Scholarships and Financial Aid

Resources


Got Questions About Financial Aid? 

GAFutures is a great source of financial aid information for students and parents. Click the link below to be taken to the GAFutures financial aid information. 

GAFutures Financial Aid Info

FAFSA: 

The FAFSA (or Free Application for Federal Student Aid) is the main application used to apply for state or federal financial aid to pay for a college education. In order to be eligible for state (including HOPE/ZELL),  federal, institutional, and private aid, college students must complete the FAFSA every year. 

The FAFSA is completed online at fafsa.ed.gov. Before completing the FAFSA, you will need to apply for an FSA ID at fsaid.ed.gov. The FSA ID is what you use to electronically sign Federal Student Aid documents and access your personal records. It is vital once you have an FSA ID you remember your login information and keep it secure!! You will need this information every year and the process of resetting a FAFSA account is incredibly difficult.

You may begin the FAFSA process on October 1st but have until the summer prior to your start date to complete it. However, each institution sets its own FAFSA deadline so be sure to check the deadline dates with your school(s) of choice. And be aware some aid is given on a first come first serve basis, therefore, it is best to complete the FAFSA early. 

You will need your, social security or alien registration number, most up to date tax information, bank statements, records of investment, records of untaxed income, and driver's license (if applicable) to complete the FAFSA. 

For more information regarding the FAFSA visit the GAFutures website or reach out to the counselor. 


HOPE and Zell Miller Scholarships: 

The HOPE and Zell Miller scholarships are state scholarships available to Georgia residents who have demonstrated academic achievement. In order to be eligible, students must meet the requirements listed below. 

Requirements

HOPE

Zell Miller

G.P.A

3.0 HOPE or above

3.7 HOPE or above

Testing Scores

N/A

SAT 1200 math and reading OR

ACT 26 composite score

Rigor

4 Classes

4 Classes

HOPE G.P.A is based on academic core (English, math, science, social studies, and foreign language) courses only. You can view your HOPE G.P.A by logging into your GAFutures account or by asking your counselor. 

Classes of rigor are advanced-level academic classes. A list of typical rigor courses taken can be found below.  For the full list of classes that qualify as rigor please see your counselor. 

HOPE/ Zell Miller scholarship covers tuition and fees for up to 15 credit hours at eligible public institutions (12 hours at eligible private institutions) only. HOPE/ Zell Miller cannot be used for housing and/or living expenses. Those expenses will need to be covered by the student/family, state or federal aid, institutional aid, private aid, or scholarships. For more information on award amounts click here.

For more information on HOPE or Zell Miller Scholarships visit the GAFutures website or contact the counselor. 

Classes of Rigor: 
College Readiness Math  Human Anatomy  Forensic Science
Chemistry  Spanish II  Spanish III
French II  French III  
DE Enrollment science, social studies, math, English, or foreign language

  



Scholarships: 

Paying for college can be expensive, but there are a lot of scholarships available to students who are willing to put in the work to find and apply for them. 

Typically, senior year is the time to start applying for scholarships. Most scholarships have spring application deadlines, but it is important to get an early start since applications usually require essays, letters of recommendation, transcripts and other information that may take time to gather. 

Popular scholarship search engines include: 
Fastweb
Cappex
Scholarships.com
GAFutures

You can also look at your chosen institution's website to see if they have any scholarships you can apply for or check with your or your parent's employer. Many employers sponsor scholarship programs. Community organizations you belong to are another great resource. 

The school counselor, Ms. Hansen, also keeps a list of scholarships available for DCSS students here. 

Be careful when you're searching for scholarships not to sign up for scholarship services that charge.  There are plenty of free search options out there so there is no need to sign up for any paid service. Paid services are usually designed to take advantage of students and their parents. 

Don't ignore smaller scholarship award amounts. Every little bit can help!
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