Financial Aid - when should I apply for? Many different types of financial aid are available to you in
form of scholarships, grants, and loans. With billions of dollars at stake, it is important to begin search process early and to apply on time. Follow these guidelines for applying for financial aid:
Three to four years before you plan to begin college…
-Review your high school coursework and activities. Colleges will look for challenging coursework, a good grade point average, and extracurricular activities such as sports, volunteer work, and community involvement. -Take Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test (PSAT) to prepare for standardized tests (SAT and ACT) that you’ll take later. If you do well on PSAT, you may be eligible to receive a National Merit Scholarship.
Two years before you plan to begin college…
-Begin researching your financial aid options by talking to your career counselor and researching grants and scholarships through books and internet -Start planning to take SAT and/or ACT exams, depending on what is required by your college. -During your college visits, meet with a Financial Aid Officer to find out what types of aid are available.
As soon as possible after January 1 of year in which you start college…
-Contact Financial Aid Offices at colleges of your choice for deadlines and additional documents they require -Complete Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Available at www.fafsa.ed.gov, this form is your key to most financial aid, and to all Federal and state grants and loans. When you complete your FAFSA, be sure to list all schools you’re interested in attending (up to six), even if you haven’t yet been accepted. Be sure to keep copies of all of forms you submit.
