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?
Merit-based financial aid is based on your grades and your activities from high school. Private colleges are much more likely to give out large merit-based scholarships than public colleges since the private schools usually have more donors who set up scholarships in their names or contribute to a certain scholarship fund. These institutional scholarships can cover up to half of your tuition, or more, every year.
Also, don't be afraid to look for college financial aid in the form of scholarships in odd places either. Look around your hometown for different community organizations who offer scholarships like the Knights of Columbus or the Humane Society. Though these sorts of community organizations may not be able to contribute thousands upon thousands of dollars in scholarships, every little bit helps, especially when it doesn't have to be repaid.
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?
Merit-based financial aid is based on your grades and your activities from high school. Private colleges are much more likely to give out large merit-based scholarships than public colleges since the private schools usually have more donors who set up scholarships in their names or contribute to a certain scholarship fund. These institutional scholarships can cover up to half of your tuition, or more, every year.
Also, don't be afraid to look for college financial aid in the form of scholarships in odd places either. Look around your hometown for different community organizations who offer scholarships like the Knights of Columbus or the Humane Society. Though these sorts of community organizations may not be able to contribute thousands upon thousands of dollars in scholarships, every little bit helps, especially when it doesn't have to be repaid.
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. For more about Loan Calculators visit Money Talks for current articles and discussions.
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