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Glossary of Common Financial Aid Terms

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The world of Financial Aid can be a swirl of confusing acronyms. The following is a list of commonly used acronyms and abbreviations to help guide you through FAA talk.

ACTÌý- American College Testing Program

AGIÌý- Adjusted Gross Income

ATBÌý- Ability To Benefit (See Federal Eligibility Requirements)

COAÌý- Cost of Attendance-- estimated student expense budgets

EDÌý- The Department of Education administers the federal financial aid program

EAPÌý- Electronic Application Processing

EFCÌý- Expected (or Estimated) Family Contribution as determined by federal methodology

ESARÌý- An Electronic Student Aid Report is the information a school receives electronically when a studentÌýÌýÌý includes a school's Title IV code on the FAFSA when applying for financial aid.

FAAÌý- Financial Aid Administrator- the staff of a college's financial aid office

FAFSAÌý- The Free Application for Federal Student Aid is the initial application for any/all of the federal Title IV programs.

FAOÌý- Financial Aid Office (or Officer)

FSEOGÌý-Ìý Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants are additional grants given to Pell eligible students.

FWSÌý- Federal Work Study-- on-campus and community service jobs partially Federally funded that are offered to students who show unmet need

GEDÌý- General Education Degree-- the equivalent of a high school diploma administered through a high school equivalency program.

GPAÌý- Grade Point Average

PELLÌý- Federal PELL grants are basic entitlement grants awarded to students through the Title IV financial aid program

SAPÌý- Satisfactory Academic Progress. A student must be making satisfactory academic progress as defined by BCCC for students to receive financial aid

SARÌý- A Student Aid Report is a letter sent to the applicant after the federal processor has processed a student's FAFSA

SSNÌý- Social Security Number

VAÌý- Veterans Administration