by Jake | Apr 9, 2015 | Financial Aid, Paying for college
What is the FAFSA? FAFSA stands for Free Application for Federal Student Aid, and is a form that prospective and current college students in the U.S. can complete to see what financial aid they qualify for to help pay for the cost of college. The financial aid offered can be in the form of favorable loans, grants, or scholarships from the US Government, the State, or the University and varies depending on the student’s financial needs. Why should I do it? Almost all students qualify for at least some sort of financial aid via completion of the FAFSA. Many people don’t realize that many university-specific grants/financial aid is apportioned only to those who submit a FAFSA, i.e. you run the risk of possibly foregoing totally free money by not doing the FAFSA. Isn’t it really hard to do? Some people say the FAFSA is too hard, but it really is not. You can complete it for free online at fafsa.gov OR you can have somebody help you complete it over the phone with services such as FAFSA.com. The latter has some packages ranging from $79 to $99 to help and can get it done over the phone in about 30-60 minutes. Is it true that if parents make a lot of money then you can’t get financial aid? Some people say the FAFSA is a waste of time because their parents make too much money, but again that is not the case. While it is true that a student might not be offered much or anything ….. Even wealthy people are typically offered at least favorable government loans. Take a subsidized...
by Jake | Feb 18, 2015 | Instate Tuition Tips, Paying for college
Sure, we all know the usual cookie-cutter ways to help lessen the cost of ever-increasing college tuition: you can cross your fingers for scholarships and pray for favorable loans and grants through FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). But securing a meaningful scholarship is a highly competitive affair among the cream of the crop with the highest SAT/ACT scores. And the best grants and free money? That’s reserved primarily for those with the most extraordinary circumstances. What about the rest of us? Let’s think outside the box… You don’t need to be a valedictorian to afford college. These five untraditional ways to pay for college help level the playing the field and might just help you avoid a mountain of debt. 1) RESIDENCY It’s possible to earn in-state tuition in any state; find out if it’s viable for you. This is first at bat, because (if attending an out-of-state college) you can actually combine it with a few of the other non-traditional ways to pay for college that follow below, leading to an even bigger return on investment for your time. For example, you can work toward getting in-state residency while completing a gap-year, then not only do you save money during the gap time, but you also can begin or return to college with residency and in-state tuition. Win-win! Most people do not realize that if you qualify as a resident of the state in the eyes of a university, then you are entitled to in-state resident tuition, averaging over $52,000 in total cost difference over the course of a four-year college education (reference). Do you really love the state and would you be moving there with or without the...
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