Graduating Seniors: Get your FAFSA ready!

Graduating seniors! Since you will no longer be high school students after the first week in June, you won't be taking the regular UB high school classes this summer -- instead, you will participate in MVC UB's (first ever!) Summer Bridge program.

As the name implies, the Summer Bridge program aims to help you "cross over" from high school to college. You will still participate in the UB Summer Academy, have breakfast and lunch with the group, and go on Friday field trips with us, but instead of taking high school courses, you will take credit college courses at MVC. These courses will be the start of your college career; we'll make sure you register for required courses that will transfer to your college of choice.

Unlike dual credit courses, which are free, you have to pay for these college credit hours. You can choose to pay out of pocket, or you can fill out your Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or (as its friends call it), the FAFSA.

Since you will need financial aid for the 2011 summer session, which is still part of the 2010-2011 school year, you will need to fill out the 2010-2011 FAFSA, using your parents' 2009 income tax information. The priority deadline to apply for summer funds is April 1st (no joke!) That day is sneaking up soon, so please make sure you get this done!

The easiest way to apply is online. If you want, you can fill out the online application here in the MVC UB office, but you must call and make an appointment to do this, to make sure someone is here to help you. You will need to bring your parents' tax information with you.

Remember that you never pay for scholarship or financial aid information. Remember that first "F" in "FAFSA"? Remember what it stands for? "FREE." There are websites and other organizations that will offer to find "special" or "secret" grants, scholarships, loans, etc. for you, if you pay them... these are scams! Do not let them take advantage of you! Grant, scholarship, loan, and other financial aid information is available for free. You should never pay for any of it.

Now, seniors, remember that you will also have to fill out the 2011-2012 FAFSA using your parents' 2010 income tax information, to receive financial aid for the 2011-2012 school year. You want to do that as soon as possible, too!

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• Roadmap to College: Glossary (education.com)
• Financial Aid for Community College: What is FAFSA? (education.com)
• FAFSA Deadlines Loom for College-Bound Students (walletpop.com)