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What is Financial Aid?
How do I apply?
When should I apply?
What if I miss the priority deadline of March 2?
How long does it take?
Which application do I complete? 2008-2009 or 2009-2010?
What is a
PIN# and how do I get one?
I
had a PIN but I forgot it. What do I do?
Why does my
parent need a PIN?
Am I dependent or independent for 2009-2010?
I'm planning on going on to a University should I save
my FAFSA grants and use them then?
But what if I or my parents make too much money, am I
still eligible?
How do I know if I am eligible? What types of aid will
I get?
Why is financial aid office asking for copies of taxes
and additional documents?
How
do I check my status?
Do my grades matter?
What are grants?
What is Federal
Work Study?
What is a
BOGW and how can I get one?
If I receive a fee waiver after I pay for my classes,
what do I do?
How can I
qualify for a scholarship?
How can I get a
student loan?
When do I get my
money?
Why did I receive less money than is listed on my award
letter?
If I add late-start classes or add a class after the
first day of the semester, will I still receive a
disbursement for that class?
Is there someone in your office that can help me fill
out my FAFSA online?
Q:
What is Financial Aid?
A:
A number of programs designed to help students with
limited resources meet their educational expenses that
are administered by the Financial Aid Office. Programs
include enrollment fee waivers, grants, federal work
study, scholarships and loans.
Q:
How do I Apply?
A:
To apply, complete a Free Application for Federal
Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA is available online at
www.fafsa.ed.gov. Be sure to include Rio Hondo
College’s school code 001269 so that your FAFSA
information is sent to us electronically by the
Department of Education. Also, in order for us to
receive your information, be sure that your social
security number is correct when completing the FAFSA and
that it matches the social security number you provided
on your enrollment application to Rio Hondo College.
Q:
When should I apply?
A:
The ideal time to apply is between January 1 and March
2 to assure your application is processed in time for
fall and that all available aid is offered to you. The
priority deadline to apply is March 2
Q:
What if I miss the priority deadline of March 2?
A:
You can still apply after this date. Remember, the
longer you take to apply, the longer you will have to
wait to be processed, and some awards are offered only
on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Q:
How long does it take?
A:
Electronically after completion, the FAFSA is processed
between 48-72 hours as long as all sections are complete
with student (and parent, if necessary) signatures.
After the FAFSA has been processed by the Department of
Education, Rio Hondo College will receive the electronic
results of the FAFSA within approximately 7-10 business
days as long as the student has already completed their
application for admission to the college. At which
time, your financial aid assistant will start reviewing
your application. This process should take 4-6 weeks
from the date the last requested document is received.
Please make sure that Rio Hondo’s school code (001269)
is on the FAFSA application.
Q:
Which
application do I complete? 2008-2009 or 2009-2010?
A:
The 2008-2009 FAFSA application started Summer school
of 2008, and ends as soon as Spring 2009 is over. As of
the end of Spring 2009, the 2008-2009 FAFSA application
is no longer used for any type of aid at Rio Hondo
College. If you will be enrolled in any of the
following terms: Summer 2009, Fall 2009 or Spring 2010 -
then you will want to complete the 2009-2010 FAFSA
application. Please make sure that you try to complete
this application before it's priority processing
deadline of March 2nd, 2009.
Q:
What
is a PIN# and how do I get one?
A:
A PIN is your Personal Identification Number, which is
how you sign your FAFSA application electronically.
Once you receive a pin number, this is the number you
will use every year you apply for FAFSA. A PIN# is the
quickest and easiest way to sign your FAFSA application…
And it’s FREE! Visit
http://www.pin.ed.gov to apply.
Q:
I had a PIN but I forgot it. What do I do?
A:
Don’t worry just go to the PIN Site and request a
Duplicate Pin. When asked select Display Now and you
will be able to view your existing PIN.
Q:
Why does my
parent need a PIN?
A:
If you are considered a dependent by the federal
government, your parent needs to sign your application.
The pin is the electronic signature of your parent and
must be submitted with your application.
Q:
Am
I Dependent or Independent for 2009-2010?
A:
Can you answer “YES” to any one of the following
questions?:
-
Where you born before January 1st, 1986?
-
At
the beginning of the 2009-2010 school year, will you
be working on a master’s or doctorate program?
