College Financial Aid Opportunities

If you have decided to go to college or career school, one big concern you may have is the cost of education. It can be challenging to think about paying for tuition and expenses while holding down your regular job and paying your everyday bills.

Relax! Most accredited career schools and colleges offer financial assistance programs for students who qualify. These may be federal programs, state programs, or sometimes even programs offered by the schools themselves. Types of financial assistance fall into two categories:

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Loans (money that you have to repay);

Grants and scholarships (money that you don't have to repay).

Generally, grants and loans are determined by your income level, while scholarships are often awarded competitively or to individuals with certain qualifications. It may seem complicated. Don't worry! Many schools have highly qualified financial assistance staff members who are glad to help you. If you are starting your college search, here's what you'll need to do:

1. Log onto a reputable college search website. Choose the colleges or technical schools that match your requirements. You can search for colleges in a certain geographical area (like Los Angeles or Wisconsin), colleges that offer programs in academic areas (such as business or liberal arts or culinary), or you can search for degree levels (certificate, bachelor's degree, master's degree). You can also search for online programs; many colleges offer the same financial aid opportunities for online students as for those who attend a traditional campus.

2. Contact the admissions department of the schools you're interested in. Ask them about financial assistance. Don't be shy-they want to help you! Most people who go to college apply for financial assistance. It's a perfectly normal thing to do.

3. The most common forms of student financial aid are federal loans. You have to pay them back. Low-interest loans may also be available from private sources. But be careful! If you take out a loan to pay for college, make sure you read the contract very carefully and you know what it will cost you in interest and fees.

4. If the school is approved for federal loan programs, the financial assistance officer will ask you to go online and fill out a standard form called the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). You can check it out for yourself at www.fafsa.ed.gov. This is the form that nearly every federally approved school uses.

5. Once you've filled out the FAFSA application, in a few days you'll receive a Student Aid Report (SAR). Your SAR will summarize the financial information you reported on your FAFSA. You should check the SAR carefully to make sure it is accurate. In the upper right corner, look for your Expected Family Contribution (EFC). Your school will use your EFC to help determine the financial aid for which you may be eligible.

6. Your financial assistance officer at the school may also help you identify other sources of financial aid. There may be scholarship or grant opportunities, offered either by the school or by your community. If the school offers institutional aid in the form of scholarships or grants, you will be asked to fill out the CSS Profile. It is similar to the FAFSA and involves an online form that asks you about your family finances. The information used by the CSS Profile is used by colleges to determine how much institutional financial aid they will offer you. The amounts can range from nothing to one hundred percent of your tuition. In fact, Harvard University recently announced that families with incomes less than ,000 a year will not be expected to contribute anything for their child's undergraduate college costs. The University will award the student a grant (which does not have to be repaid) equal to the cost of attending Harvard. Of course, to get awarded a Harvard grant, you have to be accepted into the University. For the class of 2013 the undergraduate acceptance rate was seven percent.

You'll see that scholarships can come from many sources. An automotive trade school may have a scholarship provided by an automobile manufacturer. A business college may have a scholarship provided by a successful alumnus, or a generous donor. Your own community may have scholarship programs sponsored by churches or civic organizations such as the Rotary Club. The key is to keep digging, and to use the resources provided by your career college.

You should go online yourself and search for scholarships, but be careful to avoid scammers who ask for a fee. There's plenty of free information out there and you should never have to pay a fee!

Your very last resort when paying for college should be your credit card. If you use your credit card, you are in effect taking out a short-term high-interest loan. Most student loans are low-interest (two or three percent) while your Visa or Mastercard may charge you as much as twenty-five percent. There is no way you'll be able to pay off the balance without incurring huge interest charges. Don't do it. Find some other way to pay for college or postpone your plans until you can afford to not use your credit card.

How do you get started?

The best way to research your options is to go online to a free college directory website like the one below. You can enter the search terms that are appropriate for you (such as "medical assisting, Miami, Florida," or "online business degrees"). You'll be presented with free information about the programs that meet your criteria. Compare features such as financial aid, career services, and flexible schedules. Narrow down your choices and make your application. In less time than you think you could be training for a rewarding new career.

