Thursday 19 February 2015

The Quick And Easy Guide To College Financial Aid Advice

By Olivia Cross


With tuition costs on the rise, more students are searching for ways to decrease the costs of a higher education. If you are fresh out of high school, a single parent looking for a better job, or returning to school after a long hiatus in Stamford, CT you may be looking for options. The following guide outlines easy college financial aid advice that will help you save money.

Before doing anything else, spend some time doing research to get a feel for what opportunities exist, and which ones may be a good fit for your particular needs. Do not depend on others to do it for you. No one knows what you need better than you do.

Students may be tempted to pawn off research to companies that claim to do all the work for them. While this may sound tempting, these companies usually come with a hefty price tag, and give you the same results you would get by using free databases or college resources. Plus, as stated before companies may overlook details that could detract from your chances of getting approved for a scholarship.

When you first begin researching, try going through basic search engines and the college websites. It is surprising how much information can be gathered from these sources alone. In fact, there are websites dedicated to scholarship searches that will match your interests to existing programs.

Do not forget to contact the school financial aid adviser or counselor as this person can be a fountain of knowledge. They have access to a variety of scholarships, and will help guide students to other forms of tuition assistance. Sitting down and spending thirty to sixty minutes with a counselor can help open many doors you may not have been aware of.

One recommendation that is often highlighted by counselors is the FAFSA application. This form collects information that checks if you can quality for grants, loans, scholarships. Make sure to fill this out early as funds for scholarships and grants can run out quickly. This can lead to other forms of assistance such as a private loan from a school in Stamford, CT.

Try not to procrastinate, as waiting until the last minute can make the difference between getting awarded a scholarship or being declined for one. Individuals who rush through the application process tend to overlook details or instructions that may lead to disqualification. Also, should one plan fall through, if you have given yourself enough time, you will be able to seek out alternate options.

The classic cliche, do not put all your eggs in one basket, holds true in the case of financial aid. Students will often discover that one scholarship is not enough to cover cost of living expenses, tuition, books, and so forth. In this case other routes will be needed to make up the difference in the form of need based aid, scholarships, grants, private scholarships, schools that offer reduced tuition, and federal based student loans.

It is crucial to spend time searching out available opportunities in the forms of loans, scholarships, and grants. By being aware of the different types of assistance, you will be able to find a variety of ways to reduce the costs of a higher education. Incorporating two or more of these methods will provide you with a good starting off point.




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