Senior CCR Advisory Nov 4-8 Paying for College Senior CCR Advisory Nov 4-8

Paying for College With so many avenues for financing your education, it's often difficult to sort out what might work best for you, given your situation and time frame.

Educate Yourself About the Financial Aid Options You should know what you are about to get into and how to best plan what is likely to be one of your life's largest purchases.

Start with Uncle Sam The first financial aid form you complete should be the FAFSA, Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Even if you know you won't qualify for any aid, filling out this form is often the first step to applying for many types of aid including federal loans, state grants, and college scholarships. Visit www.fafsa.ed.gov today

Apply Early Apply as soon after January 1 as possible You can use estimates for items such as income if you have not completed your tax returns Financial aid is partially given out on a first-come, first-serve basis

Apply for Everything You'll never get the grants or scholarships if you don't apply There are many good scholarship search engines as well as many different types of scholarships out there Chances are you will qualify for a number of these

Three Basic Options for Financial Assistance in College 1. Loans (you have to pay back) 2. Grants (FREE $) 3. Scholarships (FREE $)

Student Loans Types of Loans Federal/State Loans Private Loans have a low interest rate, deferred interest, and fairly nice repayment terms. These are loans that are funded by the government. Private Loans also may have low interest or deferred interest options. These are funded by private financial institutions.

Student Loans An acceptable way to pay for college BUT remember it is borrowed money. This means it needs to be repaid with interest. Whenever possible, students should attempt to fund their education with “FREE money”

Loans with Low Interest Rates Federal Loans Stafford Loans Perkins Loans These are cheaper loans with more flexible repayment options. Students should apply for these first before privately funded loans

Common Misconceptions Don’t assume that your family makes too much money to qualify for a loan. Don’t dismiss loans as an option for getting an education. A college education is an investment that cannot be taken away from you. Even if you have to borrow money for some or all of your education, it will still pay off in the long term.

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