Financial Aid Newsletter – GREENBACK (August_2016)

Financial Aid Newsletter – GREENBACK_August 2016

Check out the latest issue of The Financial Aid GREENBACK, our quarterly Financial Aid newsletter. This issue: Financial Aid Course Audit (FACA) – Steps to get and stay ahead, 2017-2018 FAFSA filing Changes, CashContest coming soon, Partner with NOVA and protect your identity, and more. This newsletter is designed to help students and staff members stay up-to-date on the latest and greatest in the world of financial aid.

Beware of Federal Student Tax Scam

IRS Warning of a ‘Federal Student Tax’ Scam

On May 27, 2016 the IRS released a statement warning of a scam involving a bogus “Federal Student Tax”. As provided in their statement, the scam is currently presented as “phone calls from IRS impersonators demanding payment for a non-existent tax, the ‘Federal Student Tax.’”

The IRS’ statement includes further explanation of what the scam includes, how students and taxpayers can protect their information, and how the IRS is responding to the issue. More information on the IRS statement can be found on the irs.gov website, at https://www.irs.gov/uac/newsroom/irs-warns-of-latest-scam-variation-involving-bogus-federal-student-tax.

$100 CashCourse Drawings & Money Management Resources

The fourth CashCourse Contest drawing recently came to a close.  Were you one of the eight $100 winners?  If not, consider taking about 20-30 minutes to enter in the final drawing by successfully completing the “Making the Most of Employee Benefits” module at www.cashcourse.org by the June 10, 2016 deadline.  Eight more $100 winners will be drawn from the pool of current NOVA students who complete the final module with a post-test score of at least 80%.  Complete contest rules are available on NOVA’s Financial Literacy blog at http://blogs.nvcc.edu/financial-literacy/.

While on the Financial Literacy blog, you may also want to check out the money management resources that are available. It features some great tips on getting your finances under control and saving some money.  In case you’re interested, there’s also an article about the college’s other financial literacy programs available here.

New FSA Videos on Youtube for Financial Aid Assistance

Navigating the FAFSA:

Federal Student Aid published a new video to their YouTube channel:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdaGZASwjZU

This 6 minute video contains helpful information for parents of Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) applicants. It helps parents navigate the FAFSA process:  from logging in, to filling out and to signing their child’s FAFSA using their FSA ID.

 

Creating an FSA ID:

For information on creating an FSA ID, FSA has a video with detailed instructions on how to create an FSA ID: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLi0q7hkFns

 

Please review these videos and share them with students and parents on campus, at high school night or SDV presentations, in your offices and anywhere else it could be seen.

April is National Financial Literacy Month

April is National Financial Literacy Month which means it’s a great time to review your finances and develop a plan for managing your money.  Some excellent resources are available on NOVA’s Financial Literacy Blog.

You may wish to review the Money Management for College Students presentation, request a free copy of your credit report at www.annualcreditreport.com, and set up a budget and savings plan.  You could also enter NOVA’s CashCourse Contest for a chance to win $100 while learning about managing your finances.

If you haven’t already done so, remember to reapply for financial aid by completing the 16-17 FAFSA at www.fafsa.gov and submitting any items that may be requested on your NOVAConnect To Do List before the May 1, 2016 priority filing date for fall 2016.

If you’ve borrowed student loans we also encourage you to utilize NOVA’s Loan Planning Form to review your loan history, determine the impact of additional borrowing, and start planning for loan repayment.

The Community Foundation of Northern Virginia Scholarships

Community Foundation_2016 has a few unique scholarship opportunities available for Northern Virginia Community College students

Students may access all scholarship applications and view detailed information through our website http:ljwww.cfnova.org/scholarships/foundation­ managed

*Please note you may upload unofficial transcripts and unofficial test scores with you completed application.

All scholarship applications  must be submitted by

March 31, 2016 by Spm EST.

 

The Vance International, Inc. Scholarship

The Vance Scholarship was established by Chuck Vance, a former United States Secret Service agent and founder of a private security firm in Oakton, VA. The scholarship is for men and women who seek a career in law enforcement or private security including studies in the administration of justice.

