Financial & Student Aid

Getting an education is expensive, so be prepared

The cost of college has risen steadily over the past twenty years. At many schools, tuition has nearly doubled. As a result, students are relying more heavily on federal aid and scholarships in order to subsidize their education.

Applying for federal aid

There are various forms of federal aid, including grants, student loans, and work study. Grants and student loans are both monetary awards; the difference is that student loans have to be paid back, grants do not. Work study is a program in which the government secures part-time jobs for students while in school. For more information about grants, student loans, or work study, or to learn more about Federal Student Aid in general, please click on the appropriate link. Be advised that to apply for any form of federal aid, you must first fill-out a Free Application for Federal Student Aid or FAFSA.

Applying for scholarships

In addition to federal aid, students will also want to seek funding from other sources. Individual schools often provide need-based grants as well as scholarships for students with outstanding academic credentials or other achievements. Furthermore, there are numerous public and private organizations -- and even some businesses -- that offer scholarships for college. As such, you should make it a point to identify these scholarships early and to apply for as many as possible.

The secret to financial aid is to start early and be persistent

Applying for financial aid is a time-consuming but relatively easy process; the important thing to remember is that money is out there and that a little effort at the outset could save you thousands of dollars -- if not tens of thousands -- later.