Post by Mary Beth Jones on Dec 17, 2011 14:27:00 GMT -5
Questions & Answers
Counseling Students about Bright Futures Initial Eligibility
WebEx Session – September 2011
Page 1 of 3
1. Do high school credits taken in middle school count toward Bright Futures?
Yes, a student may use required high school coursework credits taken in middle school and reported on the high school transcript for Bright Futures initial eligibility.
2. Can dual enrollment (DE) courses be used as the two additional courses to raise the GPA?
Yes, the additional two credits can be used from any academic courses approved for the Bright Futures initial eligibility evaluation, which includes DE and/or AP, IB, and AICE fine arts courses. The Office of Student Financial Assistance (OSFA) evaluates eligibility based on all academic course work eligible for the award. OSFA uses the highest grades from all credits that apply.
3. To qualify for the Gold Seal Vocational (GSV) Scholars award, the student needs three vocational classes, however, must they be taken in two years?
GSV students must complete three Career and Technical Education credits in one vocational program taken over at least two academic years.
4. Do vocational programs have to be taken in sequence?
It may be possible to complete a vocational program from a combination of different courses dependent upon that particular vocational program; check the Comprehensive Course Table (CCT).
5. Does two years of foreign language transfer credit qualify for the Bright Futures language requirement?
Yes; the student must still have earned two high school units (in transfer) in the same foreign language (which includes American Sign Language) with one being at a second year level. For more information about the Foreign Language Requirements, visit www.FloridaStudentFinancialAid.org/SSFAD/bf/flrequire.htm.
6. Please clarify GED eligibility. How does a student with a GED have such a GPA in the appropriate courses if the student may not have taken them and elected a GED instead?
Required courses, grade point average, and community service for the scholarship must be earned before the student completes the Florida GED. Test scores must be met by the end of June of the academic year the student takes the GED exam. Before taking the GED, the student should work with the adult education counselor or the Bright Futures office regarding the scholarship evaluation. The Bright Futures academic year is September 1st through August 31st.
Questions & Answers
Counseling Students about Bright Futures Initial Eligibility
WebEx Session – September 2011
Page 2 of 3
7. What was the reasoning behind adding FAFSA as a requirement? The 2011 Florida Legislature required all students to submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) in order to receive funding for Florida Bright Futures Scholarships, Florida Resident Access Grants (FRAG), and Access to Better Learning and Education Grants (ABLE). Submission of this standard federal student financial aid form will allow the state to gather demographic information on the recipients of these scholarships and grants. The data from these submissions will assist the state in evaluating the programs and the extent that these programs increase access to higher education for families at all income levels. The law does not authorize the use of the data from the FAFSA to determine eligibility for the scholarships and grants. Privacy of the FAFSA information will be maintained. These submissions will follow the normal financial assistance privacy regulations. The state will only use the demographic data in the aggregate and not at the individual student level.
The FAFSA must be submitted for each student for each year the student receives the award. The FAFSA submission must be complete and error-free prior to award disbursements.
8. If a student enlists in the military and then applies for Bright Futures, will the student be disbursed the award amounts of his or her graduation year or the award amount for the year of eligibility? A student must apply for and be awarded a Bright Futures Scholarship by the end of his or her senior year of high school. An initially eligible student who enlists immediately after high school graduation begins his or her three-year period to begin receiving scholarship funds upon date of separation from active duty. Award amounts are set and are subject to change annually by the Florida Legislature. Award amounts are NOT based on the year of high school graduation.
9. Can Bright Futures be utilized for studies beyond a four-year degree? For example, a student has almost earned an AA through dual enrollment by his/her high school graduation date and therefore receives a baccalaureate degree prior to four years of study.
Florida Bright Futures Scholarships award students through a baccalaureate degree, up to 5 years after high school graduation. Florida Academic Scholars (FAS) and Florida Medallion Scholars (FMS) who complete their baccalaureate degree in seven semesters or fewer (or the equivalent in credit hours) may receive funding for one term of graduate study, up to 15 semester hours, paid at the undergraduate rate. The following website, www.FloridaStudentFinancialAid.org/SSFAD/bf/renewchart.htm, provides additional graduate study information.
Questions & Answers
Counseling Students about Bright Futures Initial Eligibility
WebEx Session – September 2011
Page 3 of 3
10. In what grade can students begin tracking their Bright Futures eligibility? Does it start in 11th grade or as young as 9th grade?
