Academics

College Financial Aid/Scholarship/Career Websites

Websites for Dodge Students

by Pam Bazata

October 23, 2008

Financial Aid/Scholarships

FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) = www.fafsa.ed.gov

Federal PIN (both student and parent should have a PIN) = www.pin.ed.gov

FinAid = www.finaid.org

Federal Student Aid for Students = studentaid.ed.gov

Project Scholarship Scam = ftc.gov/scholarshipscams

Student Guide to Federal Aid = studentaid.ed.gov/guide/

FastWeb = www.fastweb.com

EducationQuest = EducationQuest.org

Scholarship Search = www.fastweb.com

Grants

Federal Pell Grants - 1. Limited to first bachelor's degree, 2. Range from $890.00 to $4,731.00, 3. Expected Family Contribution (EFC) must be $4,041.00 or below.

Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACG) -1. First or second year student in a two or four year degree program, 2. Must complete a rigorous secondary school program of study for first or second year award, 3. Must have a 3.0 GPA in eligible program for second year award.

ACG course requirements are 1. Four years of English, 2. Three years of math (Algebra I or above), 3. Three years of science (Biology, Chemistry and Physics), 4. Three years of social studies and 4. One year of a foreign language.

The award for the first year is a maximum of $750.00 and the maximum second year award is $1,300.00.

SMART Grant - 1. Third or fourth student in a four year degree program, 2. Full time enrollment in an eligible major. 3. Cumulative 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale. 4. No rigorous high school program required. 5. $4,000.00 award maximum for third and fourth year.

Federal SEOG Grant - 1. Campus based (Government gives colleges money to award to eligible students). 2. Limited to first bachelor's degree. 3. Priority to Pell Grant recipients. 4. Range $100.00 to $4,000.00.

Nebraska State Grant

Work Study - 1. Need based for undergraduate and graduate students. 2. Campus based. 3. Work on of off campus for at least minimum wage.

Loans - Need based

Perkins Loan - 1. Money borrowed from college. 2. 5% interest with a limit of $4,000.00 per year for an undergraduate and $6,000.00 for graduate students. 3. A 9 month grace period before repayment must begin. 4. 10 year repayment period.

Subsidized Stafford Loan - (Government pays interest while student is in college) 1. $3,500.00 maximum for freshmen. 2. 5.6% fixed interest rate (effective 7/1/09). 3. Up to 2% in fees. 4. 6 month grace period before repayment must begin. 5. 10 year repayment.

Loans - Non-need based

Unsubsidized Stafford Loan - (Student pays interest NOT government) 1. $3,500.00 maximum for first year students. 2. $2,000.00 additional for any grade level. 3. 6.8% fixed interest rate. 4. Up to 2% in fees. 5. 6 month grace period before repayment begins. 6. 10 year repayment period.

PLUS Loan - 1. Parents borrow for dependent student. 2. Must be creditworthy. 3. Cost of education minus other aid. 4. 8.5% fixed interest rate. 5. Up to 2% in fees. 6. 10 year immediate repayment - may request a deferment.

Career Exploration

Nebraska Career Connections = www.nebraskacareerconnections.org

Colleges

Central Community College = www.cccneb.edu

Chadron State = www.csc.edu

College of St. Mary = www.csm.edu

Concordia College = www.cune.edu

Creighton University = www.creighton.edu

Dana College = www.dana.edu

Doane College = www.doane.edu

Hastings College = www.hastings.edu

LaJames International College = www.lajamesinternational.com