Financial Aid Reflection

1. Federal Financial Aid- What are the different types of federal financial aid available to
students? How do you apply for federal financial aid? What benefits do students receive
from this type of financial aid?

Different types of Federal Aid are Loans, Grants, and Work Study Programs. To apply
you must qualify for it by completing the FAFSA online. Some benefits students
receive are free financial aid to pay for school that they do not have to pay back.

2. State Financial Aid- What are the different types of state aid available to students? How
do you apply for state financial aid? What benefits do students receive from this type of
financial aid?

Different types of state aid available include the Cal Grant which is applied for by
FAFSA or the CA Dream Act Application. A benefit of the Cal Grant is you are receiving
money for college (up to $5,000/year) that you do not have to pay back for four years,
help paying for child care, transportation, and rent. Anyone who was in foster care
between the ages of 16-18 as a dependent or ward of the court and has financial need
is eligible. To apply for this grant, students must submit the FAFSA and Chafee
applications by the deadline. U.S. citizens, California residents (for 1+ year), families of
students making 150,000+/year, and non-incarcerated people are eligible. Maintain
good grades (3 units/semester). Submit FAFSA application and EAAP application. You
may earn up to 100% of tuition paid. Dependents and spouses of CA Peace Officer
(Police, Sheriff, U.S. Marshal), D.O.C. etc. are eligible. You don’t have to pay the
money back and awards may match the Cal Grant. The CA Dream Act is useful for
students who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents but meet the criteria for
them to get scholarships and financial aid.

3. School Specific Financial Aid- Which schools did you research? Describe one grant or
scholarship that is offered at each school. What benefits do students receive from this
type of financial aid?

I researched Grossmont College and Cuyamaca College. At Grossmont College, the

Federal Pell Grant is offered for undergraduate studies. Students who get the Federal
Pell Grant have benefits such as applying for FAFSA, low interest rates, flexible
payback methods, they receive money once per semester or quarter, and lastly funds
are transferable so if a student would like to move schools they will still be able to get
their financial aid but not from more than one school at a time. At Cuyamaca College,
the Cuyamaca OH Program’s Osher Dedicated Scholarship establishes perpetual
endowments for students across California.
4. Private Scholarships- Describe two scholarships that you found interesting during your
research. What are the benefits of using this type of aid to fund your education?

Two scholarships I found interesting were The SAMFund: Surviving and Moving
Forward fund, which is a scholarship for students that survived cancer between the
ages 21-39 and The Haz La U Scholarship, which is available to first-year students of
Hispanic heritage , who have a 3.0 GPA and are active in the community. Some
benefits for The SAMFund scholarship are direct financial assistance and free online
support. Benefits for the Haz La U scholarship are that your award may be used for a
four-year college.

5. Military Financial Aid- Do you or your family plan to or have served in the military? If so,
describe at least one military financial aid program that is available to you? What
benefits do students receive from this type of financial aid?

I understand this financial aid, and it is a great opportunity, but I am not interested in
joining the military.

6. Personal Financial Aid Plan- After reviewing the different types of financial aid available
to students, what plans do you have for covering the costs of post-secondary education?
Write a paragraph that summarizes the total cost you expect to pay for post-secondary
education, the sources of aid you plan to use to cover these costs, and when and how
you plan to apply for each program. You may also need to consider alternative sources
of income such as a college fund or savings plan that has already been set aside.

Covering the costs of post-secondary school education will be difficult. The total cost
of post-secondary school in my estimation would be around $50,000. The main
financial aid source I plan on using would be the Haz La U Scholarship Program, which
helps students of Hispanic heritage to complete college. I plan on applying to college
further down the road, and I will then find the Haz La U Program’s official website. On
the other hand if Haz La U seeps through the cracks I can apply on FAFSA which would
automatically consider me for all the federal aid I qualify for.