Paying for College
It is no secret that the cost of college has continued to skyrocket. What isn't as well known is that more expensive schools have deeper pockets and the ability to give scholarships that more than offset their greater cost. Keep your eyes peeled for our Financial Aid and Scholarship Night in early December for more information and resources. Here are some other resources that every college student and parent should know.
Being Not Rich at UM-this is a great guide for attending school when you can't bring a lot of financial support to the table. It specifically addresses the University of Michigan, but the strategies and steps can work at almost all public universities.
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Free Application for Federal Student Aid or FAFSA is THE most important site for students. Not only does it determine how much federal aid you can receive, but it is used by colleges and scholarship organizations as part of their evaluations, and the lack of a FAFSA report is a strong indicator that a student may not attend a school she/he has been accepted at.
Still in the planning phase? The FAFSA Forecaster lets you put in current information and get an accurate estimate of just how much colleges will expect you to pay towards a college education.
Merit Money? If you fall in the income range that can "afford" college according to the CSS and FAFSA, but can't imagine how you will pay a $50,000 a year tab for your high performing student. This Article might be useful. Always ask the school your child is applying to about Merit-Based Aid!
US News and World Report's Paying for College Guide provides a number of tips and resources about the process and is a must-read resource.
NPR's Paying for College series also gives tips and insights into the process and you can listen to it if you are tired of reading.
CollegeBoard's CSS Profile is used by mana competitive and well-endowed schools that wand a more penetrating analysis of a family's resources. Always look to see if a school requires this to be submitted since this deadline frequently comes early in the application process.
Fame Scholarship Search-Maine based search engine for scholarships that are available to Maine students provided by the folks from FAME!
Fast Web-A national search engine with thousands of listings. Can be overwhelming so read carefully!
College Board's Big Future Scholarship Search- Another big listing that some students prefer.
One of the most valuable ways you can spend your time is by applying for local scholarships. They usually require a relatively easy-to-complete application and have a higher chance of being awarded than most State, Regional, or National scholarships. Mrs. Wallace will post them when they come available in the middle of March.