-
As
of today, are you married?
-
Do
you have children who receive more than half of
their support from you?
-
Do
you have dependents (other than your children or
spouse) who live with you and who receive more than
half of their support from you, now and through June
30th, 2010?
-
Are (a) both of your parents deceased, or (b) are
you (or were you until age 18) a ward/dependent of
the court?
-
Are you a veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, you are
considered an Independent student. If you
answered “no” to all of these questions, regardless
of your living situation, you are considered a
Dependent student for all Federal Funding purposes.
Q:
I’m planning on going on to a University should I save
my FAFSA and use it then?
A:
If you qualify for a FAFSA grant, you can continue to
receive your award until you’ve completed 105 units and
you are transferring to a University. If you are
obtaining an Associate degree only, then it’s 95 units.
You can continue to receive your grant at the University
usually until you obtain your Bachelor’s degree.
Q:
But
what if I or my parents make too much money am I still
eligible?
A:
Leave eligibility up to the Department of Education and
the Financial Aid Office to determine. Just apply. Many
students are eligible for some type of aid.
Q:
How
do I know if I am eligible? What types of aid will I
get?
A:
You will be contacted by the Financial Aid Office once
eligibility is determined and your awards have been
offered to you and also, if additional information is
needed to continue processing for various types of
financial aid.
Q:
Why is the financial aid office asking for copies of
taxes and additional documents?
A:
The federal government selects students at random for a
process called Verification. If you are selected, the
Financial Aid Office will request copies of your and/or
your parents’ signed federal 1040 taxes (and w-2’s) to
verify information is correct.
Q:
How do I check my
status?
A:
Feel free to call us at (562) 908-3411 or come in to
the office. We will be happy to let you know how your
file is progressing.
Q:
Do my grades matter?
A:
Yes. All students who apply for Financial Aid will have
their academics reviewed to verify that they are making
"SAP" or Satisfactory Academic Progress. Maintaining
this academic progress means that students refrain from
receiving grades such as "W's", "F's", "IP's" or "NC's"
on their academic transcripts. Students must also keep
their GPA above 2.0 and cannot exceed the allowable
degree applicable units to complete an A.A., A.S.,
Vocational Certificate or Transfer program. Please see
our SAP Policy located in the Eligibility portion of our
website.
Q:
What are grants?
A:
The greatest source of grant funds is the Federal Pell
Grant which is federal money awarded to students based
on financial need (determined by your FAFSA information)
and in most cases, does not have to be paid back. Cal
Grants are also available which are state funds awarded
in addition to the Federal Pell Grant..
For federal grants, students must be enrolled in
a degree, certificate, or transfer program; have a high
school diploma or equivalent, or pass an Ability to
Benefit test; demonstrate financial need (determined by
completing a FAFSA); maintain satisfactory academic
progress; and be a citizen or permanent resident of the
United States.
For state grants such as Cal Grants, students
must be a California resident, meet requirements for the
federal grants, and submit a GPA Verification form to
the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC) in addition
to completing the FAFSA by March 2. Cal Grant
recipients are selected by CSAC. Community College
students will be given a second opportunity to submit
GPA Verification, if not selected , on September 2. If a
student has more than 16 transferable units with Rio
Hondo and you meet the qualifications, we will
automatically submit the information for you. Please
check with our office if you are not sure. You will be
contacted by the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC)
once your eligibility is determined.
Q:
What is Federal
Work Study?
A:
Students may be eligible for part-time employment
through the Federal Work Study (FWS) program. Students
may work up to 20 hours per week and earn a monthly
paycheck. Federal Work Study awards are determined by
financial need (by completing the FAFSA) and available
to students enrolled in six (6) or more units per
semester. Refer to your award notification to see if you
qualified for work study. If you do, please follow
directions on our
Federal Work Study
page .
Q:
What is a
BOG and how can I get one?
A:
The BOGW program is for eligible California
residents to help pay for tuition. The BOGW is an
electronic transaction from the Financial Aid Office to
the Cashier’s Office which will waive the enrollment
cost per unit (whether it be 1 unit or 21 units), the
health cost, and a portion of your parking permit for
Fall and Spring semesters. The BOGW does not have to be
paid back. You may be eligible for a fee waiver even if
you are not eligible for other types of aid. Fee
waivers do not apply to class material fees or the
College Services Fee. Students are responsible for
making sure all fees have been paid. If you must
pay for your enrollment fees before your fee waiver is
awarded, your tuition cost will be refunded to you once
your fee waiver is processed as long as your fee waiver
is awarded during that same semester.
