College Financial Aid
Congratulations you've made it you're off to college and you're looking at getting your degree and a bright future. Of course one of the main worried for you is the cost of college and how to find the money to pay for all your needs. The average cost for a student choosing a private college can be greater than $100,000. You are looking at providing money for the four years when you may not have much money coming in and a lot of paying out to do. Colleges have got people who can help and advice and there may be some grants available that you can apply for but get financial planning done early, you want to have all the arrangements made by the time your course starts.
One of the best college financial aid strategies, especially if attending a private college, is to get as many scholarships as possible. Scholarships are a lot more attractive than loans since scholarships represent free money; it never, ever has to be paid back. Most colleges offer both need-based and merit-based financial aid. Need-based aid is usually based on how much money your parents make and how many siblings you have, since your parents are expected to help pay for your education and the education of your siblings. Even if your parents aren't helping to pay for your education at all, the system still stipulates that they do.
The second basis on which colleges contribute to your self-investment is with merit money. Private colleges tend to have much more of this kind of money available because of their more generous sponsors. These people set up scholarships in their names or they add to existing funds that have meaning for them. Sometimes this kind of money can cover more than 50% of your tuition costs. Well worth asking about and working for.
Grant can be found in other places so keep your eyes open and be aware. Charities and local societies may have some funds set aside for people going to college and you may qualify for their help. These type of funding sources may be hard to find and may only give out small sums but even small sums mount up and if they are given without you having to pay back that makes them even more valuable.
Any savings you have should be used only when all other monies have been put into your education. Why? Well because they continue to earn interest of course. But surely the time will come when you need to take a loan. First port of call has to be the Federal Application for Student Aid (FAFSA). There you will find out which loans you qualify for and you can then work out a repayment plan. A good tip when doing investment planning is to estimate your future income, then reduce it by 20%. Then estimate your expenditure and increase it by 20%. This will ensure that your expectations are never high to cause anxiety when not met.
One of the best college financial aid strategies, especially if attending a private college, is to get as many scholarships as possible. Scholarships are a lot more attractive than loans since scholarships represent free money; it never, ever has to be paid back. Most colleges offer both need-based and merit-based financial aid. Need-based aid is usually based on how much money your parents make and how many siblings you have, since your parents are expected to help pay for your education and the education of your siblings. Even if your parents aren't helping to pay for your education at all, the system still stipulates that they do.
The second basis on which colleges contribute to your self-investment is with merit money. Private colleges tend to have much more of this kind of money available because of their more generous sponsors. These people set up scholarships in their names or they add to existing funds that have meaning for them. Sometimes this kind of money can cover more than 50% of your tuition costs. Well worth asking about and working for.
Grant can be found in other places so keep your eyes open and be aware. Charities and local societies may have some funds set aside for people going to college and you may qualify for their help. These type of funding sources may be hard to find and may only give out small sums but even small sums mount up and if they are given without you having to pay back that makes them even more valuable.
Any savings you have should be used only when all other monies have been put into your education. Why? Well because they continue to earn interest of course. But surely the time will come when you need to take a loan. First port of call has to be the Federal Application for Student Aid (FAFSA). There you will find out which loans you qualify for and you can then work out a repayment plan. A good tip when doing investment planning is to estimate your future income, then reduce it by 20%. Then estimate your expenditure and increase it by 20%. This will ensure that your expectations are never high to cause anxiety when not met.
About the Author:
Jimmy Johnson is an accomplished author. For more about Loan Calculators visit Money Talks for current articles and discussions.
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