FAP434: FAFSA stuff, Tribute to Robert T. Stafford, First Generation Grants, Mario Ajero Student Financial Aid News + Robert T. Stafford, the long-serving Republican senator from Vermont who played such a major role in shaping the guaranteed-student-loan program that his Senate colleagues named the program for him, died December 23 at the age of 93. + A Republican, Stafford served two years as governor, 11 years in the House and 17 in the Senate before retiring in 1988. + He also dedicated himself to education from his perch on the Senate Subcommittee on Education, Arts and the Humanities. Congress saluted his dedication in 1988, renaming the Federal Guaranteed Student Loan program the Robert T. Stafford Student Loan program. + The low-interest loans to students are now known almost universally as "Stafford loans" to the millions who qualify for them each year. According to the federal Education Department, about 14 million Stafford loans were given to postsecondary students in 2006. + Also passing away recently, James Brown and Gerald Ford + FAFSA filing season is only 5 days away! + I got accepted for College Goal Sunday - meet me in at Framingham High School in Framingham, MA! + Thomas M. Menino, the mayor of Boston, is so frustrated with the performance of community colleges that serve the city that he is exploring plans to have the institutions report to the city rather than the state, The Boston Globe reported. Officials of Bunker Hill and Roxbury Community Colleges indicated that they are willing to consider the mayor’s ideas. Menino has criticized the colleges low graduation rates (not even 15 percent) and called for them to offer more programs that would train people for jobs in the financial services and life sciences industries. Scholarship Update + The Florida First Generation Matching Grant Program (FGMG) provides need-based grants to undergraduate students who are enrolled in state universities and whose parents have not earned baccalaureate degrees. Available state funds are contingent upon matching contributions from private sources on a dollar-for-dollar basis. + Meet Florida’s residency requirements for receipt of state student financial aid by maintaining Florida residency for purposes other than education for a minimum of 12 consecutive months prior to the first day of class of the academic term for which funds are requested. + Not owe a repayment under any state or federal grant or scholarship program unless satisfactory arrangements to repay have been made. + Not be in default on any federal Title IV or state student loan program unless satisfactory arrangements to repay have been made. + Not have previously received a baccalaureate degree. + Be a first generation college student. A student is considered "first generation" if neither of the student's parents earned a college degree at the baccalaureate level or higher. A student would also be eligible if he/she regularly resided with and received support from only one parent who did not earn a baccalaureate degree. + Be accepted at a state university. + Enroll for a minimum of 6 credit hours per term as a degree-seeking undergraduate student. + Meet additional eligibility requirements as established by the postsecondary institution. + Apply by filing your FAFSA before the state's deadline, May 15, 2007 + Details at our free scholarship web site Focus on Financial Aid + FAFSA deadlines at FAFSAonline.com + FAFSA - getting your documents together + FAFSA - it's too hard + We do NOT charge money for the FAFSA + Filing your FAFSA on time - the postal service is your enemy + Always, always, always print out your results Podsafe Music + Mario Ajero, Auld Lang Syne + If you're a podsafe musician who can crank out solos of any kind, holiday music is an EASY win - there are only 2 versions of Auld Lang Syne on the PMN! + Music via the Podsafe Music Network + Stop by our MySpace page! Reminders + Private student loans available at any time - visit AlternativeStudentLoan.com + Stafford federal student loans at StaffordLoan.com + Student loan consolidation at StudentLoanConsolidator.com + FAFSA form online filing at FAFSAonline.com + Financial Aid Podcast Show Notes at FinancialAidPodcast.com. + The Financial Aid Podcast is a publication of the Student Loan Network. Questions? Comments? Suggestions? Email me at financialaidpodcast {at} gmail {dot} com, visit http://www.FinancialAidPodcast.com, or call 877-328-1565 x529 or 206-350-1208. AIM: FinAidPodcast Add me to your iTunes by visiting http://www.FinancialAidPodcast.com/itunes/ Direct MP3 file download: MP3 file Technorati Tags: financial aid financialaidpodcast