Financial Aid is any grant or scholarship, loan, or paid employment offered to help a student meet his/her college expenses. Such aid is usually provided by various sources such as federal and state agencies, colleges, high schools, foundations, and corporations. The amount of financial aid that a student receives is determined through federal, state and institutional guidelines. Grants include aid the student receives that need not be repaid; loans must be repaid. Interest rates and repayment terms vary by program. Employment is aid based on an hourly rate for work performed.
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (known as the FAFSA) is a form that should be prepared annually by current and prospective college students (undergraduate and graduate) in the United States to determine their eligibility for student financial aid (including the Pell Grant, Federal student loans and Federal Work-Study). The FAFSA should be filled out by ALL Senior students!
Despite its name, the application is not for a single federal program, but the following:
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A 529 Plan is an education savings plan operated by a state or educational institution designed to help families set aside funds for future college costs. It is named after Section 529 of the Internal Revenue Code which created these types of savings plans in 1996. For more info click either of the links
Section 529 college savings plans have been wildly successful in motivating parents to invest and save for a child's higher education expenses. Learn more about how these plans have come to be an important part of helping families and students achieve their dreams at Saving For College.com.
Section 529 college savings plans have been wildly successful in motivating parents to invest and save for a child's higher education expenses. Learn more about how these plans have come to be an important part of helping families and students achieve their dreams at Saving For College.com.
Scholarships are gifts. They don't need to be repaid. Scholarships are offered by schools, employers, individuals, private companies, nonprofits, communities, religious groups, and professional and social organizations.
Many scholarships are geared toward particular groups of people; for instance, there are scholarships for women or graduate students. And some are available because of where you or your parent work, or because you come from a certain background (for instance, there are scholarships for military families).
A scholarship might cover the entire cost of your tuition, or it might be a one-time award of a few hundred dollars. Either way, it’s worth applying for, because it’ll help reduce the cost of your education.
How To Find Scholarships
There are many resources out there that provide help in finding scholarships. Many of these are free, so don’t pay anyone or any website money to help you. Below are a number of links to places on the internet that can help you in the process of finding the money you need to make your college dreams come true!
First. . . .You need to think of finding scholarships as a part-time job. It takes time, but if you find and receive a $500 scholarship by working at it for 10 hours -- Hey! You just earned $50/hour. Not bad.
Second. . . You need to be organized and make sure you keep on top of deadlines for applications. You can create a spreadsheet with info about all scholarships you are interested in applying for. For example, include name of scholarship, internet link/contact info, amount of scholarship, requirements, when the deadline for application is, and when you will hear back.
Third. . . Be patient and persistent.
Last of all -- Don’t be afraid to ask for help. You can ask your parents or Mr Bayles, the counselor for help. Once you have been accepted to an institution, their scholarship office is your best resource. You will find links to in-state college scholarships sites on this website.
Many scholarships are geared toward particular groups of people; for instance, there are scholarships for women or graduate students. And some are available because of where you or your parent work, or because you come from a certain background (for instance, there are scholarships for military families).
A scholarship might cover the entire cost of your tuition, or it might be a one-time award of a few hundred dollars. Either way, it’s worth applying for, because it’ll help reduce the cost of your education.
How To Find Scholarships
There are many resources out there that provide help in finding scholarships. Many of these are free, so don’t pay anyone or any website money to help you. Below are a number of links to places on the internet that can help you in the process of finding the money you need to make your college dreams come true!
First. . . .You need to think of finding scholarships as a part-time job. It takes time, but if you find and receive a $500 scholarship by working at it for 10 hours -- Hey! You just earned $50/hour. Not bad.
Second. . . You need to be organized and make sure you keep on top of deadlines for applications. You can create a spreadsheet with info about all scholarships you are interested in applying for. For example, include name of scholarship, internet link/contact info, amount of scholarship, requirements, when the deadline for application is, and when you will hear back.
Third. . . Be patient and persistent.
Last of all -- Don’t be afraid to ask for help. You can ask your parents or Mr Bayles, the counselor for help. Once you have been accepted to an institution, their scholarship office is your best resource. You will find links to in-state college scholarships sites on this website.
Scholarship Search Engines
There are many websites that allow you to create a profile and search for scholarships that you meet the criteria for. Some of the websites will even send you emails when a scholarship shows up that you qualify for.
Once you have found a scholarship, you will need to apply. Here is a page with some videos with tips for successfully completing those applications.
Once you have found a scholarship, you will need to apply. Here is a page with some videos with tips for successfully completing those applications.