Paying For College

HOPE and ZELL 

HOPE and ZELL eligibility are determined by the GSFC. Please see FAQ’s about HOPE here

GSFC will calculate each student’s GPA once a final transcript is submitted after graduation. 

Transcripts through first semester of the senior year are submitted at the end of February. A preliminary GPA is calculated by GSFC at that time. 

You can access your HOPE GPA after that first calculation by creating a GAFutures account at gafutures.org. 

Students should create their account. You do not need a Georgia Testing Identification Number to complete this online account/application. 

SCHOLARSHIPS 

Continue to look for merit scholarship opportunities at the colleges and universities where you are applying. Deadlines are different for all, so careful browsing of the college and university web sites is a good idea. 

Be wary of any organization or company that charges a fee. A good rule of thumb is to avoid scholarship programs and scholarship search programs that charge any type of fee, including an application fee. 

Fastweb 
FinAid 
MeritAid 
Goodcall 
7-Full-tuition Scholarships

The Financial Aid tab in the Common Application also has resources for scholarships. Log in to your Common Application account for more details. 

APPLICATION INFO

FAFSA is for federal financial aid 

CSS Profile is for institutional aid (grants, merit aid). See schools participating here. 

If you’re applying Early Decision, and you intend to apply for financial aid, confirm if the college or university requires the CSS Profile. Both of these forms are available and can be completed early in the application process. For the FAFSA, please be aware that you can use prior tax year information.