Financial Aid

The FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) and the CADAA (California Dream Act Application) are FREE applications and are the first step in applying for financial aid from the federal government, the state of California, and most colleges and universities. These applications provide access to grants, scholarships, work-study, and student loans.

 

Both the FAFSA and CADAA websites provide step-by-step instructions to help families complete the application. Ripon High School counselors typically host a Cash for College event each January in partnership with Delta College financial aid representatives. This hands-on workshop gives students and parents the opportunity to complete the FAFSA or CADAA with expert guidance and support.

 

The FAFSA and CADAA become available online on October 1 of the student’s senior year. Please note: students must complete the appropriate application (FAFSA or CADAA) to be considered for financial aid and many scholarships at colleges and universities throughout the United States and California.

 

What is the difference between FAFSA and CADAA?

• FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid)
  The FAFSA is for students who are U.S. citizens or eligible non-citizens. It is used to apply for federal financial aid, including Pell Grants, federal student loans, work-study, and many college- and state-based scholarships.

• CADAA (California Dream Act Application)
  The CADAA is for undocumented students and certain non-citizens who meet California Dream Act eligibility requirements. It allows students to apply for state and college financial aid in California, such as Cal Grants, institutional grants, and some scholarships. The CADAA does not provide access to federal financial aid.

Important:
Students should complete only one application—either the FAFSA or the CADAA—based on their eligibility. Completing the correct application is required to be considered for most financial aid and scholarship opportunities.

 

FAFSA Opt-Out Information

California law requires all high school seniors to complete the FAFSA or CADAA unless they choose to opt out. If you and your family do not wish to submit a financial aid application, you must complete the FAFSA-CADAA AB 469 Opt Out Form below. This form must be signed by a parent/guardian or by the student if they are 18 or older and returned to the counseling office. Submitting the opt-out form ensures your graduation requirements are met while respecting your family’s decision.

This site contains good, basic financial aid information. It is offered by the State of California and it provides links to financial aid sites, lenders, job opportunities and application deadlines. It also provides a link to CalGrant information, a need and merit-based grant awarded to students who attend participating colleges in California. The deadline to submit your FAFSA to be eligible for a CalGrant is March 2 of your senior year. 

Sponsored by the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators, this page provides links to hundreds of sources of information about student aid and scholarships. This site provides a terrific glossary of financial aid terms, a complete overview of financial aid methodology, as well as useful FAQ's. 

This site is the nation's largest scholarship database. If you register with FastWeb, you will have access to free scholarship searches, personalized scholarship matching, internship searches, as well as financial aid and student loan help. FastWeb will send you regular emails with scholarship updates and application deadline reminders. 

Although not every college requires the Profile, many private universities require a completed application in order to be eligible for any institutional financial aid. Many of the member colleges use the information collected on the Profile to help them award nonfederal student aid funds. It is very important to determine which colleges require the Profile; a complete list of member colleges can be found on the Profile website. The new Profile usually becomes available online in October of your senior year. There is a fee to submit the CSS Profile; the College Board automatically awards fee waivers based on the information you provide on the form.