And so it begins: college life.  Hopefully you took as much from your years in high school as you could—learning as much as possible, asking questions and taking the time to realize that high school prepares you for a more demanding academic load.  That next step, a college education, as one school puts it, “prepares you for the real world.”   Students learn field-specific skills and hone time management and study strategies, which will aid in a strong professional future.  However, with the flimsy nature of our economy, and less money coming into households, many become concerned about the affordability of a university education.  While that concern is understandable, organizations have recognized the need for assistance, and there are now many resources available.  Both companies with special consultants and different websites providing a wealth of information and financial assistance will help you figure out your financial situation. Think about the following.

• Fafsa.ed.gov.  First off, if you didn’t already know it, The FAFSA is the one application that EVERY undergraduate student must complete for consideration for federal financial aid.  That said, to make the process easier, do yourself a favor and familiarize yourself with the FAFSA website.  It doesn’t hurt to educate yourself (and/or your family) about financial aid in general, and about the FAFSA process.  There are many questions on the application, and you must be able to answer them all, whether that means learning how to do so or just knowing what information you will need.  You can even print out the paper version of the application for practice!

• Financial Aid Tips.  This website has financial assistance and information up the wazoo.  Thinking about college scholarships?  This site has a variety of resources dedicated to just that, with sections on major scholarships, scholarship database search and essay help.  Don’t go unprepared for coping with student loans, either.  This tips website breaks down some advice on loan debt and tuition forgiveness.

We won’t lie—the financial aid process has the potential to be a real pain in the behind, but you can make it easier on yourself!  Upon doing your homework and soaking in some information on college aid, if you want or need additional financial assistance, think about working with a Financial Aid Consultant.  Our Financial Aid Consultants will submit your financial aid applications for you and explain confusing details along the way.  For more solutions, and to learn more about the web resources available to you, take a look at some of our favorite useful sites.

If your school does not have financial advisors, do not fret.  Financial advisors are another name, or institutional equivalent to financial consultants, who are available at your disposal to assist with financial aid troubles and questions.  In fact, hiring a consultant may well result in a more individualized approach to your college financing.  More time can be spent developing a personalized plan (since you do not share a helper with thousands of students at your school), going through options with a fine-toothed comb.

When looking for a financial advisor/consultant, experience is key.  A proven track record of at least 2 years helping students obtain financial aid legitimizes your advisor’s skills and will help your own cause.  If you run into someone wanting you to qualify for their help, walk away, as everyone can ask for such assistance without hassle.

What Your Advisor Can Do for You

• Your advisor can help you wade through the loan, grant and scholarship options.  He/she will search alongside you for aid and compare all options.

• An advisor will assist in the completion of applications such as the FAFSA and CSS Profile.  Such individuals have specialized training and knowledge of the financial aid process.  This will be a money-saver, as costly mistakes made by thousands of people every year will be avoided and possibly more aid will be obtained.

• Focus on your free aid.  When you join with your advisor to search for college aid, emphasis can be put on grants and scholarships, so as to decrease future student loan debt.

• Your advisor can assess your aid choices, letting you know if each is fair and helpful, and also aid you in deciding which financial aid awards to accept once you’ve qualified for them.

Questions for your Financial Advisor:

• Discuss scholarship options.  You may have already touched on it briefly, but ask which opportunities seem viable or about specific options.  No matter what your consultant is familiar with already, they will provide as much information and application advice as possible.

• Find out how your university choice and its corresponding tuition rates affect your financial aid award.

• Talk about the paperwork.  While everyone has to submit the FAFSA, some schools also need financial aid supplements, so find out if you are required to submit them.  You already know your advisor can help with this.

• If you’re considering it already, inquire about your eligibility to take part in a Work Study program.  Your financial need, as decided by the FAFSA, determines this, and it’s a great way to build work experience while you receive financial assistance.

Convinced yet?  It may sound too good to be true…but it’s not.  Making college a reality shouldn’t be the hard part (that’s what the actual exams are for), and this is one way to make it easier.  Let Go Financial Aid find the right solutions for you!

Okay everyone. It’s the month of June. That means lots of different things, right? This is the month where summer officially begins. It’s the month where many students from kindergarten to high school and beyond finish academic classes. For some summer vacation begins.

Well, for college students, it’s the month of the FAFSA. Yes! It’s the absolute last month to fill out, check, recheck and send that FAFSA in the mail or electronically.

The federal deadline for the FAFSA is midnight Central Standard Time, June 30, 2011.