College Financial Aid Opportunities

Do You Need a College Financial Aid Advisor? No - Save the Fifteen Hundred Dollars

A competent financial advisor can prepare you ahead of time and maximize your college financial aid. But do you really need one? The federal government provides a wealth of information on-line for free. The only problem is they do a lousy job telling you about it. Have you ever seen a public service announcement on TV or radio promoting student financial aid sites? No, and you probably never will.

Think before you spend. You're looking to maximize your college financial aid. The minute you walk into the office of a Certified College Planning Specialist (CCPS) you'll be spending some of the money you're looking to save. The question you need to ask yourself is whether you're already succumbing to the pressures of college costs - If their certified planners, are they smarter than you? No, they just have more knowledge than you, knowledge you can attain in a variety of ways.

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Here are six ways to attain that knowledge:

Educate yourself - You need to spend several days becoming familiar with the college financial aid process. In order not to become overwhelmed, the federal government publishes an on-line guide called 'Funding Education Beyond High School' that is the 2010- 2011 guide to Federal Student Aid. This on-line guide can be downloaded onto your PC, laptop or even e-book reader and is a well-written guide with a table of contents that goes over every conceivable type of college financial aid including loan deferment, loan cancellations, borrower's rights, and loan consolidations. Included here is the phone number and website for all fifty state agencies that regulate college aid.

Take the same course preparations as the college financial counselors do - Information for Financial Aid Professional (IFAP) is the same federal site that all financial aid counselors use to both receive the latest federal financial aid updates and do their course training. Here are examples of what you can do here:
Computer Based Training (CBT) for Direct Loans, Academic Competitiveness Grants (ACG), Federal Pell Grants (Pell Grant), National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent Grants (National SMART Grant), and Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grants; Learn about student eligibility for funds, how and when funds are dispersed, the Student Right-To-Know Act, and how to make sure a school is eligible to receive Title IV Funds (college financial aid); Use the FSA Coach designed to help build an understanding of financial aid concepts. This is a comprehensive, introductory course containing thirty-seven lessons that show you how Federal Student Aid programs are administered; College Financial Aid Publications - (Counselors and Mentors Handbook) - a guide similar to the Student Federal Aid Guide but used by high school guidance counselors and college aid professionals to advise them of current laws and requirements regarding the disbursement and eligibility of college aid. (EFC Formula Guide) - the guide that the federal government uses to determine the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) that results when you complete filling out the FAFSA form for college aid eligibility. Pell Grant Payment and Disbursement Schedules; Explanation of how the current educational budget affects student aid; and Live Internet webinars explaining Federal Direct College Loans.

Attend local College Information Nights - most local communities during the fall host College Aid Seminars at the local high school or even a community college. Now that you have educated yourself with the first two steps, you are ready to step out into the world and see if all that information makes sense. A question and answer session is usually available after the initial presentation and you should be prepared with some insightful questions if you've done your homework. Usually, contact information will be provided for followup questions at a later date but if not, approach the presenter and ask for a contact number. They're usually more than happy to oblige.

Request a meeting with your child's high school counselor - most parents contact with the high school college counselors is relegated to documents that must be filled out and websites providing college admission information. A request to meet with the guidance counselor will provide you with valuable information and a one on one meeting with the person responsible for submitting critical documents for your child's college admission.

Contact the college financial aid office of the university your child is applying to - a critical step that many parents do not take. Speaking to them before applying can give you good insight into how the process will proceed.

Contact FAFSA itself at 1-800-433-3243 - the phone representatives at FAFSA are there to answer any additional questions you have related to filling out the most critical form of all, the FAFSA form which is the basis all of all federal financial aid.

So let me ask, do you need a financial aid advisor?

You may have found one in yourself.

Do You Need a College Financial Aid Advisor? No - Save the Fifteen Hundred Dollars

College Financial Aid - FAFSA - Lying on This Application Is a No No

Many people want to lie on their financial aid application for college. Many parents and students think that no one will find out if they do so. This is about as far from the truth as you could possibly get. Yes, some people can get away with lying and cheating. There is a chance however, a very good chance, that you will get caught.

