How to Apply

Applying for financial aid at MCC is easy! MCC offers a wide variety of need-based grants, scholarships, and work-study to eligible students.

Applying for financial aid starts with completing the FAFSA, or Free Application for Federal Student Aid.  The FAFSA collects income and asset information to help determine what financial aid can be offered. Be sure to include MCC’s School Code (011864) to have your application sent to us. The FAFSA helps determine your eligibility for grants, scholarships, work-study, and loans from the federal and state governments as well as from MCC.

If you don’t already have one, you’ll need to get an FSA ID. The FSA ID replaces the old FAFSA PIN. The FSA ID is a unique ID that you’ll use to the sign the FAFSA. Your FSA ID is linked to your Social Security Number (SSN) and should not be shared. If you are required to provide parental information, your parent will also need an FSA ID.

The FAFSA uses prior-prior year income, or income information from two years before the start of school in the fall. This allows you to apply for aid and know what help you can expect almost a full year before you plan to attend.

Academic Year	Tax Year	FAFSA Opens	Semesters	Academic Year Dates
2018-19	2016	October 1, 2017	Fall, Spring, Summer	Aug 2018 – July 2019
2019-20	2017	October 1, 2018	Fall, Spring, Summer	Aug 2019 – July 2020
2020-21	2018	October 1, 2019	Fall, Spring, Summer	Aug 2020 – July 2021

 

The FAFSA is completed online. You can import income information directly from the IRS using the Data Retrieval Tool (DRT). If you’re eligible to use the DRT, the option will be presented as part of completing the form. MCC strongly encourages using this tool to avoid errors and delays. If you do not wish to use the DRT, or are not eligible, we recommend having a copy of your tax return handy so that you can provide information from it. You may also be asked to obtain a transcript of your taxes from the IRS.

Once completed, the FAFSA will be sent electronically to MCC. The Financial Aid team will determine if additional documentation is needed. You’ll receive an email to let you know what may be required. To view document requests, log into NetPartner to view your records. NetPartner is MCC’s online Financial Aid portal. You can view document requests, messages, and your financial aid award here. You’ll need to complete the admission process and receive a student ID before you can access NetPartner.

EFC – Expected Family Contribution

The information you provide on the FAFSA is used to calculate your EFC, or Expected Family Contribution. This figure is used to determine your financial need. Some awards, like the Pell Grant, use the EFC to determine the amount you can receive each year. The EFC is a measure of your family’s ability to pay for college expenses.

FAFSA Tips and Common Errors to Avoid

1. Read the instructions carefully. Additional guidance is provided for most lines. When in doubt, call MCC Connect at 1-866-664-2832 for assistance.
2. Know your Social Security Number (SSN) – the FAFSA verifies your SSN, name and date of birth. This number must be reported correctly.
3. Report your legal name as it appears on your Social Security Card.
4. Provide your gender as it was assigned at birth.
5. Have a copy of your tax return and W-2 forms handy – if you don’t use the DRT, you’ll need to enter information from these manually.
6. List tax filing status correctly – this helps determine if you can use the DRT.
7. Avoid leaving fields blank, enter 0 or Not Applicable instead.
8. If you are required to provide parental information, know the FAFSA definition of parent and whose information must be provided.
9. Be prepared to provide back-up documentation for any information on the FAFSA.
10. Remember to sign the FAFSA!

Verification

Approximately 50% of all FAFSA’s received at MCC are selected for Verification by the FAFSA processor. You’ll know if your FAFSA was selected by reading the Student Aid Report you receive after submitting your FAFSA. Your Student Aid Report, or SAR, is available online at www.fafsa.gov. You can access it using your FSA ID to sign in. MCC may also select your application for verification, or request documentation to clarify information on your FAFSA. If MCC selects your application for verification, the process and documentation is the same as if your application was selected by the FAFSA processor.

Verification is a quality control process. If your FAFSA is selected for Verification, you can expect to submit additional documentation before your financial aid award is finalized and any funding can be paid to your tuition bill.

Students selected for Verification should expect to submit some or all of the items below to support the information provided on their FAFSA. Please review your NetPartner records to determine which items you are required to submit.

• Verification Worksheet
• Income data provided using the IRS Data Retrieval Tool (DRT)
• Tax Return Transcript – obtained from the IRS
• Verification of Non-filing – obtained from the IRS
• Wage and Income Transcript – obtained from the IRS
• W-2 form(s) – obtained from employer(s)
• Copy of photo ID
• Statement of Educational Purpose
• Documentation of high school completion (or its equivalency)
• Signed copy of Form 1040X, if filed

If you do not wish to use the IRS DRT or request tax information online, you can also request the information by mailing an IRS Form 4506-T to the appropriate IRS office. Victims of IRS Identity Theft who cannot obtain a tax transcript, can call the IRS’s Identity Protection Specialized Unit at 1-800-908-4490 to request a Tax Return Database View (TRDBV). The TRDBV can then be submitted along with a signed statement that the taxpayer was a victim of IRS Identity Theft and that the IRS is aware of it.

If your actual family or financial situation is not accurately represented by your documentation, call MCC Connect at 1-866-664-2832 or speak to your Advisor for guidance.