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Application Help |
Applying for financial aid may seem confusing because it's new to you and your family, and because so many of the words in the process are unfamiliar. Don't be afraid to ask for help. There are many free places to go with your questions! We've listed several good places you can start.
High School Counselors (FREE)
If you're still in high school, the first place to look for help is close to home...it's your high school counselor. These folks can answer many basic questions about how to apply for student financial aid, particularly about applying for federal money. They have many types of reference documents and have helped many high school students apply for financial help to continue their studies. That should be your first stop.
College Financial Aid Administrators (FREE)
Another excellent source of information is the school or college you are hoping to attend. The people in the financial aid office (often called financial aid administrators) know all about applying for aid from the federal programs. For federal programs, all schools require the same information, although there may be some differences in the way the information is collected. Remember, even if you are planning (or hoping) to go to another school, you can still ask the local financial aid office for help with the federal application.
Financial aid administrators also know about any special application that's required to get money (financial help) from their own school. In many cases, the school's application for aid will be the same as the federal application. If there are differences, the financial aid administrator can help you understand what else you have to do to qualify for school scholarships or loans.
Financial Aid Nights (FREE)
A great combination of the two resources is the Financial Aid Night, or College Night. This event is usually sponsored by a local high school or group of financial aid professionals. A Financial Aid Night features a high school counselor along with a financial aid professional from a nearby school or college. Working together, this team can offer answers to many of your questions.
The Education Department's Toll-Free Help Line (FREE)
The U.S. Education Department sponsors the Federal Student Aid Information Center to help you with financial aid questions. The toll-free number 1-800-4-FED-AID (1-800-433-3243) is open between 9:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. (EST) daily. If you call this number, you can get free help to complete your federal application (the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA), and find out if a school you're interested in offers federal student aid.
The people at this number will also explain the federal student aid eligibility requirements and how aid is awarded, and send you federal student aid publications. They won't have the same detailed information about an individual school's application process, but they can tell you all you need to know about the federal part.
Financial Aid Consultants and Search Services (NOT FREE)
These are usually not free. Both consultants and search services will charge you a fee (sometimes only a small one) to help you apply for aid. We don't know of any that guarantee that you'll receive aid. Many times, they will simply ask you to pay for the same information that you could get free from a school or from the Education Department's toll-free help line.
In recent years there has been a significant increase in the number of individuals offering professional financial aid services to students and parents. These financial aid consultants offer a variety of services to students and parents including:
Financial aid consultants will usually charge a fee for their services. This fee will vary based on the services provided and the student's particular needs. Be aware, however, that a financial aid administrator can perform these same services for free.
Before selecting a consultant, you and your family should consider several important points:
If you or your family decides to use the services of a consultant, there are a few more points you should consider:
It is also important to remember that a financial aid consultant cannot guarantee you will receive financial aid. You should also know that certain scholarships and grants awarded by schools are discretionary funds that may or may not be awarded to every student each year.
Finally, as with all important documents, you should keep copies of the FAFSA and other applications for your files, even if someone has assisted with their preparation.
Scholarship search services are for-profit businesses that offer to find sources of student financial aid, usually for a fee. Some of these services have existed for some time; others are relatively new. The value of the information provided varies widely. Search services need to be used with care, and only after a thorough investigation of the services they offer.
A guarantee that at least a certain number of sources will be found might simply mean the service will tell the student he or she can apply for the federal aid programs. As we know from our earlier discussion, there is no need to pay a search service to identify these programs. Information on the federal student aid programs, and most state and institutional aid programs, is readily available free of charge. Further, a little time and effort on the part of the student in the reference section of a library or on the Internet will probably unearth any sources of assistance a search service could identify. Libraries and many colleges often have scholarship search software available, either for use free of charge or for a nominal fee. These programs may help you locate scholarship sources as effectively as any scholarship search firm.
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National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators
Opening Doors of Educational Opportunity
Copyright © 2004 by the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators.
All rights reserved.
Updated April 2004.
