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2003 Winter Financial Aid Newsletter

MCC FINANCIAL AID AWARENESS WEEK
The Financial Aid office is sponsoring a Financial Aid Awareness week at Monroe Community College, March 10th – 14th, 2003. During this week, the financial aid office staff will be:
- Offering 2003-2004 FAFSA Filing workshops.*
- Sending informational financial aid e-mail broadcasts.
- Providing a financial aid information table in the 2nd Floor Hallway of Building 1.

In addition, the Financial Aid Office will be giving away two $50.00 gift certificates to the MCC Bookstore. To qualify for this drawing, candidates must be a new or returning MCC student AND document that they have filed a 2003-2004 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Documentation may be in the form of:
- A copy of a 2003-2004 Student Aid Report.
- Confirmation & signature page from filing on the internet, FAFSA on the Web (www.fafsa.ed.gov).

Submissions to qualify for the bookstore gift certificates drawing must be turned into the MCC Financial Aid Office (Brighton Campus) by the end of the day on Wednesday, March 19th, 2003.

2003-2004 MCC SCHOLARSHIPS
The following student scholarship applications are now available at the Financial Aid Office:
1.MCC Scholarship Brochure 2003-2004: Includes a description and an application for scholarships that are funded through the MCC Foundation. They are available for new and continuing MCC students for next school year. Deadlines and criteria vary for each individual scholarship.
2. Thompson Family Scholarship for 2003-2004: Available for continuing full time students. Eligible applicants must have a 3.0 cumulative grade point average, financial need, and a unique challenge to attend MCC. Deadline for completion and return of this scholarship application is May 9, 2003.

Students can download the application from the MCC Financial Aid web page (www.monroecc.edu/go/finaid) or request the applications from Financial Aid Office on the Brighton Campus or the Student Services Center at the Damon City Campus.

FINANCIAL AID AND THE MCC RESIDENCE HALLS
Students who are eligible for Financial Aid at MCC can have their Financial Aid credited toward the Residence Halls charges if the amount of their aid is sufficient to do so. Any student who wants to live in the Residence Halls and wants to have financial aid credited toward the cost must apply for financial aid by March 15, 2003. Please note that in some cases financial aid may not cover the entire cost of the Residence Hall and students may have to make payments for uncovered costs.

Students can apply for the Residence Halls after January 15, 2003. Students who are accepted into the Residence Halls are notified of their acceptance after May 15, 2003. These students will also receive a Financial Aid Award Letter, which will show them their estimated financial aid eligibility. Official bills are mailed in June, and will show the financial aid credits. If there is a balance due, students are required to make payment by July 15, 2003 for their Fall Semester charges.

If you have questions, you can contact the MCC Financial Aid Office by phone (585-292-2050), e-mail (financialaid@monroecc.edu) or visit our website at www.monroecc.edu/go/finaid.

TAP APPLICATION ON-LINE
Beginning in January 2003, NYS students applying for student financial aid in 2003-04 can now apply for both federal and state aid using a single online session. After completing the 2003-04 On-line Free Application For Federal Student Aid (FAFSA on the Web- www.fafsa.ed.gov ), New York residents are able to link to the TAP on the Web Form, which is pre-filled with their FAFSA data in the same way as the traditional paper application. Statistics have shown that filing financial aid applications on-line is faster, efficient, and a more accurate application method.

Applicants should be aware that in order to use the on-line TAP Application, they must first complete the on-line FAFSA. If you don’t file your FAFSA on-line, you cannot apply for TAP on-line. In addition, students must complete the on-line TAP application immediately after completing the FAFSA. If it is not done at that time, applicants cannot get back on later to do it. Students who do not complete the on-line TAP application will be sent a paper TAP application (ETA), if the student is a first time applicant. Continuing students who previously received TAP may or may not be sent an ETA depending on what items were changed from the prior year. The link for the on-line TAP application is on the confirmation page of the on-line FAFSA.

2003-2004 FINANCIAL AID APPLICATION REMINDERS
Here are few reminders for students and parents for applying for Financial Aid for the 2003-2004 academic year:
- File early, as soon as the student’s and/or parent’s federal tax returns are completed
- Get a PIN. Both students and parents should have a financial aid PIN, which will allow them to sign the On-line FAFSA electronically and to make corrections to the FAFSA on-line. For more info go to www.pin.ed.gov.
- File On-line. Students can apply for both Federal and NYS Financial Aid programs via the Internet at www.fafsa.ed.gov. On-line is faster, more efficient, and more accurate than using the paper application process.
- Keep copies of all of your 2002 income documents. (Federal & State tax returns, W-2’s, Social Security, Unemployment, or Welfare benefits statements)

LOAN ENTRANCE COUNSELING
Students who are borrowing a student loan at MCC for the first time are required to complete a Loan Entrance Counseling Session. To meet this requirement, students must complete the loan entrance counseling session online at www.monroecc.edu/go/finaid. From there click on the “Loan Entrance Counseling” link on the navigation bar.

Once the student completes the online Loan Entrance Counseling, they must print the confirmation form at the end and submit it to the MCC Financial Aid Office. Students who do not complete the Loan Entrance Counseling, will not have their Direct Loans processed.