Februrary 20, 2006
The first thing to remember is that you are not alone. Students have been dealing with this reality for a long time.
Do not assume that you won't qualify for aid since your parents earn over the eligibility mark. Always fill out the FAFSA no matter what. You may qualify for a Stafford Loan. It will be more difficult to try to get a large loan as a student but federal loans like the Stafford will help.
Try making your case to the financial aid office of your choice. This does not always help but it is worth a shot. At the very least they deal with students in your situation all the time and will have some helpful advice.
Don't forget to scour for scholarships and grants as they do not need to be paid back. Most importantly get your information in as early as possible. Money for college is not infinite and the early bird does get the worm!
Remember there are plenty of college graduates that earned their degree without the financial support of their parents so you know it is possible. Please use our website to do some important research on how to get your financial aid for college.
February 18, 2006
A common question students have is how they can manage their debt and their financial aid. Unfortunately when you fill out the FAFSA form there is no place to put down the amount of debt you owe. The form basically wants to know about your income, your family's income and assests.
Non traditional students may already have a substantial debt of some kind. It is wise to seek out a way to eliminate or lower this debt before you take on financial aid in the form of loans. Obviously scholarships and grants are still okay since they are gift money and do not need to be repaid. If you can not afford credit counseling there are a number of free resources that you can utilize. A couple you may want to try are the National Foundation for Credit Counseling and Primerica.
February 13, 2006
Many gay students in the past have tried to downplay their sexual orientation when trying to earn scholarships or grants. Today the number of scholarships for gay students are on the rise. Organizations such as the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association offers various student awards and scholarships for aspiring gay and lesbian journalists. With some dedicated research gay students can find a plethora of scholarship opportunities. Many private donors to organizations that offer the scholarship cite the lack of help and support they had when they were going through the process.
It is always a good idea to be specific as possible when applying for scholarships and grants. Embracing and capitalizing on what makes you different will open up a whole new range of scholarships that may be closed to may others.
February 9, 2006
At least 175,000 people are denied federal financial aid due to prior drug offenses according to a recent article in Yahoo News. However, the Budget Reconciliation Act that was just passed has provided a provision to allow students who have drug offenses a new chance at federal aid.
The provision is targeted at older non-traditional students. Federal Financial aid forms began requesting information on convictions in the year 2000. Individual states vary in how their policies for distributing aid to drug offenders.
February 6, 2006
Identity thieves have figured out yet another scam to cause turmoil in the lives of their victims. This time they are after students and their financial aid money. As if attending college and trying to secure financial aid isn't enough of a headache without having to deal with credit clean up!
One of the main reasons the identity thieves are able to make this happen is because more forms are readily filled out online. Some financial aid offices do not even require the student to pick up their money in person, making it all the more accessible to steal.
How Identity Thieves Pull it Off:
After securing a student's identity the thieves will attend the minimum required amount of time in school only to drop out and cash in on the rest of the cash. Depending on the student it could be thousands of dollars!
How to Protect Yourself:
Never share the pin number given to you when applying for aid online with anyone. Try to be as careful as possible when sharing your personal information online. If you are worried about identity theft of your financial aid ask what else you can do to protect yourself from a financial aid officer at your school or schools of choice.
