Our current Scholarship Database is now active and relocated in Naviance Student. (Click on Colleges, then Scholarships and Money, then Scholarship List)
How to Apply to Financial Aid handout
Students can access financial aid through four sources: Federal, State, College/University, and outside private scholarships. The FAFSA and CSS Profile are the two primary applications that students and parents complete for the purpose of applying for loans or grants. Families should plan to complete both forms if the student intends to apply to a range of colleges and universities. Some colleges and universities have their own institutional financial aid and scholarship forms. These institutional forms must submitted in addition to the FAFSA and CSS Profile. (Note: The CSS Profile is only required by certain private colleges. It is never required by state colleges.)
FAFSA- Free Application for Federal Student Aid-
click here for the FAFSA
click here to request student and parent the FSA ID.
This form requires financial information and is used to determine the expected family contribution. All colleges require this form from financial aid applicants. It cannot be filed until after October 1st of the senior year. Federal Financial Aid tries to ensure that all eligible individuals benefit from federal financial assistance, which include grants, loans and work-study programs. Both the student and parent will need to have accounts to access the FAFSA.
FAFSA DAY- College Goal Sunday - FOR FREE HELP COMPLETING YOUR FAFSA
FAFSA LETTER OF APPEAL
A student whose family has experienced hardship or unexpected circumstances may ask for a meeting with the Financial Aid Office and may write a Letter of Hardship or Appeal. This letter can explain such circumstances as loss of income, family illness, death, or unexpected expenses. This letter should be sent to the Financial Aid Office of the school you have chosen to attend. Although the letter does not guarantee that additional aid will be granted, it gives the student a chance to be reconsidered for additional aid.
College Scholarship Service- www.collegeboard.com
Only certain private universities/colleges require that this form be filed. The form requests for in-depth information for the purpose of awarding students privately managed money. This is a financial aid form similar to the Federal Income Tax form containing all facts about a family’s financial conditions. This is required by some private colleges in addition to the FAFSA. The form is available in the fall of senior year. It can be filed as early as October, as soon as you know to which colleges you will apply.
Scholarships provide another source of financial aid for students. Many scholarships are need based, but some are also merit scholarships. There are a number of on-line scholarship available. In addition, a wide range of companies and organizations offer scholarship programs. The AHS School Counseling Department maintains an ongoing list of scholarships, their eligibility requirements, and the procedure for accessing applications. Information on deadlines and key contact people are provided as well. Many colleges and universities have their own scholarship money, typically awarded to students who will matriculate at that institution. For example, the University of Massachusetts system has two types of scholarships for students based on MCAS scores: the “John and Abigail Adams Scholarship” and the “Stanley Z. Koplik Certificate of Mastery.” While these two scholarships both waive tuition costs, there are important differences in eligibility requirements and the application process. See below for many helpful links!