However, here’s where it gets a little tricky. Although the federal deadline is this month, your state deadline may have been earlier. For many of you, the FAFSA was due long ago. Like for those living in Florida, Maine, New Hampshire, for example, your FAFSA was due in May. Or for those living in Delaware, your FAFSA was due in April. There are even several states whose FAFA was due in March. To see when your state 2011-2012 FAFSA is or was due, go to http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/fotw1112/pdf/Deadlines.pdf.

If you find that after you complete your 2011-2012 FAFSA that you needed to correct something, no worries. The deadline for FAFSA corrections or updates is due by midnight Central Standard Time on September 15, 2011.

But, it doesn’t stop there with the deadlines. Each specific college may have their own deadline as to when they want your FAFSA to be completed. Be sure to contact your college of interest to find the deadline for their 2011 FAFSA.

Completing your 2011 FAFSA is simple and easy. Simply go online to complete your FAFSA. The application comes up easily and quickly. If you are completing your FAFSA online, you can begin now and go back to it later if needed. All your information will be saved once you go back to it.

Although we are thinking June 2011, it’s also good to think ahead because another benefit in completing your FAFSA online is that much of your information will be saved once you go back for your FAFSA renewal next year. These are only a couple of good reasons to complete your FAFSA online rather than by hard copy.

It’s June 2011 and although it’s the start of summer and other fun activities, remember it’s the federal deadline for your FAFSA. Get all the FAFSA help you need. If you need to speak with a family member or friend who has completed the FAFSA or a one of our Go financial aid consultants, please take the time to do so.

Paperwork, scholarships, grants, loans, deadlines, graduation, decisions…. Ahhhh!!! And on and on with the list of things on your mind as a college student. You almost feel like you need another person to help with everything you need to accomplish, right?

Well, that’s the purpose of this blog–to in a sense, provide you with information you need to get in touch with that person. If you have never heard of a financial aid advisor, don’t worry and feel like you need to start “Googling” to figure out why you are out of the loop. A financial aid advisor is the person who walks along side you when it comes to financing your college education. He or she can, at least, help alleviate the financial aspect of the college chaos.

You can find a financial aid advisor at your college, although, some colleges do not have financial aid advisors. Check with your school’s financial aid office to see what help they can offer you in this area.

A financial aid advisor, basically, will help you fill out all those cumbersome financial aid forms. He or she will help you find and get the best options for your financial needs.

Financial aid advisors, however, are not there to do all the work for you. They do what their title says; they “advise”. I think one of the best parts of having an advisor is that they can also serve as a personal editor. They help you avoid filling out forms such as the FAFSA incorrectly.

If you are the type of student who has trouble organizing and juggling a list of  “to do’s”, a financial aid advisor can help you create a checklist of things to keep your priorities and financial needs in order.

Remember, a financial aid advisor can’t guarantee you any certain amount of money. They are just there to teach you how to fish, so to speak—to help you learn how to fish through all the paperwork, scholarships, grants and decisions with ease. And if for some reason you find that your school does not have a financial aid advisor. Look into getting in touch with one of our Financial Aid Consultants. We’d also love to come alongside you and help in any way we can.

Have your financial aid questions answered!:

Phone: (888) 544-9898
Email: contact@gofinancialaid.com

Want more? Follow us on Twitter and Facebook

Well, no need to wait for the answers about financial aid disbursement as you wait for your money to come through.

Your financial aid is almost always distributed to your school first. Then, your school takes that money and applies it to your school fees
(tuition and room and board if you are on campus). Your school will give you a letter detailing the different types of awards and their amounts. If there is any money left over after paying for your school fees, your school will distribute that money personally to you. The left over money is for you to use for any other school expenses you may have.

When it comes to the Federal Financial Aid, such as the Perkins Loan, your school will give you a check for the left over amount or credit the amount to your account. You usually will get the loan money in at least 2 payments during the school year. The Stafford Loan usually pays at least twice during the school year, also.

You will not receive an installment that is more than half the total amount of your loan. For example if you have a $4,000 loan, you will not receive an installment that exceeds $2,000. You will receive the left over money in the form of either a check or cash. If you desire for your school to hold the money, rather than giving it to you, you must give them permission to do so in writing.

Furthermore, you can only disburse your loan money 30 days after the first day of your enrollment term, if you are a first time borrower and first year undergraduate student applying for the Stafford Loan. However, you must complete the Entrance Counseling to receive your first loan money, if you are borrowing from the Stafford Loan for the first time.