Eligibility for the BOGW will be automatically
determined as soon as the Financial Aid Office receives
the results of your FAFSA electronically. Students who
are currently receiving benefits from TANF/Cal Works,
SSI/SSP, General Relief, or a certified veteran
dependent by California Department of Veteran Affairs
are eligible for a BOGW as long as they are California
residents. Just bring current proof of benefits (dated
within the last 30 days) to the Financial Aid Office.
You will still need to complete the FAFSA to apply for
other types of financial aid.
Q:
If I receive a fee waiver after I pay for my classes,
what do I do?
A: First
check with the Financial Aid office to see if you are in
the fee waiver system. If you are, then proceed to the
Cashier’s window tell them you are in the BOGW system
and request a refund. Make sure you do this before the
semester ends or they will not be able to refund the
monies paid.
Q:
How can I
qualify for a scholarship?
A:
To apply for Rio Hondo scholarships, visit our website
and click on Scholarships. All applications are
electronic using the Star Scholarship System.
Q:
How can I get a
student loan?
A:
Loans should be considered only when other sources of
aid are unavailable or insufficient. Loans are only to
be used for educational purposes; they must be repaid
with interest. Students must maintain Satisfactory
Academic Progress to be considered for a loan. Students
who request loans may be denied. Students cannot exceed
their loan aggregate. To apply for a loan, students are
to have completed a FAFSA. Then they must pick up a
loan packet, fill it out, and return to the financial
aid office before the deadline.
Q:
When do I get my
money?
A:
Disbursements are scheduled twice a semester. However,
we have disbursements throughout the semester based on
when your file is completed and awarded. Please check
with the financial aid office to see when your
disbursement date is. Students enrolled in less than six
(6) units, and if eligible at "less-than half-time
status", will receive their disbursement after 60% of
the term has been completed. Normally, state grants are
disbursed 2-3 weeks after a student receives their
federal aid. Disbursement dates are based on classes
that start during the first week of the semester. It is
highly recommended that you arrange for your
disbursement to deposited automatically into your
personal checking or savings account. The form is on
our website for downloading. Please bring in the
completed from into our office to arrange for this
convenience.
Q:
Why did I receive less money than is listed on my award
letter?
A:
Your Financial Aid award letter amounts are based on
full-time enrollment, as well as all of your classes
starting the first week of the beginning of the school
term. If you are enrolled in less than full-time units,
you may still be eligible for a disbursement of funding
- however, the amount will be based on the number of
units of enrollment. The break-up of funding
percentages is as follows:
12 or more units = full-time enrollment (100% of offered
funding for term)
9.0 - 11.5 units = 3/4-time enrollment (75% of offered
funding for term)
6.0 - 8.5 units = 1/2-time enrollment (50% of offered
funding for term)
5.5 or less units = less than half-time enrollment
(please visit Financial Aid Office for inquiries of less
than half-time enrollment disbursement criteria)
*Please note: Classes that do not start the first week
of the term/semester may be considered "late start
classes". Funding for such classes may not be available
for the first disbursement of the semester. For further
information regarding late-start classes, please contact
the Financial Aid Office.*
Q: If
I add late-start classes or add a class after the first
day of the semester, will I still receive a disbursement
for that class?
A:
If you add a class that starts late, meaning it does
not start the first week of school, the Financial Aid
Office will only receive notification of your enrollment
after the last date to add the class without a "W".
This date is also called a "census date". After the
Financial Aid Office receives notification of your
enrollment in such classes, you may receive your
financial aid funding for such classes, in accordance
with the normal processing for financial aid
disbursements. If we have paid you for a certain number
of units and then you add another class, we will make up
the difference on the next disbursement date.
Q.
Is there someone in your office that can help me fill
out my FAFSA online?
A. Yes there is. Just call us at
(562) 463-7584 to set up an appointment and we will sit
with you at the computer and assist you in filling out
your FAFSA. Please be sure to bring the documents
listed on the
Document Checklist
when you come.
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