Colleges have the right to audit you and your family whenever they feel the need to do so. Just like the IRS can offer you because they think you are not paying enough money in taxes, the college can audit you as well. They all to you for the opposite reason though, which is to see if you're getting too much assistance for your college tuition.

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Colleges and universities called this process verification, not an audit like the IRS. Many students are required each and every year to submit, and detail, all of their family's financial information.

It is estimated that a minimum of one third of the students applying for financial aid will have to go through the verification process. This does not have anything to do with your race, age, or gender. It really does boil down to who is lucky and who is not. They will require that you bring in all of your paperwork that you have used for information to fill out your FAFSA. This information will be used to compare with the original numbers you have submitted. If they are off, your EFC, expected family contribution, will be changed. This will affect your ability to borrow money for college.

Colleges have no choice but to verify this information. The government requires that a randomly verify about one third of the students applying for financial aid. You can be 18 years old and applying for your first year of college, or you could be a 32-year-old veteran going back to college, and it does not matter.

Red flags on your financial aid application will also raise questions. If you report that you have 0,000 in the bank, and you make ,000 a year and income, this is a red flag. Many colleges and universities will want to audit your financial aid application themselves, not having anything to do with the government.

The best way to do this is to be honest 100% of the time. You should submit the same numbers on your FAFSA as you do your income tax returns that are filed every year for the IRS. You will be able to sleep much easier at night knowing you have been completely honest, even if that means you do not qualify for some financial aid.

College Financial Aid - FAFSA - Lying on This Application Is a No No

Uncle Sam Wants To Help You Go To College - Financial Aid Comes In Many Forms

During these tough economic times, students need to find solutions to possibly the most important of questions regarding college: How do I pay for school? The answer to this question is the phrase financial aid. While the term financial aid may provide some answers, often aid seekers are left feeling puzzled as to the myriad of forms and formulas used to factor what a student's need may be.

In 1965, President Lyndon Johnson signed a bill called the "Higher Education Act." This act created many of the college assistance programs helping quite a few students who otherwise would have no feasible way of paying the extreme cost of attending college. The first step to obtaining aid monies is filling out a form called the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). There are approximately 130 questions a student must answer on the FAFSA. In order to answer these questions, students must submit an array of documents, including full disclosure of their parent's financial assets because of the assumption (realistic or not) that parents will pay for their child's college education.

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For the 2009-2010 school year, the federal government estimates that prospective college students will receive approximately 8 billion in funding through need-based and merit-based packages. It's important to know the difference between the types of aid. Need-based financial aid is for students who, despite their family's income, can't afford the cost of attending colleges. Some private institutions require a supplemental form in order to demonstrate need because in some cases these colleges will dip into their massive endowments to help students attend. Merit-based monetary aid is typically awarded in the form of scholarships or grants. To be awarded these, students must perform at a consistently higher level than their peers, but sometimes they'll get awards due to high SAT or ACT scores. Typically a college will put together a merit-based package to entice students whom admissions officers feel would be a good fit for the environment at that specific school.

Part of the legislation known as the Higher Education Act of 1965 is the Pell Grant. Named for Senator Claiborne Pell of Rhode Island, this grant is intended for students who demonstrate economic need based off of the FAFSA form's calculations. The maximum award for the Pell Grant is currently ,800. In the future the Pell Grant award will be tied to the Consumer Price Index. Rationale for the change is that the Pell Grant does not cover as much of the cost of college as it used to. According to the Washington Post, the Pell Grant covers 31% of the cost of attending college while 20 years ago it covered 60% of all costs. As with all grants, the Pell does not require the recipient to repay the government.

