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Questions to ask on a College Visit
Missouri Colleges
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FAFSA Information
Here are 7 things you need before filling out the FAFSA
Here are 7 steps in filling out the FAFSA
Watch the video below for a quick overview of what the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is.
Click here to fill out your FAFSA
Scroll down for more information about the FAFSA
Here are 7 steps in filling out the FAFSA
Watch the video below for a quick overview of what the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is.
Click here to fill out your FAFSA
Scroll down for more information about the FAFSA
Types of Financial Aid
There are many different types of financial aid. It is important to understand the vocabulary.
To help with college planning, click here
Click here for the handout Steps to Federal Student Aid
Finding Financial Aid
The vast majority of financial aid gets to students through the following sources:
You will probably receive mailings from organizations that “guarantee” they will find financial aid for you that you won’t find on your own. These organizations prey on your concern about paying for school. In most cases they will be using the same search options available to you on the web for free. Here is a simple rule of thumb… you should never pay someone to get financial aid.
Helpful Articles
Click here to access a worksheet that will assist you in comparing your financial aid packages.
Click here to access a worksheet to help you assess the costs at various colleges.
There are many different types of financial aid. It is important to understand the vocabulary.
- Scholarships and Grants: money that does not have to be repaid. (Note: Some are given as a “one-time”gift while others are renewable if students meet certain criteria.)
- Loans: money that can be borrowed by students and/or parents. (Note: Some loans are subsidized by federal or state programs, which can reduce the interest rate and/or defer payments for a length of time. Compare the total costs of each loan.)
- Work-Study: schools may offer work on campus as a type of financial aid. (Note: A job in the food service may pay the same as assisting in a laboratory, but students should consider ways work on campus could provide career-related experiences.)
- Other: students have other opportunities to supplement their educational finances. Participation in the military, ROTC, AmeriCorps, and other programs can provide funds or forgiveness of educational loans.
To help with college planning, click here
Click here for the handout Steps to Federal Student Aid
Finding Financial Aid
The vast majority of financial aid gets to students through the following sources:
- School Financial Aid Offices: Most of the aid received by students is distributed through school financial aid offices. These are the most valuable sources of information on funding an education. It is important to establish a relationship and to follow the school directions completely, accurately and on time. The school will usually require completion of the (Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Even if a family feels they will not qualify for need-based aid, the school usually wants to see the Estimated Family Contribution (EFC) before they make any decisions about merit-based aid. (Note: financial aid opportunities change as a student progresses. Upperclassmen may qualify for different scholarships, grants, and work opportunities. It is important that a student maintain a relationship with the financial aid office even if they don’t receive assistance the first year.)
- Local Scholarships: Organizations, companies, and individuals in our community provide scholarships to encourage students. Information on how to apply for these scholarships can be found on the Local Scholarships page. Information is also provided on the daily bulletin.
- Other Sources: After working with the school financial aid office and applying for local scholarships, there is a multitude of “other” sources. It can be bewildering to attempt to pursue them all. Sometimes applying for a national scholarship can be literally a one-in-a-million chance. Anything a student can do to narrow the field can improve the chances of being awarded a scholarship. One way to narrow the field is to check with sources that are personalized to the student. Do the employers of the student or parents offer scholarships? How about a union, fraternal or professional organization to which a parent belongs? Check with your bank or credit union. Consider any religious affiliation you might have. Another way to narrow the field is to use a web-based financial aid search engine such as Fastweb.com, collegeboard.com and Smartscholar.com By providing a profile, the student allows the search engine to find scholarship opportunities more closely matching personal characteristics.
You will probably receive mailings from organizations that “guarantee” they will find financial aid for you that you won’t find on your own. These organizations prey on your concern about paying for school. In most cases they will be using the same search options available to you on the web for free. Here is a simple rule of thumb… you should never pay someone to get financial aid.
Helpful Articles
Click here to access a worksheet that will assist you in comparing your financial aid packages.
Click here to access a worksheet to help you assess the costs at various colleges.