Scholarship Links & Financial Aid Resources

FAFSA Checklist – Lists the documents and information you need to gather before completing the FAFSA. 2024-2025
Federal Student Aid Account (FSA ID) Handout – tells you how to set up your account.
Financial Aid FAQs – Click here to get answers to frequently asked questions about financial aid.
FAFSA Demo – Watch a short video that walk you through each section of the FAFSA.

College Funding Estimator – Estimates your FAFSA results, including your eligibility for a Pell Grant. 2024-2025 - not updated yet

FAFSA Tutorial – Provides user-friendly clarification for each FAFSA question. 2024-2025

Mrs. Hernandez's Favorite Scholarship Search Engines

How to Pay for College

Follow these steps to apply for federal financial aid and scholarships:

Step 1. Apply for scholarships.

Follow these tips for scholarship success:

Research potential awards by using free scholarship-search resources including your school counselor, the college you plan to attend, ScholarshipQuest, and other free internet-based scholarship searches.
Complete an Activities Resume or track this in the resume tab on your PLP (Pioneer Learning Plan) so you’ll have a list of your activities, honors, and awards handy when completing applications.
Create a list of scholarships you’re eligible to apply for. Tackle the most difficult applications first and pay attention to deadlines. If you miss a deadline, your application will not be considered.
Request letters of recommendation from adults who know you well. Give them plenty of notice, a deadline, information about the scholarship, and a copy of your Activities Resume.

Step 2. Create an FSA ID

To begin the process of applying for financial aid, create a Federal Student Aid account (FSA ID) at studentaid.gov. Your parent will also need an FSA ID if you’re a dependent student.

Step 3. Complete the FAFSA

The FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) is your application for federal, state, and college-based financial aid. Complete the form at studentaid.gov in the fall of each year. The colleges you list on the FAFSA will use your information to award financial aid.

Submit the form before the colleges’ FAFSA priority date to get the best financial aid offers. Use our free FAFSA Tools to help you prepare for and complete the form.

Renew the FAFSA every year you’re in college.

Expect a FAFSA Submission Summary

After you submit your FAFSA, expect a FAFSA Submission Summary (FSS) via an email from Federal Student Aid. The FSS indicates your Student Aid Index (the number a college uses to determine how much financial aid you can receive), your eligibility for a Pell Grant, and if you were selected for verification. Some need-based scholarship applications will also require your FSS.

Step 4. Be Prepared for Verification

Watch your student portal and email closely, as colleges may request verification of your FAFSA information. Respond to this request quickly, as the colleges will not process your financial aid offer until you provide the required documents.

Step 5. Expect Financial Aid Offers

The colleges you listed on your FAFSA will notify you of the types and amounts of financial aid they offer. You will only receive offers from colleges that accepted you for admission. Accept or decline the financial aid offers by the deadline.

The colleges will use this “financial need” formula to calculate how much to offer you in financial aid:

Cost of Education – Student Aid Index = Financial Need

Step 6. Apply for Student Loans

If you qualify for student loans, your college will direct you to studentaid.gov to complete the necessary forms. Depending on your financial need, you might receive a Subsidized Direct Loan (interest begins accruing after college) or an Unsubsidized Direct Loan (interest begins accruing immediately). Your college determines the amount you can borrow.

You must repay your student loan after you graduate or drop below half-time status. Click here for details about loan limits, interest rates, and repayment.

Page updated

Report abuse