CSAC so you can compare with the total number of students in your records.

Tools for Schools

Questions?

WWW.CSAC.CA.GOVThe arrows point to important Cal Grant information: GPA forms, Income ceilings, eligible schools and the link to the Dream ApplicationCalifornia Success DashboardComing soon in 2014, the Commission will publish aggregate totals of student FAFSA & CA Dream Act & Cal Grant application submissions, completions & awards by school, district and county

41SAMPLEWhat Your Students Need to KnowOnce the application is filed;Create and maintain a WebGrants 4 Students accountIf awarded, confirm HS Grad Date in JuneOnce the college of attendance is decided ensure that WebGrants 4 Students has the correct school on fileContact the Financial Aid Office at the college of attendance to see what needs to be done in order to receive Cal Grant payment(s)Keep track of Cal Grant payments using the Payment History screen on WebGrants 4 Students If a School Change or Leave of Absence is necessary, submit to the Commission directly using WebGrants 4 Students 42Cal Grant Payment EligibilityCal Grants pay up to 4 years or until undergraduate degree is achieved, whichever comes first12 units per term is considered full-time for financial aid purposesGraduation in four years would require more than 12 units per term43Cal Grant Renewal Eligibility44WebGrants for Students (WGS)

Questions?WebGrants for Students (WGS)46Review WGS. Read both bullets and reiterate that other financial aid links empowers students with critical financial aid information to ensure successful processing of grant application & maintenance of their award status

WebGrants4Students.org47WebGrants4Students.org48

WebGrants4Students.org High School Graduation Confirmation49

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WebGrants4Students.orgCalifornia Aid Report (CAR)51

A New Grant ProgramMiddle Class Scholarship (MCS) Program

Questions?53A New Grant ProgramWhat is the Middle Class Scholarship?On July 1, 2013 Governor Jerry Brown signed historic legislation aimed at making higher education more affordable. The Middle Class Scholarship (MCS) program would apply to undergraduate students with family incomes up to $150,000 and who attend a University of California (UC) or California State University (CSU) campus.Middle Class Scholarships are based on a sliding scale according to your family income. Scholarship amounts may vary by student and institution. Your award amount is determined after any other publicly funded, need-based student financial aid you may receive. The final award amount will also be based on the number of students that are eligible for the Middle Class Scholarship and the amount of funding allocated by the State Budget.New, transfer and returning undergraduate students to California State University or University of California with a family income of up to $150,000 may be eligible for the Middle Class Scholarship. Middle Class Scholarships are based on a sliding scale according to your family income. Scholarship amounts may vary by student and institution. The scholarship amount is limited to no more than 40% of the amount of your institutions system-wide tuition.* Your award amount is determined after any other publicly funded, need-based student financial aid you may receive. Students whose families earn up to $100,000 per year are eligible for up to a 40% tuition/fee discount and students whose families earn up to $150,000 per year are eligible for no less than 10% tuition/fee discount.The Middle Class Scholarship is being phased in over four years. For the 2014-15, 2015-16, and 2016-17 academic years, the maximum amount of a students scholarship award shall be 35 percent, 50 percent, and 75 percent, respectively, of the total scholarship award amount that the student would otherwise be eligible to receive. The final award amount will also be based on the number of students that are eligible for the Middle Class Scholarship and the amount of funding allocated by the State Budget.

Remind audience to check back with the California Student Aid Commissions Website for more updated information.

54A New Grant ProgramWhat is the Middle Class Scholarship?On July 1, 2013 Governor Jerry Brown signed historic legislation aimed at making higher education more affordable. The Middle Class Scholarship (MCS) program would apply to undergraduate students with family incomes up to $150,000 and who attend a University of California (UC) or California State University (CSU) campus.Middle Class Scholarships are based on a sliding scale according to your family income. Scholarship amounts may vary by student and institution. Your award amount is determined after any other publicly funded, need-based student financial aid you may receive. The final award amount will also be based on the number of students that are eligible for the Middle Class Scholarship and the amount of funding allocated by the State Budget.New, transfer and returning undergraduate students to California State University or University of California with a family income of up to $150,000 may be eligible for the Middle Class Scholarship. Middle Class Scholarships are based on a sliding scale according to your family income. Scholarship amounts may vary by student and institution. The scholarship amount is limited to no more than 40% of the amount of your institutions system-wide tuition.* Your award amount is determined after any other publicly funded, need-based student financial aid you may receive. Students whose families earn up to $100,000 per year are eligible for up to a 40% tuition/fee discount and students whose families earn up to $150,000 per year are eligible for no less than 10% tuition/fee discount.The Middle Class Scholarship is being phased in over four years. For the 2014-15, 2015-16, and 2016-17 academic years, the maximum amount of a students scholarship award shall be 35 percent, 50 percent, and 75 percent, respectively, of the total scholarship award amount that the student would otherwise be eligible to receive. The final award amount will also be based on the number of students that are eligible for the Middle Class Scholarship and the amount of funding allocated by the State Budget.

Remind audience to check back with the California Student Aid Commissions Website for more updated information.

Commission Communications, Web Training, and Social Media

Questions?Commission Communications56Commission Communications57

Commission Web Training58Commission Social Media59

60For more information check out WWW.CSAC.CA.GOV

Cash for College

Cash for College CaliforniasFAFSA/Dream Act Platform62The focus is on low income and first-generation seniors;The program is designed to involve parents and guardians. Help is provided with the line by line FASFA and multi-lingual materials are available.

63Cash For CollegePartnering for FAFSA & Cal Grant CompletionQuestions??

Questions?

Documents

Cal Grants Overview