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This page is all about Financial Aid for college and trade school!
This page is all about Financial Aid for college and trade school!
This page provides an overview of key terms when dealing with financial aid, as well as links to the FAFSA, Alternative Application, and scholarships. At the bottom of the page, I've included the CPS speadsheet that tracks all of the scholarships that they highlight for CPS students. You can also apply to these! Navigate through the spreadsheet with the tabs on the bottom that go with the month the scholarship is due by.
This page provides an overview of key terms when dealing with financial aid, as well as links to the FAFSA, Alternative Application, and scholarships. At the bottom of the page, I've included the CPS speadsheet that tracks all of the scholarships that they highlight for CPS students. You can also apply to these! Navigate through the spreadsheet with the tabs on the bottom that go with the month the scholarship is due by.
Remember, that even though a school might have very expensive tuition, you might end up attending that school for free based on your FAFSA, scholarships, and other financial aid, so don't let the high tuition price of a school stop you from applying! I have seen many students attend the schools I mention on this site for affordable prices, sometimes without any loans. So just keep that in mind!
FAFSA
FAFSA
The FAFSA is a free form that you can fill out with tax information (usually from your parents or guardians). Once you fill out your FAFSA, you will receive an EFC, or Expected Family Contribution. This number, along with some other financial information from the SAR (Student Aid Report), is sent to all the colleges and schools you listed on your FAFSA. This will help the schools determine how much financial aid money you will receive from them. After they calculate this amount, you will get an Award Letter from them that outlines their tuition, the financial aid they're offering you, and how much is left for you to pay.
To file a FAFSA, you first need to create an FSA ID. This is your login for the FAFSA and it's very important that you use your personal email and save your password so you won't forget it.
Alternative Application
Alternative Application
The Alternative Application for Illinois Student Aid is a form created by the state of Illinois that is very similar to the FAFSA. This form is for students who are planning to attend college but are not eligible to file the FAFSA, usually because they do not have a SSN. Trans students who no longer identify as male can also file this form instead of the FAFSA to avoid registering for Selective Service, which is a requirement for all male persons in the United States over the age of 18.
Scholarships
Scholarships
There are two types of scholarships.
The first are Institutional Scholarships. These scholarships are awarded to students by the schools they apply to. They are only available at the individual schools that awarded them, and are usually based on academics, such as your high school GPA.
The second are Private Scholarships. These are scholarships that you can find online to apply to. They are run by private companies, non-profits, or individuals that want to give scholarships to college students. These scholarships can generally be used at any college that you end up attending, but there are sometimes requirements for what you would have to study or the type of school you would have to attend.
Here are some sites where you can search for scholarships:
Financial Aid for college can be a complex topic that might be hard to understand. If anything on this page is confusing to you, please reach out to Zoë with your questions! Her contact information can be found on this page.
Financial Aid for college can be a complex topic that might be hard to understand. If anything on this page is confusing to you, please reach out to Zoë with your questions! Her contact information can be found on this page.
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