Financial Aid Opportunities

Preparing our students to succeed in college is LEAP’s mission, but equally important is finding opportunities to cover the ever rising costs of higher education.  Through our Pre College Office, LEAP staff work diligently to find and secure financial aid options for our graduates, with tremendous success.  Last year alone, LEAP secured financial aid totaling more than $200,000 for the Class of 2008.

We recommend that students and parents visit the following reference sites for detailed information on financial aid options:

1. The College Board
   Information on financial aid, admissions, SATs, and more.
2. Federal Student Aid
   Information on federal aid programs, including FAFSA.
3. Higher Education Student Assistance Authority
   Information on federal and NJ state financial aid programs (grants, scholarships, loans).

FEDERAL AID

1. FAFSA
   The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is a government-funded financial aid system that gives out more than $80 billion annually to students for college.  Students can apply on-line at www.fafsa.ed.gov.
   
   
2. Pell Grants
   Pell Grants are need-based grants offered by the U.S. Department of Education whereby eligible low-income students are provided with financial aid determined by their FAFSA applications.  Grants, unlike loans, do not need to be repaid. 
   
   
3. Perkins Loans
   Perkins Loans are low-interest federal loans made available to eligible low-income students.  Like Pell grants, they are offered by the U.S. Department of Education and determined by the FAFSA application.
   
4. Stafford Loans
   “Stafford Loans” are low-interest loans either directly from the federal government or from federally-backed private bank lenders.  Stafford Loans come from either the Federal Direct Loan program or the Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) program, and are available through FAFSA. 

STATE AID (NJ)

1. NJ Educational Opportunity Fund Grants (EOF)
   EOF is a New Jersey state commissioned financial aid system that offers aid to eligible students attending colleges and universities in New Jersey.  Students can apply for the program at participating NJ colleges and universities. 
   Please click here for a list of participating NJ colleges.
    
   
2. NJ Tuition Aid Grant (TAG)
   TAG grants are NJ state-funded grants offered to eligible students who are attending colleges and universities in New Jersey.  Students can apply for TAG grants through their FAFSA applications.

***Find more State Aid options here.

OTHER OPPORTUNITIES

1. University Aid
   All students should contact the financial aid offices of any universities they are interested in attending.  Nearly all colleges and universities make funding available for students through scholarships, grants, and work-study possibilities. 
2. Alfredo Santiago Scholarship (Rutgers)
   The Rutgers/LEAP Alfredo Santiago Endowed Scholarship was created by LEAP founder Dr. Gloria Bonilla-Santiago and the CSUCL to support eligible LEAP Academy graduates who attend Rutgers University.  All students planning to enroll at Rutgers should apply for the scholarship during the Spring. 
   Contact the Rutgers/LEAP Pre College Office for application info. 
   Click here to learn more about the Scholarship.