This portfolio was created to assist you with your college expenses. College costs include tuition, textbooks, living accommodations, meal plans and more. There are a variety of sources that are available to help you pay for college or career school. Financial aid, money to help pay for college, can come from federal, state, school, and private sources. Here is a list of several ways you can pay for college:
Grants
A grant is a financial aid source of money that does not have to be repaid. There are many federal grants that are available including Pell Grants, First Generation grants and more.
Scholarships
Many private organizations and nonprofits offer scholarships to help students pay for college or trade school. This is free money that can be based on academic merit, talent or a specific area of study.
Loans
When you agree to accept a student loan, you must understand that you have to pay the loans back. When you repay your loans, you must also repay the interest that accrues. It is very important that you understand the terms of the loan and the repayment options. Failure to repay your loans will negatively impact your credit score.
Scholarship
Portfolio
.png)
How do I apply for Financial Aid?
Applying for financial aid is easy and we are here to help. The federal financial aid form is called the FAFSA, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. This is FREE to complete. Yes, FAFSA is income-based, however, do not assume you won't qualify.
Everyone needs to apply, yes, even YOU!
​
The FAFSA application opens October 1st every year
Step 1: You and your parent/guardian will need to create an FSA ID to confirm your identity and serve as your electronic signature.
Step 2: Have the documents you need ready. Students and parents/guardians need:
-
Tax information from 2 years prior. For example, if you are applying for the 2023-2024 school year, you will use information from 2022. All personal information, social security number, address, emails for both the student and parent, date of birth, etc will need to be provided.
Step 3: Have the names of up to ten (10) colleges that you would like to attend. You can list up to ten (10) schools in your FAFSA application. Your award will be sent to the one (1) school that you attend.
After you apply for FAFSA?
-
Check your email regularly, FAFSA will email you important information regarding your application
-
You will receive a Student Aid Report (SAR)
-
Your SAR will give you an idea of your eligibility for federal aid
-
Schools will use the information to create financial aid packages specifically for you
-
Provide your school of choice with any additional documentation required. Some students may get selected for verification. This means your school of choice needs additional paperwork to verify the information entered into your FAFSA application. The quicker you get this done the faster your application can be processed.