2006
Hot Topics for High School Students

Mapping Your Future's Top 10 Tips for Completing the FAFSA

Mapping Your Future, a public service web site, recently released the following article to help students complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). EAC, along with other guarantors across the country, is a Mapping Your Future sponsor.

10. Complete your tax return. If you and your parents complete your tax returns first, completing the FAFSA will be much easier, and you won't have to correct the tax information later.

9. Tune into the Understanding the FAFSA web cast. This 30-minute online training session helps you complete and submit the FAFSA, offers tips on how to avoid common mistakes, and highlights important financial aid deadlines. The webcast also covers how the results of the FAFSA are used, what an expected family contribution is, the types of financial aid available, and a host of other tips on planning and paying for a college education.
http://invite.mshow.com/(v0qhp555nc05ue3lxirhv1ua)/
findshow.aspx?cobrand=100&usertype=0&shownumber=147510

8. Apply for a PIN prior to completing the FAFSA. With a PIN, you can:

• electronically sign your application,
• make corrections to your submitted application, and
• review your processed application data on the Web.

7. Gather the necessary information before you sit down to complete the FAFSA. You will need the following:

• Income tax return or as close an estimate as possible (see tip #1 above)
• W-2 forms and other records of money earned
• Records of untaxed income (e.g., Social Security benefits)
• Current bank statements
• Business and farm records
• Records of investments
• Student's driver's license and social security card
• Parents' Social Security numbers and dates of birth

6. Complete a pre-application worksheet. This can help you gather some of the information you will need to complete the FAFSA.
fafsa.ed.gov/before012.htm

5. Find out the federal codes for the schools you'll enter on the FAFSA.
fafsa.ed.gov/FOTWWebApp/FSLookupServlet

4. Do a little research before hand, reviewing frequently-asked questions about the FAFSA
fafsa.ed.gov/faq001.htm

3. Complete the FAFSA electronically. It's best to complete the FAFSA online, as this reduces erro
fafsa.ed.gov

2. Sign the FAFSA electronically. You'll need a PIN to do so.

And the number one tip for completing the FAFSA is . . .

If you need help completing the FAFSA, ask for help!
fafsa.ed.gov/contact.htm and fafsa.ed.gov/help.htm

EAC's Financial Aid Services Team is also available to answer your questions about the FAFSA, as well as financial aid and scholarships. Give us a call at 1-800-874-9033 or e-mail at FAS@eac-easci.org today and our friendly, professional team will be happy to provide the information you need.

Reminder: Dakota Corps Scholarship Deadline Approaching

If you are planning to apply for the Dakota Corps Scholarship, the February 1, 2006 priority date is fast approaching. To learn more about this scholarship, visit http://www.state.sd.us/dakotacorps/default.html or call EAC at 1-800-874-9033.

Get a PIN: Personal Identification Number

But one of the most important numbers you can have is a PIN from the U.S. Department of Education. If you want money for college, that is. Just go to www.pin.ed.gov and sign up. It's free, it's easy, and it's a tool you'll use throughout the federal financial aid process.

Saving for College

Suppose you got a part-time job at the beginning of your junior year. Let's say you worked ten hours a week and made $5.25 an hour. Even if you only save half of what you earn, that could be, after taxes, over $2,000 in your pocket when you head off to college.

Work extra hours over your winter break and summer vacation, see if your parents and grandparents want to contribute to the cause, and build up that college savings account. You won't regret it!

Juniors: Get Involved

• Have fun
• Do something you care about
• Make friends
• Do something that will look great on your college admissions applications and scholarship applications
• Become a better leader and/or team player
• Learn how to balance more responsibility

Seniors: Visiting Colleges

Follow these tips to make the most for your time on campus:

• Take with you:
  • A parent
  • A list of questions
  • An open mind
• Be sure to:
  • Let the admissions office know you're coming
  • Visit on a day that classes are in session
• Make stops to:
• A dorm
• A class
• The student center
• The library
• The financial aid office
• The cafeteria
• A campus activity like a game, concert, or play

Seniors: How Reciprocity Can Save You Money

South Dakota students may attend a college participating in the Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) for 150% of in-state tuition costs. To learn more about the WUE, visit http://www.wiche.edu/SEP/WUE/index.asp. You can learn about the costs to attend any particular college by contacting their Financial Aid Office directly.

Juniors: Scholarships – The Easy Way

The best way to pay for college is with someone else’s money! If your parents have the cash, that’s great. If not, scholarships are the next best thing.

• Understand how scholarships work: Scholarships are free money, awarded based on whatever it is the people holding the purse strings care about. Maybe it’s athletic talent. Maybe grades. Maybe they’re looking for someone who is left-handed, with red hair, and majoring in Spanish. No one is going to search you out and beg you to take their scholarship money. It requires time and effort, but the payoff can be priceless.
• Be worthy of a scholarship: Keep your grades up, participate in extracurricular activities, and volunteer for causes that matter to you – all of these things will help give you an edge as you apply for scholarships.
• Know where to look: Check with your counselor’s office, then check back, then keep checking. Also, look at your local library, call local organizations, businesses, and churches, and don’t forget to ask your parents if their employers offer scholarship programs. When you begin looking at which college you want to attend, make sure to check with their Financial Aid Office as well. While local scholarships are your best bet, don’t assume that online, national searches are a waste of your time. They may be more competitive, but the payoff can be bigger too. Look into sources like www.fastweb.com and www.scholarships.com. If you’re thinking about attending a South Dakota college, look into these scholarship programs:
  • South Dakota Opportunity Scholarship
  • Dakota Corps Scholarship
• Don’t get scammed: Scholarship information is free. Think twice (or three or four times – or better yet, call your counselor) before paying someone for scholarship information.
• Do it right: Make sure to complete scholarship applications fully, neatly, and honestly.
• Don’t give up: Applying for scholarships can get very competitive. Don’t be discouraged if your first efforts aren’t rewarded immediately. It’s worth your time to keep trying.

2005

TOPICS:
Resources for Students with Disabilities
Completing the FAFSA
Parents: It's Time to Let Go!
Job Shadowing
ACT vs. SAT
Watching Your Money at College
Stay Safe Online
Why Should You Take the PSAT?
Money: It's the Small Things
How Do I Contact the Financial Aid Office?
Avoid Over-Borrowing
Protect Your Identity at College
Using Your Award Letter
Parents: Teaching Your Child about Credit Cards
Make It to College - Your Student Aid Report
Make It to College - Visiting the Campus
Parents: Preparing for an Empty Nest
Thinking About Attending an Out of State College?
Make it To College - Complete the FAFSA

2004

TOPICS:
Make It to College: Learn About South Dakota Scholarships
Make It to College: Taking the ACT/SAT
Get PIN at www.pin.ed.gov
Make It to College: Time Management
Saving Your Summer Earnings
Manage Your Money at College
Choosing the Right College
Award Letters: the Next Step to Financial Aid
Am I a Dependent Student?
How to Get a Scholarship
Don't Waste Your Money on Financial Aid Help

2003

TOPICS:
Identity Theft: It Can Happen to You
The Military: Is it Right for You?
Free Financial Aid and Scholarship Help
What is Expected Family Contribution?
What is Reciprocity?
Cell Phones and College
How to Save Money at College
Credit Cards: Advice for Parents
Financial Aid Help for Students and Parents
Credit Cards: The Consequences

2002

TOPICS:
Credit Cards: Are You Ready?
Watch Out for Financial Aid Scams