Is there a magic formula for maximizing the amount of financial aid you qualify for?
Many parents are concerned about the cost of their children’s higher education. Especially when both parents work and earn a good income, they often find that they are in an “in-between” area: their income is too high to qualify for assistance, but they aren’t well-off enough to afford a good higher education. Many parents question why colleges can’t do more for the people caught in-between so that they, too, can afford to send their children to college. And if you’re in this situation, you are probably wondering if you can qualify for student aid despite your parents’ income.
The answer to both questions is a resounding, “Yes!”
Not many families can easily afford to pay the full cost of tuition, fees, room and board, textbooks and spending money. If, like most families, you and your parents would struggle to come up with the necessary funds then you should apply for financial aid immediately. There are lots of scholarships available. Investigate them all and apply to every one that you might be eligible for.
There is a lot of need-based aid, but there is also a great deal of merit aid out there that is not dependent upon your family income. Always apply for aid if you need help paying for your college expenses. You never know if you will get financial aid, or how much you might qualify for if you are eligible. Fill out all of the required financial aid forms.
Definitely start with the FAFSA - Free Application for Federal Student Aid. (Explain FAFSA) Then complete the application forms for institutional funds from private colleges and universities. That usually means completing the CSS Profile and the forms required by each individual college you apply to. Don’t assume you won’t get financial aid.
Your next step is to apply for institutional funds from private colleges or universities. You do this normally by completing the CSS Profile (College Scholarship Service Financial Aid) forms as required by each college’s program. Again, don’t deny the application yourself! You have very little to lose - except for the application fee for the CSS Profile - and a lot to gain.
Even if you think you won’t qualify for much, you should fill out every application you can. You might be surprised at how much you do qualify for. The cost of higher education has risen so much that many people who wouldn’t have qualified before are now eligible for financial assistance. That includes two-income families. The economy has caused more families to struggle to pay for their children’s education. Therefore schools, in particular some of the best colleges and universities, are giving out more financial assistance than ever. Colleges and universities are trying to hold down their costs so that they don’t price people out of the higher education market with tuition and fee increases.
There are so many components to the aid picture. Some factors are: number of children in college, number of dependents, extenuating circumstance, equity in your (parent’s) home, other assets, savings, institutional aid, and financial aid generosity.
When looking into financial aid, try to find colleges and universities that won’t overly burden you with student loans but will approve grant aid for a higher percentage of your costs. In general, private universities and colleges have more funds and will cover more of your costs than state-run schools. If you are industrious in seeking out financial aid opportunities and are willing to deal with the paperwork, you will find there is a lot of help available to you.
Some of the more exclusive, prestigious colleges and universities have a “no loan” policy. Princeton University was one of the first to implement this policy, and since then several other high-profile institutions have followed suit. The competition to be admitted to these schools is fierce, but the value of such an education will benefit you for the rest of your life. Therefore, if you have excellent grades and SAT scores and you follow the advice of a college admissions consultant, you shouldn’t hesitate to apply.
If you’re still in high school and are reading this, then you are already preparing for your college admissions experience. The effort you put into your high school academic performance, your activities within the community and your personal development will help you get into the college or university of your choice. By making yourself an outstanding candidate, you ensure that colleges and universities will go out of their way to help you afford their cost. They know that the quality of their students determines the quality of their university. If you apply yourself now and excel, you might be rewarded with a full scholarship from an excellent school.
Angela Arnold, a college advisor who has helped many students get into college, has prepared 7 free videos about the college admissions Grab your copies today.
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