Interesting Scholarships
Check out this article to learn more about scholarships that not many students don’t know about…
College Event: Budget Forum
From the District Vice Chancellor of Finance and Student Trustee:
Are you frustrated by too many closed classes? The college budget is getting tighter, but students can do something about it. As student Trustee, I want to help students get the best information possible. The district Vice Chancellor Kindred Murillo and I have organized budget forums on each college’s main campus. Leaders such as your student government President, college President, and me want to know your concerns, questions, and ideas.
Please join us on the following dates:
DVC: Tuesday, November 17 beginning at 12:30pm in the Trophy Room (near the cafeteria)
LMC: Wednesday, November 18 at noon in room 720 (recital hall) in the music building
CCC: Thursday, November 19 at noon in LA 100.
There will be a Financial Aid workshop directly after the forum. If you want to complete your FAFSA, BOG Fee Waiver, and/or any other financial aid related forms please attend the workshop. If you’re interested in learning more about the Financial Aid process, you are also welcome to come.
Article: Demystifying Aid for Community Colleges
Tuition rates at California’s community college may be low compared to those elsewhere, but that should not permit legislators to ignore the difficulty so many students have paying, says one lobbying organization.
Tuesday, the California Public Interest Research Group is releasing a report detailing a survey, conducted during the past spring and summer semesters, of community college students across the state. Chiefly, students were asked about their “work habits, their understanding of financial aid and how these factors might affect their academic success.” The group hopes the rampant misconceptions about financial aid highlighted in the survey will influence state legislators to fund aid counseling programs to help students take full advantage of what is available.
Oracle Community Impact Scholarship – up to $10,000
Oracle is committed to using its technology and resources to advance aducation in innovative ways, promote diveristy, enrich the life of communities, and protect the environment. As part of this commitment, Oracle and UNCF have partnered to establish the Oracle Community Impact Scholarship. This scholarship will fund deserving but financially challenged students from Northern California attending a college/university for the 2009/10 academic year.
Eligibility:
-Major in: Architectural Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Information Systems, Computer Science, Computer Science/MIS, Computer Technology, Electrical Engineering, Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Information Management Systems, Information Systems, Information Technology, Management Information Systems, Mathematical Sciences, Mathematics, Mechanical Engineering, PC Programming, Software Development, Software Engineering, Systems Engineering, Telecommunications Engineering
-Have a 3.0 minimum GPA
Application DEADLINE is Tuesday, October 6, 2009.
CCCSFAAA Scholarship Opportunity
The California Community College Student Financial Aid Administrators Association is now taking applications for its annual scholarship. They are awarding 10 $500 scholarships statewide and winners will be notified November 1, 2009.
Criteria:
-Attending a California community college Fall 2009
-California resident
-Remaining financial need
-Preference will be given to applicants that have overcome unusual hardships
Please click here for the Scholarship Flyer.
Please click here for the Scholarship Application.
Complete the application and requirements and submit to the Financial Aid Office before 3pm, October 20, 2009.
FA Orientation Now Online
If you are a first time DVC Financial Aid student this fall semester, we require you to complete the Financial Aid Orientation. This orientation is geared to inform our students of the processes and policies regarding receiving financial aid, but most importantly we cover the requirements for you to continue to receive your financial aid.
For those of you who were lucky enough to sign-up for an in-person orientation during the months of May through September, you got a great jump start with completing your financial aid file. We actually prefer that students sign-up and attend the in-person orientation because studies show (and also students tell us) that receiving the information in-person helps them understand the information better. It also allows students to ask questions while the material is being covered.
For those that weren’t able to attend one of our in-person orientation, the orientation is available online, via YouTube. You can find the link on the right side of the website labeled FA Orientation. If you have not completed this requirement please view the orientation videos (there are 3 of them) completely to fulfill this requirement.
Again the orientation is here to provide you with the information regarding financial aid prior to receiving money. We want you to be as informed as possible so that you know what decisions you need to make in order to continue receiving your financial aid. Ultimately, it is the student’s responsibility to make sure they maintain the requirements that the Federal and State governments have set up in regards to financial aid programs.
Please come in to the Financial Aid Office if you have any questions about the materials presented in the orientation.
Drop without a W Deadline is tomorrow!!!
If you are thinking about dropping a class, please make sure that you do it before the end of the day tomorrow, Friday, September 11th!
If you drop anytime after tomorrow, you will either receive a W (withdrawal) or an I (incomplete) – both grades you want to stay away from your transcript. Having these grades in your transcript will not only affect your financial aid but also your chances of getting in to the college/university that you may want to transfer to.
Check Disbursements
If you have received an award letter prior to the start of school, you will receive your award in two (2) disbursements: 1) 25% after the first week of school, 2) 75% after the 4th week of school.
However, if you receive an award letter after school has already started, then you will only receive one (1) check and it will be 100% of your award for the semester.
Why September 11th Matters
For obvious reasons, September 11th will forever be remembered in US History. But this year, this date is important to many students attending DVC because it is the Drop Without a W Deadline.
The Drop Without a W Deadline is important because it will help keep a student’s transcript clean (accumulating multiple W’s, D’s, and F’s on a transcript might hinder the chances of a student transferring in to the school of their choice). This date is also important for financial aid students because after September 11th, dropping classes can negatively impact a student’s financial aid status, probation or suspension.
Make sure that you are enrolled (not waitlisted) in the classes that you know you are able to complete before September 11th to receive your proper award. Adding classes after September 11th will NOT adjust your award money, it will however adjust the number of units you are expected to complete with at least C’s or better.
With about two weeks left before September 11th, please evaluate whether you like your class or not or if you can handle the amount of work and material. Decide before September 11th if you are staying or dropping.
If you want to check whether dropping a class will affect your financial aid, please visit us in the Financial Aid Office.
And We’re Back!
Welcome back DVC!
Today marked the first day of classes for many students in the Contra Costa County Community College District. As expected, the parking lots were full of students eager to start the 09-10 academic year. The Financial Aid Office at DVC was no exception to the rush!
This is when completing and submitting your paperwork early benefits the student. Like many other programs sponsored by the State and Federal governments, it takes time. It’s a process, financial aid IS a process. This process can take up to 2 months from submitting the FAFSA online to actually having your file completed. This doesn’t include waiting for the check to be mailed out (remember, the Contra Costa County Community College District DOES NOT disburse any financial aid prior to the start of school).
So what do you do to make sure that you won’t have to wait up to a month after school starts before you receive your check?
Make sure that you come in at least 1 month before the start of the semester to check the status of your file (of course the earlier, the better). This will give you ample time to submit any documentation we may need to complete your file as well enough time to make necessary corrections/changes needed to process your file. With such troubling economic times, we are receiving a record number of files in our office everyday. It’s important to remain on top of your financial aid file. It is YOUR responsibility to make sure that your files are complete.
With that, welcome back to school. We hope you the very best this semester!
