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NAVIGATING YOUR

FINANCIAL FUTURE

FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

Published by the Florida Department of Education, Office of Student Financial Assistance

JUNE 2018

Sweet Summertime Make your upcoming school year less stressful by

planning ahead this summer.

It’s an exciting time — you just graduated and it’s the summer before college. The

only thing on your mind is fun. While it is a great time to have fun, there are a lot of

things to think about this summer. You are finally an adult, you might be leaving your

parents’ house soon and starting on your own. Things to think about are:

Financial aid

Financial literacy

Getting ready for your new school

Preparing yourself for new situations

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Important Questions to Ask Yourself

Financial aid can be difficult to understand if you don ’t

prepare yourself well. Thinking about it now will save you a huge

headache later on. Some questions to ask yourself this summer

include:

Is my financial aid going to cover my full tuition?

If not, what other grants or scholarships do I still have time to

apply for? Will I need to take out loans?

What extra costs will I have this fall?

What part-time jobs are available to me to start saving for the

school year?

Do I understand the terms of my financial aid agreement?

Do I understand the terms of my student loans?

For more tips on financial aid, see Financial Aid for High School

Students & Finding College Money for High Schoolers.

Financial Literacy is another important topic. Financial

literacy is understanding how savings and checking accounts

work, how to pay bills, how to save money, how to budget, and

much more. Some questions to ask yourself and your parents

include:

Do I have my own bank account? If not, which bank is the best

option for me?

Do I know how to set a budget?

What bills will I be responsible for this fall?

Do I have time to work this summer and/or this upcoming

school year?

What financial goals can I set for the start of the school year?

For more tips on Financial Literacy, see Five Basic Personal Fi-

nance Lessons every High School Student Should Learn.

CONTACT

For more information about

our free products and

services, please contact

OSFA’s Outreach Services:

Pete Hernandez

850-245-1821

Pedro.Hernandez@fldoe.org

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The Council for Economic Education created resources for students which are available

at www.councilforeconed.org/k-12-resources.

Mapping Your Future is a great resource for learning more about planning for college. Available

topics include how to:

- Explore Careers

- Prepare for College

- Pay for College

- Manage your Money

Budget worksheets and calculators are available at www.navigatingyourfinancialfuture.org.

Useful tips for students and parents at http://collegetipsforparents.org/.

Getting ready for your new school can be both exciting and nerve-wracking. Life will get busy

this fall and you will want to take advantage of the slow pace this summer. There are important

things to think about that will indirectly impact your finances to ensure you are truly prepared.

Questions to ask yourself include:

Have I registered for orientation? What will that cost me?

When does class registration open up for me?

Am I living on or off campus?

Does my car need a checkup?

Do I need a health exam before I start school?

Do I have my meal plan sorted out?

See the resources below to start planning your future.

Resources For You

More Questions

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Need assistance with

the financial aid

process or have

questions about state

grants and scholarships?

Contact OSFA’s

Outreach Services.

We offer years

of experience in the

field of financial aid.

Visit

NavigatingYourFuture.org

and select the

Contact Us tab.

Mapping Your Future is a great resource for learning more about planning for college.

Available topics include how to:

Explore Careers

Prepare for College

Pay for College

Manage your Money

DID YOU KNOW?

Approaching Deadlines

Don’t forget students must submit the Flori-

da Financial Aid Application (FFAA) by

August 31 of their senior year of high school.

All eligibility requirements, including service

hours, must be met by high school

graduation.

ACT/SAT tests may be taken through June

30th of the graduation year.

After submitting the FFAA, students are

responsible for tracking applications and

award status online and keeping the Office

of Student Financial Assistance (OSFA)

informed of any demographic or institutional

changes. Students are responsible for

ensuring that funding for an academic year

is accurate by contacting their postsecond-

ary institution’s financial aid office.