financial aid
Class of 2018 Senior Survival Guide
By Guest Blogger on May 24th, 2018
Earlier this year, our FLVS Full Time Senior Class officers presented a “Senior Survival Guide” to the current juniors. Their presentation was fantastic and full of great tips from the viewpoint of a student. Whether you’re looking ahead to senior year or graduation is a few years down the road, several of these tips for FLVS students apply to any grade level.
Now without further ado, here are the top 10 tips for surviving senior year at FLVS from our Class of 2018.
5 Ways Your FLVS School Counselor Can Help You!
By Anne Flenner on September 22nd, 2017
FLVS Flex School Counselors are the direct line to our homeschool families in regards to academic advising, college and career planning, SAT/ACT information, scholarships, and more!
Have you reached out to your FLVS School Counselor lately? If not, now is the time!
Here are five ways your FLVS School Counselor can help you! Continue reading
Legislation Opens New Opportunities
By Guest Blogger on May 4th, 2016
If you’re like me, you follow education policy closely.
Even if you don’t, it was pretty hard to miss the emphasis put on education this past session here in Florida.
You’ve probably at least heard about “House Bill 7029 – Education” in the news and know that it was pretty big. It addresses areas like athletic eligibility, parent and student rights, the option to attend any public school in the state (given that there is space), and so much more.
That last one, attending any public school, really opens up school choice. Luckily, children all over Florida already have the option to enroll in Florida Virtual School. That’s one of the many perks of being virtual – meeting the student where they are. Continue reading
Seniors – Go fill out the FAFSA!
By Guest Blogger on March 2nd, 2015
It’s tax time, and you’ll want to ask your parents to get those taxes wrapped up so you can fill out the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid).
The FAFSA is the form you need to fill out to apply for college funding. In fact, this application is responsible for deciding the disbursement of billions in grants, loans, and work-study funds each year.
For example, the Federal Pell Grant (which does not need to be repaid) provides $5,775 a year (though the amount you qualify for will depend on financial need). Continue reading
“Clash Man” Becomes a Leader
By Guest Blogger on December 2nd, 2014
I sometimes wonder if my three years in middle school were harder than my three years in a refugee camp.
On the fashion front, I wore the same shirt to school three times a week and earned the name “Clash Man.” In 8th grade, I got kicked off my basketball team and my family was forced to move into low-income housing. At my new school, I got my first D in math, and Cs in some of my other classes.
If you would have asked me if I was a leader, I would have laughed. I was trying to survive each day of school and hoping that life would get better.
Life did get better, but not because I got better housing or a new wardrobe. Continue reading
What Went Wrong?
By Guest Blogger on November 14th, 2014
Katie had never imagined she’d be living month to month, in constant fear that she wouldn’t have enough to pay her rent. After all, Katie had a college degree and a job.
When I met Katie, she was 23 years old and working her dream job at a non-profit. She didn’t have any credit card debt. What had gone wrong?
Katie had massive student loans from college, totaling more than $128,000. Katie’s salary was $32,000 and more than $12,000 of that went to pay the debt and interest. Continue reading
Get Ready for College!
By Guest Blogger on January 6th, 2014
Now that you’ve survived the New Year and enjoyed some time off from work or school, it’s time to hit the ground running and tackle the world!
While you are in a motivated mindset, let’s make sure you or your student(s) have everything needed to be college-ready.
The Federal Student Aid Office has many resources to help students prepare for college. One of those resources is a handy checklist.
Start by downloading the College Prep Checklist.pdf (other accessible versions and resources are available here) and check out the Your “To Do” List organized by grade. Continue reading
Planning and Paying for Post-Secondary Education
By Guest Blogger on July 18th, 2013
As a School Counselor, I always know when summer is near by the number of seniors requesting guidance in preparation for the next stage of their lives. Whether it is reviewing transcripts, offering resources to research financial aid options, or discussing opportunities for college or technical schools, we delight in helping students transition into early adulthood! Recently, there has been a noticeable spotlight shined on the rising cost of post-secondary tuition and the rapid accumulation of student loan debt. Continue reading