SMART MONEY MOVES
Crosby Scholars Financial Aid Newsletter | SEPTEMBER 2023
In This Issue:
  • Meet our Team!
  • Services We Offer
  • Preparing for the FAFSA
  • FSA IDs
  • RDS + CSS Profile
  • Crosby Scholarships
Meet Our Financial Aid Team
Ashly Wilson
Assistant Director of Financial Aid + Advising
Molly Thomas
Financial Aid Program Specialist
Services We Offer
  • Individual Financial Aid Advising
  • FAFSA Application Demonstration
  • Crosby Scholarship funding
  • Last Dollar Grant funding
  • Access to National, Regional & Local Scholarship Database
  • Smart Money Moves Newsletter
  • FAFSA, CSS PROFILE, and RDS Assistance Labs
  • Live Webinars:
  • Early Financial Aid Awareness
  • Federal Student Loan Borrowing
  • Scholarship Research Resources
  • FAFSA Basics
  • Winston-Salem Foundation Scholarships
  • NC 529 Savings Plan
  • Thurgood Marshall College Fund
Get Ready for the 2024-25 FAFSA
WHAT IS THE FAFSA?

The FAFSA is Free Application for Federal Student Aid. For many students, filling out and submitting the Free Application for Federal Student Aid or FAFSA is the first step toward creating your plan to pay for college. Submitting a FAFSA will let you know which types and how much financial aid you may qualify for.

The 2024-25 FAFSA will be available in December and will require you to use your 2022 Tax Return information. The exact date that the FAFSA will be released in December has not yet been determined by the US Department of Education. As we learn this information, we will communicate it to you.
WHY DO I NEED TO FILL OUT A FAFSA?

Colleges require a submitted FAFSA to determine a student's eligibility for Financial Aid, which can include a combination of scholarships, grants, and federal student loans. Colleges send each student who submits a FAFSA a detailed Financial Aid Award letter outlining which types and how much financial aid the student can expect to help cover their educational costs. The only way to know exactly how much Financial Aid you qualify for is to submit a FAFSA.
HOW DO I FILL OUT A FAFSA?

Submitting a Free Application for Federal Student Aid or (FAFSA) is FREE, only takes about 45 minutes to complete, and can be submitted electronically at www.StudentAid.gov on a desktop computer, a tablet, or a mobile phone. We recommend parents and students create time to fill out and submit the FAFSA together, as both the student and parent(s) will be required to input information.
Creating Your Federal Student Aid ID (FSA ID)
WHAT IS A FEDERAL STUDENT AID ID (FSA ID)?

Your Federal Student Aid ID (FSA ID) serves as your login information to access, complete, and sign the FAFSA. You must have an FSA ID established to access the form.
WHO NEEDS AN FSA ID?

Both students and parents should create their own FSA IDs to access the FAFSA form and to retrieve the necessary tax information required to complete it. Please allow at least three days for your FSA ID to be functional, as the Social Security Administration will require verification of the information provided before tax information can be accessed. For this reason, we recommend creating your FSA ID before you begin the FAFSA form in December.
NC Residency Determination Service (RDS)
HOW NC RESIDENCY DETERMINATION CAN IMPACT YOUR TUITION COSTS

You may already know that you need to complete the North Carolina Residency Determination Service or RDS interview once you begin filling out your college admission applications. While this is true, you also need to complete the RDS interview to know if qualify for In-State Tuition costs.

Under North Carolina law, in order to qualify for In-State Tuition, you will need to show that you have established your legal residence in North Carolina and have maintained that residence for a certain period of time before enrolling in College. If you forget to complete the RDS interview, you may be subject to paying Out-Of-State Tuition costs, which can be significantly more expensive.

Completing your Residency Determination is quick and easy! Click here to complete your RDS today.
CSS Profile
WHAT IS THE CSS PROFILE?

The CSS Profile is an online application used by some colleges and universities to award non-federal institutional aid. Colleges requiring the CSS PROFILE in North Carolina are Duke University, UNC Chapel Hill, Wake Forest University, Davidson College, and Elon University. Students may complete the application in their senior year starting on October 1, 2023.

The CSS PROFILE is free for families with an adjusted gross income of up to $100,000.

Families with higher adjusted gross incomes will pay $25 for the first school submitted and $16 for each subsequent school submitted.

Schools may have different deadlines - be sure to check with each school you are applying to. A list of participating schools are available here.
Begin Your Scholarship Search Now
It's not too early to begin searching for scholarships! Many flagship scholarships at colleges conduct their scholarship application review and processes beginning in early fall of senior year.
Crosby Scholarships: Coming Fall 2023
We have over 35 scholarships that are available only to graduating Crosby Scholars! All Crosby Scholarships will open during Fall 2023. Stay tuned for an exact opening date in the coming weeks.
In the meantime, check out our Scholarship Pathways to learn more about the different types of scholarships we offer, which scholarships you are eligible for, and how to start preparing to apply!
Have Questions?
Crosby Scholars is here for you! Schedule a virtual Financial Aid Advising session with Ashly Wilson, Assistant Director of Financial Aid + Scholarships!
To ensure that every public school student in Forsyth County has the opportunity to attend college.