Unless you’re very wealthy, when you apply for college you need to explore financial aid opportunities. But the process can seem confusing, and before you seek the assistance of your college financial aid advisor you should know how the system works.
Two of the terms you will hear are “FAFSA” and “CSS Profile.” Both are applications that you fill out with your financial and personal information. The information is used by the college to help determine how much financial aid you will receive. But what’s the difference? Do you have to submit both?
Continue Reading…
Related posts
The FAFSA, Free Application for Federal Student Aid, application will determine if you are eligible for federal student financial aid and what types of aid you are eligible for. Not all students are eligible for all aid programs. In short, the federal college aid programs you are applying for via the FAFSA are grants, work-study, and student loans. Below is a partial list of the federal financial aid programs:
Federal Pell Grant – For students with demonstrated need
Continue Reading…
Related posts
Most American families are offsetting the high cost of college by applying for some degree of financial aid by submitting their FAFSA (Free Application For Federal Student Aid) on or after January 2nd. Unfortunately, this is not a simple process as the college financial aid system is anything but user-friendly. There are an endless number of pitfalls in the application process, and it is far too easy for families to lose some or all of the aid they are eligible for.
Many families fail to even attempt application because they don’t know how to, or they incorrectly assume they are not qualified, or simply because they are intimidated by the complicated and confusing process and all its paperwork. With far more qualified applicants than desks in all of America’s colleges and universities, it is reasonable to expect a system intentionally designed to eliminate all but the most knowledgeable and persistent applicants.
Continue Reading…
Related posts