The Higher Education Act of 1965 contributed many programs towards the aid of students who would like to go to college but can't afford it. Besides the Pell, another provision of the Higher Education Act is the Federal Guaranteed Student Loan Program, which today is known as the Stafford Loan in honor of Senator Robert Stafford of Vermont. The drawback of the loan having to be repaid by the student upon graduation is deferred by the fact that these loans are guaranteed by the full faith of the U.S. Government, which means that these loans are offered at a lower interest rate. The Stafford Loan is offered as a subsidized or unsubsidized loan, the difference being if the loan is unsubsidized the student must pay the loan back while they are enrolled in college.

One aspect of student aid requiring students to work for their money is the Federal Work-Study Program. After the student has filled out the FAFSA, if financial need has been demonstrated then students are eligible for employment at the college they choose to attend. Colleges must pay the students at least the current federal minimum wage. This program is beneficial for students because the jobs are usually low-stress jobs that do not clash with a student's schedule.

Pell Grants, Stafford Loans and Work-Study programs are probably the most famous aspects of the college aid universe, however there are two other programs that should merit attention. The Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant awards up to ,000 per student on a yearly basis provided that the student's FAFSA demonstrates extreme need. Another grant for students who are in the greatest of need is the Academic Competitiveness Grant. This grant awards up to ,300 per year for each student who qualifies.

Uncle Sam Wants To Help You Go To College - Financial Aid Comes In Many Forms

Understanding the importance of financial support to attend college

College is becoming increasingly important for everyone to enter the workforce and some of those already employed. With so much emphasis on higher education, the university is almost necessary for those committed to a financially stable future. But because of rising costs for an already expensive education, it is necessary to understand the importance of financial support to attend college.

The U.S. government is very understanding when youthe importance of a degree. They tend to be more understanding if the offer of financial aid for higher education. The first step for anyone to attend college should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). This will help you qualify for any assistance offered by the government.

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Several universities are very large on the award of scholarships for students in order to ease their financial pain. Most colleges award merit-based scholarshipsHonors students for their outstanding achievements, taking part of the cost of the school. The scholarships are awarded for a variety of reasons, such as sports or scientific achievements, religion or ethnicity.

Many companies also have the opportunity to participate in helping those who make the best educational opportunities. Many large companies in prize money for students planning to go to college. Many of these scholarships can be found and appliedon-line. Always with the company of your family works for you, if any of them offer money to students how to verify it.

Although college can be very intimidating because of ever-increasing price tags for education, there are excellent opportunities for the participation of universities also very expensive. Since many people understand how important a good education, there are a lot of help for those struggling to bring to school. With so many options there, it is easy to understandthe importance of financial support to attend college.

Understanding the importance of financial support to attend college

College Financial Aid - FAFSA Made Easy

Filling out FAFSA is what determines how much money you receive in financial aid. This process is usually conducted online, over the Internet. It makes it much easier and more convenient for all those involved. If you prefer, you can still fill out the form and mail it manually. There are many disadvantages and vote to send the mail. If possible, fill them on the Internet.

FAFSA stands for Free Application for Federalstudent aid. It is shortened to FAFSA, which makes it easier and more common for everyone to discuss. You will hear many people in the financial aid office use this word; make sure you know what it is.

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Deformation you fill out online is fed into the computers that the government uses. All of your parents financial information will lead up to and expected family contribution. This is one of the main factors that determine how much money you are eligible to receive in the form of grants and financial assistance from the government of the United States.

Your consultant for high school should find a copy of the FAFSA for you to discuss with your parents. If you prefer, you can fill out before proceeding to the Internet. However, completing FAFSA online is very easy and comfortable over the years. The application, in some places you can save and return at a later time if you need it. You can also use the so-called electronic signature, the real in exchange for yourSignature when you submit the application. This stage you can print, sign and send by fax or

Go online to Google and type the FAFSA. Should be taken to the site. You can complete the application. In completing this application, you can appreciate, if you have no real numbers you need. Lying is not permitted, but an educated guess should be ok. If're way out of line for some reason the estimates, you will have the opportunity to correctlater. The aim is your FAFSA as soon as possible. The government receives many applications and have a look at each one. May require to submit additional information or might be a mistake on your application. After watching the first time, will be required to correct, if you have errors. Therefore it is very important to keep in the shortest possible time.

College Financial Aid - FAFSA Made Easy