All four years of public high school transcripts are available for students and parents to monitor their progress toward the three Bright Futures Scholarship awards via FACTS.org. This website provides access to current transcript information and courses applicable toward Bright Futures Scholarships. To access the information, students and parents should go to www.facts.org, choose High School Students from the main menu, and then select Check Bright Futures Scholarship Eligibility. Private school evaluations are not on FACTS.org, but guidance professionals are encouraged to enter transcript data beginning in the 9th grade. Once data has been entered into the Online Transcript Entry & Evaluation System, guidance professionals can provide students and parents with a printed student evaluation report and evaluation key.
11. Where can counselors view the Bright Futures grade point average (GPA)? Counselors may monitor scholarship progress, including GPA, toward the three Bright Futures awards via DOE/OSFA Online Entry & Evaluation System. For more information, attend the WebEx training session about this system.
12. Are National Merit Finalists required to complete community service?
Yes, community service is required for each award level. You may wish to confirm the 2012 requirements for each award by visiting: www.FloridaStudentFinancialAid.org/SSFAD/bf/fasrequire.htm “Other Ways to Qualify,” or in the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program Initial Eligibility brochure from the OSFA website www.FloridaStudentFinancialAidsg.org/pdf/bf_brochure.pdf.
13. If transcripts are inaccurate, how long do we have to clear those issues?
There is no correction deadline; however, the sooner you correct the student record, the sooner the student’s file can be evaluated. The sooner a student is notified of an award, the more equipped he/she is to make decisions about postsecondary educational choice. Should you find the student record is locked, you may ask Bright Futures to unlock the record. Please provide the reason for such request. Public schools may contact Jacque Hunt at Jacque.Hunt@fldoe.org and private schools may contact Beverly Lahtinen at Beverly.Lahtinen@fldoe.org.
14. Do all students, included home educated students, receive an e-mail with User Name and PIN? Yes, students receive an e-mail with a User Name and PIN upon submission of their Florida Financial Aid Application (FFAA). This e-mail includes instructions for login, checking application status, and checking notifications posted by OSFA via the individual student’s online Financial Aid Recipient History.
Counseling Students about Bright Futures Initial Eligibility
WebEx Session – September 2011
Page 1 of 3
1. Do high school credits taken in middle school count toward Bright Futures?
Yes, a student may use required high school coursework credits taken in middle school and reported on the high school transcript for Bright Futures initial eligibility.
2. Can dual enrollment (DE) courses be used as the two additional courses to raise the GPA?
Yes, the additional two credits can be used from any academic courses approved for the Bright Futures initial eligibility evaluation, which includes DE and/or AP, IB, and AICE fine arts courses. The Office of Student Financial Assistance (OSFA) evaluates eligibility based on all academic course work eligible for the award. OSFA uses the highest grades from all credits that apply.
3. To qualify for the Gold Seal Vocational (GSV) Scholars award, the student needs three vocational classes, however, must they be taken in two years?
GSV students must complete three Career and Technical Education credits in one vocational program taken over at least two academic years.
4. Do vocational programs have to be taken in sequence?
It may be possible to complete a vocational program from a combination of different courses dependent upon that particular vocational program; check the Comprehensive Course Table (CCT).
5. Does two years of foreign language transfer credit qualify for the Bright Futures language requirement?
Yes; the student must still have earned two high school units (in transfer) in the same foreign language (which includes American Sign Language) with one being at a second year level. For more information about the Foreign Language Requirements, visit www.FloridaStudentFinancialAid.org/SSFAD/bf/flrequire.htm.
6. Please clarify GED eligibility. How does a student with a GED have such a GPA in the appropriate courses if the student may not have taken them and elected a GED instead?
Required courses, grade point average, and community service for the scholarship must be earned before the student completes the Florida GED. Test scores must be met by the end of June of the academic year the student takes the GED exam. Before taking the GED, the student should work with the adult education counselor or the Bright Futures office regarding the scholarship evaluation. The Bright Futures academic year is September 1st through August 31st.
