Page 8 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • January 12, 2011 Area If you are the parent of a college-bound high school student, you’ve probably heard of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and know that you must complete one if you and your teen would like to receive any state, federal, or institutional aid. But what other sources of financial aid exist and how can you find them? “Paying for college is a scary topic for many families,” said Heather Ottogalli of the Ridgewood Huntington Learning Center. “While most parents understand that federal, state, private and other aid is out there, searching and applying for it can feel overwhelming.” Ottogalli breaks down the process of finding financial aid into five simple steps: Apply for federal aid. The FAFSA is used to determine a student’s expected family contribution and eligibility for federal and possibly state aid (loans, grants, work-study, and need-based scholarships). For some colleges, the FAFSA is the only financial aid form your teen will need to complete. Your teen should apply as early as possible after Jan. 1 for the following school year, and he or she must reapply for aid each year. Visit www.fafsa.ed.gov to learn more about eligibility, deadlines, documents needed to apply and more. Apply for state aid. Some colleges use the FAFSA exclusively to calculate award packages, but certain states also have separate applications or supplemental forms your teen must fill out. In New York, for example, students must complete a separate application to be eligible for the Tuition Assistance Program, which helps students pay tuition at some New York institutions. Also keep in mind that state deadlines may be earlier than college or FAFSA deadlines. Contact your state’s higher education agency to learn more about aid available to state residents and how to apply. Pay regular visits to the guidance counselor. Guidance counselors may have knowledge about state scholarship programs, community scholarships, or other sources of aid that your teen might not be aware of. In New Jersey, for Huntington offers tips for finding financial aid example, high-achieving students may be eligible for the Garden State Scholarship Program. Your teen’s high school guidance counselor must nominate your student and submit his or her information to the New Jersey Higher Education Student Assistance Authority. Other programs, too, such as the Toyota Community Scholars Program, the Boston University Trustees Scholars Program, and the Danforth Scholars Program at Washington University do not accept direct applications, but rather, consider only nominated students from guidance counselors. Apply for college-specific scholarships. Often, an admission application counts as a student’s application to a college’s scholarship programs as well, but be sure to explore the financial aid website of your teen’s target college to confirm that there are not separate application procedures for other scholarships. Apply for other private scholarships. There are many foundations, companies, and other organizations that offer private scholarships to high-achieving students and students with certain academic or outside interests. Again, your teen should talk to his or her guidance counselor about finding private scholarships (as the counselor may have information and applications that have been sent directly to the guidance office), but you can also search reputable data- bases such as www.fastweb.com and the College Board’s scholarship search. Remember to look within the community, too. Your teen’s guidance counselor may be apprised of local scholarship programs for which your teen may be eligible. Be sure you and/or your teen receive any regular newsletters or other communications that alert students to scholarship opportunities and that you regularly check in with the guidance counselor’s office. To get the most financial aid possible, parents should cast a wide net. “Every little bit helps when it comes to funding college, so start exploring financial aid and scholarship options early,” said Ottogalli. “Take full advantage of your high school guidance counseling office and don’t be afraid to ask questions of the financial aid staff at the colleges your teen is considering, too.” Founded in 1977, Huntington Learning Center is the nation’s longest-running supplemental education services provider. Today Huntington continues to be an industry leader providing instruction in reading, writing, spelling, phonics, mathematics, study skills, and SAT and ACT preparation. To learn more or to locate a center near you, call 1-800 CAN LEARN. Riverkeeper seeks scholarship applicants Hackensack Riverkeeper is currently accepting applications for the 2011 Ron Vellekamp Environmental Scholarship. Now in its eleventh year, the program was created in 2001 to support college-bound high school seniors who excel academically and demonstrate a strong commitment to environmental conservation and protection. The guidance departments of 66 high schools located in Bergen, Hudson, and Rockland counties were contacted and invited to nominate one of their students for the award. Eligible students must reside and/or attend school within the Hackensack River Watershed. “Our watershed takes up about 210 square miles of land and water from up in New City and Mount Ivy, New York south to Jersey City and Kearny, New Jersey,” said Hugh Carola who administers the scholarship fund. “There are literally thousands of students who are eligible to apply.” Teachers and guidance counselors are invited to submit (continued on page 16) Franklin Lakes Chamber of Commerce JANUARY 26, 2011 – 5:30 - 8:00 pm is hosting a multi chamber event EAS TO GROW ID A Publication of The Midland Park Chamber of Commerce A Special Supplement to The Villadom TIMES ���������������������������������������������������������������������������� ����������������������������������������������������������������������� ����������������������������������������������������������������������������� ������������������������������������������������������� ������������������������������������������������ Midland Park Matters OU R BU Guest Speaker is G. 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