Scholarship & College Information

SENIORS: Don’t forget to file your FAFSA

The FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) must be filed in order for students to be eligible for Federal Student Aid following high school.  Parents of high school seniors may submit the FAFSA on the web at www.fafsa.ed.gov  after January 1, 2010.  In order to do so, the parent and student must have filed for a P.I.N. at www.pin.ed.gov.  Parents are encouraged to complete the FAFSA on the web worksheet, which is available at the web site, before entering the information online.  The information entered on the FAFSA enables qualified students to be eligible for Federal Student Aid programs such as Pell Grants, Supplemental Grants (FSEOG), Loan Programs (such as FFEL and Perkins Loans), Institutional Aid Programs, and Work Study Programs.  Parents who need assistance with the FAFSA may contact the college/university the student plans to attend.  A Spanish version of FAFSA on the web is also available at the web site.  Parents:  Completion of the FAFSA is REQUIRED in order for qualified students to be eligible for the programs mentioned above.       

Seniors:  Beware of Scams

Seniors and their parents need to be aware of scholarship and financial aid scams.  These scams fall into two categories: college preparation/financial aid advice services, and for-fee FAFSA services.  These services typically send letters to high school students, inviting them and their parents to “seminars.” At the seminar, a representative of the company implies that families will not be able to navigate the financial aid search process on their own.  Families are then urged to sign a contract with a cost of up to $3000 in order to gain access to such services.  Other services provide assistance in completing the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid).  The FAFSA is a federal financial aid form that may be found at www.fafsa.ed.gov and is free of charge.  While these services may not be illegal, students and parents are urged to use good consumer caution when contracting services.  There is no need for any student to pay for college preparation advice.  Instead, students and their parents are encouraged to speak with their high school counselor and/or college financial aid advisor about paying for college.  The CCSD Guidance and Counseling Department provides free information online at http://ccsd.net/cpd/guidance/guidance.html.

Seniors and Parents:  Don’t Forget to Register for a P.I.N.

Although the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) may not be submitted until after January 1, 2010, parents and students may register for a P.I.N. at any time.  Custodial parents and students may log on to www.pin.ed.gov to establish a P.I.N. by entering their name, SSN, date of birth, and address. The P.I.N. acts as an electronic signature for FAFSA on the Web, which drastically reduces processing time.  As with any P.I.N., the student and parent should keep the FAFSA P.I.N. information in a safe place and should not share the info with anyone.  The P.I.N. remains valid indefinitely, and can be used to make corrections to the FAFSA, and to re-apply from year to year.  In order to complete the FAFSA on the Web, parents and students may log on to www.fafsa.ed.gov in order to submit information after January 1, 2010.    

State Treasurer’s Office Provides Upromise College Fund 529 Plan

The Nevada State Treasurer’s Office is providing Nevada parents with an opportunity to begin saving for college.  The Upromise College Fund 529 Plan is a federal tax-deferred college savings account, and is managed by leading fund management companies.  Savings in the account may be used to pay for public or private colleges, universities, trade or technical schools, and graduate school.  The Upromise Rewards Program, which is a separate service, enables parents to earn free money for college when purchases are made with contributing companies.  Loyalty savings may be invested in the College Fund 529 Plan account on a periodic basis.  For more information on the Upromise College Fund 529 Plan, call (702) 486-2025 or log on to https://nevadatreasurer.gov/index.html.