Questions & Answers
Counseling Students about Bright Futures Initial Eligibility
WebEx Session – September 2011
Page 2 of 3
7. What was the reasoning behind adding FAFSA as a requirement? The 2011 Florida Legislature required all students to submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) in order to receive funding for Florida Bright Futures Scholarships, Florida Resident Access Grants (FRAG), and Access to Better Learning and Education Grants (ABLE). Submission of this standard federal student financial aid form will allow the state to gather demographic information on the recipients of these scholarships and grants. The data from these submissions will assist the state in evaluating the programs and the extent that these programs increase access to higher education for families at all income levels. The law does not authorize the use of the data from the FAFSA to determine eligibility for the scholarships and grants. Privacy of the FAFSA information will be maintained. These submissions will follow the normal financial assistance privacy regulations. The state will only use the demographic data in the aggregate and not at the individual student level.
The FAFSA must be submitted for each student for each year the student receives the award. The FAFSA submission must be complete and error-free prior to award disbursements.
8. If a student enlists in the military and then applies for Bright Futures, will the student be disbursed the award amounts of his or her graduation year or the award amount for the year of eligibility? A student must apply for and be awarded a Bright Futures Scholarship by the end of his or her senior year of high school. An initially eligible student who enlists immediately after high school graduation begins his or her three-year period to begin receiving scholarship funds upon date of separation from active duty. Award amounts are set and are subject to change annually by the Florida Legislature. Award amounts are NOT based on the year of high school graduation.
9. Can Bright Futures be utilized for studies beyond a four-year degree? For example, a student has almost earned an AA through dual enrollment by his/her high school graduation date and therefore receives a baccalaureate degree prior to four years of study.
Florida Bright Futures Scholarships award students through a baccalaureate degree, up to 5 years after high school graduation. Florida Academic Scholars (FAS) and Florida Medallion Scholars (FMS) who complete their baccalaureate degree in seven semesters or fewer (or the equivalent in credit hours) may receive funding for one term of graduate study, up to 15 semester hours, paid at the undergraduate rate. The following website, www.FloridaStudentFinancialAid.org/SSFAD/bf/renewchart.htm, provides additional graduate study information.
Questions & Answers
Counseling Students about Bright Futures Initial Eligibility
WebEx Session – September 2011
Page 3 of 3
10. In what grade can students begin tracking their Bright Futures eligibility? Does it start in 11th grade or as young as 9th grade?
All four years of public high school transcripts are available for students and parents to monitor their progress toward the three Bright Futures Scholarship awards via FACTS.org. This website provides access to current transcript information and courses applicable toward Bright Futures Scholarships. To access the information, students and parents should go to www.facts.org, choose High School Students from the main menu, and then select Check Bright Futures Scholarship Eligibility. Private school evaluations are not on FACTS.org, but guidance professionals are encouraged to enter transcript data beginning in the 9th grade. Once data has been entered into the Online Transcript Entry & Evaluation System, guidance professionals can provide students and parents with a printed student evaluation report and evaluation key.
11. Where can counselors view the Bright Futures grade point average (GPA)? Counselors may monitor scholarship progress, including GPA, toward the three Bright Futures awards via DOE/OSFA Online Entry & Evaluation System. For more information, attend the WebEx training session about this system.
12. Are National Merit Finalists required to complete community service?
Yes, community service is required for each award level. You may wish to confirm the 2012 requirements for each award by visiting: www.FloridaStudentFinancialAid.org/SSFAD/bf/fasrequire.htm “Other Ways to Qualify,” or in the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program Initial Eligibility brochure from the OSFA website www.FloridaStudentFinancialAidsg.org/pdf/bf_brochure.pdf.
13. If transcripts are inaccurate, how long do we have to clear those issues?
There is no correction deadline; however, the sooner you correct the student record, the sooner the student’s file can be evaluated. The sooner a student is notified of an award, the more equipped he/she is to make decisions about postsecondary educational choice. Should you find the student record is locked, you may ask Bright Futures to unlock the record. Please provide the reason for such request. Public schools may contact Jacque Hunt at Jacque.Hunt@fldoe.org and private schools may contact Beverly Lahtinen at Beverly.Lahtinen@fldoe.org.
14. Do all students, included home educated students, receive an e-mail with User Name and PIN? Yes, students receive an e-mail with a User Name and PIN upon submission of their Florida Financial Aid Application (FFAA). This e-mail includes instructions for login, checking application status, and checking notifications posted by OSFA via the individual student’s online Financial Aid Recipient History.