College Financial Aid
Congratulations you've made it you're off to college and you're looking at getting your degree and a bright future. Of course one of the main worried for you is the cost of college and how to find the money to pay for all your needs. The average cost for a student choosing a private college can be greater than $100,000. You are looking at providing money for the four years when you may not have much money coming in and a lot of paying out to do. Colleges have got people who can help and advice and there may be some grants available that you can apply for but get financial planning done early, you want to have all the arrangements made by the time your course starts.
Realistically as part of your investment plan you must ask yourself how many scholarships can you gain? Scholarships are the best kind of money in that they are FREE! No repayments means you would be crazy not to put lots of effort into gaining all the scholarships you can. Colleges tend to provide money on two bases. Firstly money according to your needs which is directly related to your parents income and how many of your brothers and sisters will need investment money too. Your investment plan needs to answer two questions here. Will your parents contribute financially (all colleges assume they will)? Will you repay them or is it free money?
The second basis on which colleges contribute to your self-investment is with merit money. Private colleges tend to have much more of this kind of money available because of their more generous sponsors. These people set up scholarships in their names or they add to existing funds that have meaning for them. Sometimes this kind of money can cover more than 50% of your tuition costs. Well worth asking about and working for.
Grant can be found in other places so keep your eyes open and be aware. Charities and local societies may have some funds set aside for people going to college and you may qualify for their help. These type of funding sources may be hard to find and may only give out small sums but even small sums mount up and if they are given without you having to pay back that makes them even more valuable.
Finally, if scholarships and your savings aren't enough to cover your college expenses you'll probably have to apply for a student loan. First, finish the Federal Application for Student Aid (FAFSA) to see which federal loans you qualify for. Someone at your college financial aid office can then advise you what loans would suit you best and even when to start paying them off. Though paying for college can be scary, it's still one of the most worthwhile investments you can make.
Realistically as part of your investment plan you must ask yourself how many scholarships can you gain? Scholarships are the best kind of money in that they are FREE! No repayments means you would be crazy not to put lots of effort into gaining all the scholarships you can. Colleges tend to provide money on two bases. Firstly money according to your needs which is directly related to your parents income and how many of your brothers and sisters will need investment money too. Your investment plan needs to answer two questions here. Will your parents contribute financially (all colleges assume they will)? Will you repay them or is it free money?
The second basis on which colleges contribute to your self-investment is with merit money. Private colleges tend to have much more of this kind of money available because of their more generous sponsors. These people set up scholarships in their names or they add to existing funds that have meaning for them. Sometimes this kind of money can cover more than 50% of your tuition costs. Well worth asking about and working for.
Grant can be found in other places so keep your eyes open and be aware. Charities and local societies may have some funds set aside for people going to college and you may qualify for their help. These type of funding sources may be hard to find and may only give out small sums but even small sums mount up and if they are given without you having to pay back that makes them even more valuable.
Finally, if scholarships and your savings aren't enough to cover your college expenses you'll probably have to apply for a student loan. First, finish the Federal Application for Student Aid (FAFSA) to see which federal loans you qualify for. Someone at your college financial aid office can then advise you what loans would suit you best and even when to start paying them off. Though paying for college can be scary, it's still one of the most worthwhile investments you can make.
About the Author:
Jimmy Johnson is an accomplished author. To learn more about Loan Calculators visit Money Talks for current articles and discussions.
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