The College Assistance Program (CAP) is a college advisory program in the Miami-Dade County Public Schools. CAP provides full-time service in every senior high school. The purpose of the CAP school advisory program is to guide students and their parents through the college admission and financial aid processes. CAP advisors in the schools help students find appropriate post secondary institutions, apply for admission, and apply for financial aid and scholarships. CAP is unique among help services, because advisors initiate the contacts with their students and then meet with them individually. Special events are sponsored by CAP, such as financial aid workshops for parents and students and College Forums which provides an opportunity for college freshmen to tell seniors about their first-year experience. For more information regarding college plans, scholarships, and financial aid, make an appointment with Ms. Arguelles by clicking on the appointment request form below. CAP appointment Request SMSH CAP Email Registry SAT/ACT waiver request		Why Study in the United States? Your College Search Admissions Decision Early Decision and Early Action Senior Checklist Application Requirements College Application Essay Why Study at a Community College?   Online practice tests or access to free SAT and ACT practice e-books are avaliable through the MDCPS databases, see Ms. Stafford in the media center for information on how to log into them. Also stop by the library to check out our print resources related to SAT and ACT tests.
	Oh, The Places You'll Go!   College Links The College Board Online Schools in Florida www.onlineschoolsinflorida.com For more links, view the powerpoint below.

Applying For Financial Aid
Get a PIN: During the month of December seniors should apply for a U.S. Department of Education personal identification number (PIN) at www.pin.ed.gov. The PIN will allow you to sign your FAFSA electronically and to correct your processed FAFSA information online. Don’t share the PIN with anyone! Also, your parents must apply for his or her own PIN.

Gather the information required to apply:
• Your social security number and your parents’ Social Security numbers
• Your driver’s license number if you have one
• You and your parent’s Income Tax information from the previous year

Complete your application online at www.fafsa.ed.gov. Complete and submit your application online after collecting all the necessary information. After you submit your application, make sure you receive a confirmation number. This number tells you your application has been successfully submitted. Keep this confirmation number for your records.

Follow up on your FAFSA: Your application will be processed and you will receive an e-mail with a link to your Student Aid Report (SAR). If you do not provide an e-mail address, you will receive your SAR by mail. You should review your SAR for any necessary corrections or updates. If you don’t hear from FAFSA within three weeks of submitting your application, go to www.fafsa.ed.gov and select: “Check the Status of a Submitted FAFSA.”

Florida Bright Futures Starts December 1st
To apply for a Bright Futures Scholarship, submit a complete Florida Financial Aid Application (FFAA) during your last year in high school (after December 1 and prior to graduation). You may apply on-line at www.floridastudentfinancialaid.org (select State Grants, Scholarships and Applications, then Apply Here). The application will give the Department of Education permission to evaluate your high school transcripts for eligibility for a Bright Futures Scholarship and will initiate your evaluation for other state scholarships and grants as well, such as the Florida Student Assistance Grant, Florida Resident Access Grant and Florida Work Experience Program. You must apply during your last year in high school, before graduation, or you will forfeit all future eligibility for a Bright Futures Scholarship. You must not be found guilty of, or plead no contest to, a felony charge.

You Need to Know…….
It is your responsibility to provide your correct name, address, and social security number and update any changes. Before you submit a Florida Financial Aid Application, you should report any changes to your guidance counselor. After your submission of an FFAA, please use the user ID and PIN numbers assigned to you in your State Student Financial Aid Database results letter to update your demographic information. Without the SSN, correct identification of an applicant’s record cannot be assured and may result in a delay in the disbursement of an award. The SSN is essential for matching test scores with student records and for matching your Bright Futures award with your college records.

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