Financial Aid Help - virtual Financial Aid Help - in person
Find all SUNY events here: suny.edu/studentevents.
**Please note: Scholarships Listed are Also in Naviance
"Who's the Parent on the FAFSA® Form?" Wizard – A new, stand-alone tool to help students and families determine who will need to provide contributor information on the 2025–26 FAFSA® form prior to starting the application.
"Creating Your StudentAid.gov Account" Page – A new resource that explains what families and partners need to know about creating a StudentAid.gov account.
Pro Tips for Completing the FAFSA® Form – Updated tips for preparing to complete and submit the FAFSA® form. This resource will also be linked from the StudentAid.gov Dashboard to promote easier access for students and their required contributor(s).
Federal Student Aid Estimator – The tool provides an estimate of the 2025–26 Student Aid Index and Federal Pell Grant eligibility calculation.
Federal Student Aid YouTube Channel: FAFSA® Videos – Updated videos to help students and families understand the importance of the FAFSA® form, who is a FAFSA® contributor, and what happens after submitting the form.
Did you know you might be eligible for more financial aid from your college? Many students successfully appeal their initial financial aid offers--but only if they ask.
Why Submit an Appeal?
There are many reasons why a financial aid appeal could be successful, including:
Your financial circumstances have changed since you submitted the FAFSA®.
You received a better financial aid offer from another school.
Your FAFSA® didn't fully capture your unique financial situation.
You made an error on your FAFSA®.
Your initial aid package simply isn't enough to make college affordable.
Don't miss out on potential free money for college—take a few minutes to explore this opportunity today!
Our “Admission 101” series continues with a post on understanding the college scholarship search process.
Navigating the college admissions process can be daunting, but securing merit scholarships can significantly ease the financial burden. Merit scholarships are awarded based on academic, athletic, artistic, or other abilities, and do not need to be repaid. Here’s how to safely and effectively obtain......................................
Read the complete article here: https://www.linkforcounselors.com/find-the-free-money-merit-scholarship-money-makes-cents/
Scholarship Deadline Calendar - We suggest this particular financial aid resource year-round. It’s a great starting point for students and parents.
5 Steps to a Successful Scholarship Search - Where to start and what to do in order to win scholarships. Step by step help with this critical process.
Scholarship Application Checklist - Staying organized is so important. Print this one out and/or share the PDF with your future college students.
Low Competition Scholarships - In response to your inquiries, we’ve created a guide to help you and your students find and apply for scholarships with lower competition.
Here are more tools students can use to simplify the awards letters process and help make an informed college choice:
Federal Student Loans: Your Complete Guide – Understanding how federal loans work – and how to pay them back – can be confusing. This simple guide breaks down the different types of loans.
Should You Accept All the Federal Student Loans You're Offered? – Find out what students should consider before borrowing federal student loans.
How to Compare Private Student Loans – After factoring in grants, scholarships and federal loans, families may be considering a private loan. This guide can help them figure out what private loan is the best fit.
Award Letter Comparison Tool – This simple tool compares up to five award letters side-by-side and helps students understand the actual cost of attendance for each school.
Breaking Down Your Award Letter – In this sample award letter, each section is clearly explained to help students make sense of their financial aid offers.
Negotiating for More Financial Aid – Your students may not know financial aid can be negotiable. Here are six effective phrases they can use when negotiating with a school.
Evaluating Student Loans 101 - This simple guide helps familiarize students with the various loan options, key terms, and important factors to consider before borrowing.
Alternative Ways to Pay for College - As families explore additional options for covering costs, they’ll appreciate this helpful chart that compares the pros and cons of non-traditional ways to pay for college.
NEW Student Loan Calculators – These new, easy-to-use calculators help estimate loan amounts, monthly payments, repayment costs, and more.
Free Scholarship Search – Use this customized scholarship tool to search over 3 million scholarships worth more than $18 billion. No registration required.
Private Student Loan Basics – This simple one-page guide provides families with key terms and concepts to understand when evaluating private student loans.
Visit CollegeCovered.com for more tips for students.
Federal Funding Guide: Federal Funding That Supports College and Career Readiness
Curious how your district can unlock federal funding to boost college and career readiness programs? This guide explores key sources of financial support and how to access them for student success.
Strategies And Tips For Overcoming Family Engagement Challenges
Back to School Toolkit: Engaging Families Around College and Career Readiness
After so much disruption over the past three school years, it is critical that counselors make intentional efforts to forge productive communication channels with families.
Check out the Paying for College Resource for more ways to help students and families pay for college, including helpful guides, free tools, and a video series.
The Sallie Mae Fund and Thurgood Marshall College Fund Bridging the Dream Scholarship