Amount: $500-$2,000 (2 scholarships/year)

Must be a resident of Northern Virginia pursuing careers in law enforcement or security including the administration of justice. A minimum GPA of 2.5 is required. Students may attend accredited universities as full-time or part-time students. Applicants must complete an online application and submit transcripts from all high schools attended and letters of recommendation

 

The Charles Homer Barton Memorial Scholarship

The Charles Homer Barton Scholarship was established for the dependent children of police officers in Fairfax and Loudoun Counties. Scholarship awards will be made with consideration for academic achievement and good citizenship.

Charles Homer Barton dedicated his life to keeping his community safe, first as a police officer in Fairfax County,and later as a Deputy for the Loudoun County Sheriff’s office. Although Deputy Barton was a “cop’s cop” who brooked no nonsense from criminals,his colleagues describe him as “a big man with a huge heart,” who earned their respect with his fairness and compassion.

Deputy Barton was also a hero who literally gave his life to the service of others. In 1995,Deputy Barton was escorting a prisoner on an airplane that crashed, trapping the passengers in burning wreckage. Deputy Barton risked his own safety to stay aboard and help other passengers to escape. Because of his courage and selflessness, almost all of his fellow passengers survived the crash. However,Deputy Barton sustained severe injuries,and died in a hospital soon after the crash.

Amount: $2,000 {10 scholarships/year)

Criteria: Open to the legally dependent children of police officers or sheriff’s deputies who are employed by the Fairfax County, VA Police Department,the Loudoun County, VA Sheriff’s Office and the Police Departments in Leesburg, Middleburg, and Purcellville. Primary attention  will be given to children of police officers who have been killed in the line of duty.

The scholarship is for undergraduate education at a two or four year accredited college or university.

The scholarship selection committee  will consider both academic achievement and community service

 

The Community Foundation of Northern Virginia has a few unique scholarship opportunities available for Northern Virginia Community College students that have a minimum GPA of 2.5

Students may access all scholarship applications and view detailed information through our website http://www.cfnova.org/scholarships/foundation­ managed

*Please note you may upload unofficial transcripts and unofficial test scores with you completed application.

 

All scholarship applications must be submitted by: March 31, 2016 by Spm EST.

 

Ashworth Grogan Scholarship

The Ashworth Grogan Scholarship Fund was established to benefit high school seniors residing in Northern Virginia and college students at the Northern Virginia Community College advancing their education through the pursuit of an advanced certification  or degree in the fields of education and health.

Amount: Two,non-renewable scholarships of $5,000 awarded annually

Criteria:Graduating High School seniors must have a high school transcript with a GPA of 2.5 or higher

Northern Virginia Community College students must submit a high school transcript and a current NOVA transcript with a GPA of 2.5 or higher

*Applications must include a completed  FAFSAform

A brief essay regarding the applicant’s financial need, academic goals, how the scholarship will help to advance their educational goals,and what other financial aid (scholarships,loans,work study,etc.) have been awarded to the applicant.

 

Leslie V. Forte Scholarship

The Leslie V. Forte Scholarship Fund was established in memory of Leslie V. Forte who was the first African­ American faculty member in the English Department at the Northern Virginia Community College (NVCC) Annandale Campus. The award will be given to a minority student attending NVCC. Scholarship awards will be made with consideration for involvement in community and extracurricular activities and academic achievement at NVCC.

Amount:$2,000

Criteria: Full-time students at NVCC

GPA of 2.5 or better

Demonstrated involvement in community and extra­ curricular activities

Minority  student – African-American, Asian-American, Hispanic,Pacific Islander,American Indian, Eskimo,or Aleut origin

Required essay of 250 words or more describing reasons for attending college and emphasizing future academic and career goals. Assistance in editing the essay may be obtained from the Writing Centers on each campus.

Applicants must be currently enrolled college students at Northern Virginia Community College.

Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent legal residents.

Financial Aid Newsletter – GREENBACK (March_2016)

Financial Aid Newsletter – March 2016 GREENBACK

Check out the latest issue of The Financial Aid GREENBACK, our quarterly Financial Aid newsletter. This issue: Highpoint Academic Planning & Financial Aid, Message Center Update,  2017-2018 FAFSA Changes, Summer 2016 Aid, CashCourse Contest, the Inceptia Default Prevention Partnership, and more. This newsletter is designed to help students and staff members stay up-to-date on the latest and greatest in the world of financial aid.

NOVA Financial Aid Information Blog