With a turbulent economy and skyrocketing tuition costs, families have a greater need than ever before for financial aid. From federal student loans and grants to private loans and scholarships, financial aid can come in a variety of forms. Many college students, however, do not know what financial assistance they are entitled to or how to take advantage of it.
FinancialAidFinder walks students and their parents step-by-step through the process of figuring out how to finance their college education. We teach you how to maximize your financial aid award and minimize your college costs, with wise planning that begins in high school (or even earlier).
Consider the chapter on Student Financial Aid your introduction to the at-times confusing world of financial aid. We start with a basic tutorial on budgeting for college. Not sure how much college should cost or how on earth you can begin to afford it? Then our section entitled College Financial Aid 101 is for you.
Next we move on to gearing up for college. Planning for college is a complex and important process, starting with whether or not to take AP courses and which standardized tests to sign up for. If these or other admissions-related questions are concerning you, be sure to visit our section on College Prep.
Even after you have been accepted into the school of your dreams, you are not off the hook yet. Now comes filling out all that paperwork required to receive financial aid. Our section on Financial Aid Forms is the perfect spot to learn all about the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (better known as the FAFSA), plus any other federal, state or private applications your school may require.
Still confused? Not sure when to apply for financial aid or how to ensure that your award doesn’t decrease next year? Come to our Financial Aid Review section to get these answers and more.
Next up we teach you all about Need-Based Student Loans, which include the Perkins Loan and the Stafford Loan. Learn how the federal government determines whether or not you qualify for these low-interest rate loans and what they entitle you to. Then in our section on Student Loans for College, we teach you the difference between subsidized and unsubsidized, federal and private, and all the other lingo in the college student loan world.
Do you know how many students receive financial aid? Or how much financial aid is federal vs. state vs. private?
In our section on Student Financial Aid Facts, you can learn the answers to all these questions, plus bone up on key financial aid terms with our glossary of financing college.
Finally, we introduce you to the multitude of benefits for members of the U.S. military in our section on Military Student Financial Aid. From the Post 9/11 GI Bill to tuition assistance to private scholarships and grants, we teach you all about education benefits for active duty soldiers, members of the National Guard, military veterans, reservists and even military dependents.
LEARN MORE: Introduction to Financial Aid >>>