Well, the last big question is, “When will the money come?” When speaking about the Stanford Loan, you must check with your school’s financial aid office for their disbursement date. It’s all dependent on their disbursement date.

Check with your school as to their disbursement date to find when your wait is over to receive your financial aid. You may want to consider a financial aid consultant to help you ensure that your applications are submitted correctly and your financial aid is disbursed on time.

Wow the days must be getting longer because FAFSA season is in full effect. I’ve been around the internet a couple of times and here are the sentiments I hear:

“AHAHA I need FAFSA help. I NNEEEED help with FAFSA-who the **** is going to help me with my FAFSA- Free me from the FAFSA!”

Alright, I’m not a superhero, nor do I pretend to be one of the internet, but I do have a superhuman solution:

The FAFSA HELP NUMBER!

Call us! (888) 544-9898

Don’t worry this isn’t a dream…. we have a FAFSA HELP NUMBER. Who can honestly do this and still have a life? No us apparently, but we don’t care about the latter, so it’s your lucky day. Call us  (888) 544-9898 ) with your problems, and we’ll do our best to help. If the idea of hearing someone voice freaks you out, I have a SECOND SUPERHUMAN option:

The FAFSA Help Form:

*Gasp*

Yes it’s here! The almighty FAFSA king has granted you one wish, so ask carefully! Send us your FAFSA question via our contact form and we’ll do our best to answer it. Just be sure to have the heading label “the FAFSA” so we don’t mark it as spam! Sounds like a dream right? Well it might be dreamy but I assure you it’s real. Again here is our FAFSA HELP FORM. Maybe the idea of talking AND typing freaks you out; what do you do then? Well I have a THIRD OPTION:

Free Fafsa Help Online

Lucky for you, we already know some of things you’re going to ask! That’s why we’ve designed a FAFSA page to help you get through the process. To get you there faster, here are the quick links to specific pages:

FAFSA Calculator

FAFSA Trick and Tips

FAFSA Renewal

Dependency Status

What is FAFSA?

CONCLUSION:

If you managed to skip the entire article and end up right here, then here’s a recap of everything important:

We have a FAFSA Help Number (888) 544-9898

We have a Fafsa Help Form

We have a Fafsa Help Page

If you’ve looked at our site Go Financial Aid, you will realize that the majority of the information is FREE, but we keep the site running Ad-free because of our financial aid consulting services.

We don’t like doing our taxes, so we get others to do them for us. Why? Because it helps us save energy, time, and money. Now we can sidestep another tedious process: financial aid. If you feel this process is too long, tiresome, complex, or just annoying, consider looking into a financial aid consultant (which comes with a satisfaction guarantee). If you don’t have the money for one of our packages, that alright! We’ll keep providing tons of free information via this financial aid blog, twitter, and facebook! If you have any questions about financial aid or financial aid consultants, please send me an email!

While it might be getting warmer, that doesn’t mean money is going to start growing on trees! This sad truth hurts me as much as it does you, but don’t fear, financial aid is here!

Summer financial aid is similar to other forms of financial aid, in that the summer financial aid deadline varies between state and even varies between colleges.

For example, if I were a resident of Pennsylvania applying for 2011-2012 financial aid, I could go to http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/deadlines.htm and select “Pennsylvania” for my legal residence and “2011-2012″ for what school year I’m applying for student aid.  Even though this site can give you the dates, Summer financial aid can still be troublesome, which is why you could contact financial aid consultants to learn more about your financial aid package.

Finally keep in mind (at least if you decide to fill out the forms on your own) that contacting your choice would help you determine exactly when all the forms are due. Financial aid offices can be hard to navigate, so it is best to also check their deadlines and policies.

For Summer financial aid, you will need to be able to calculate you are expected to receive. Please do not forget to carefully study this step because it could help help you receive the maximum amount of Summer Financial aid!

If you’ve looked at our site Go Financial Aid, you will realize that the majority of the information is FREE, but we keep the site running Ad-free because of our financial aid consulting services.

We don’t like doing our taxes, so we get others to do them for us. Why? Because it helps us save energy, time, and money. Now we can sidestep another tedious process: financial aid. If you feel this process is too long, tiresome, complex, or just annoying, consider looking into a financial aid consultant (which comes with a satisfaction guarantee). If you don’t have the money for one of our packages, that alright! We’ll keep providing tons of free information via thisfinancial aid blog, twitter, and facebook! If you have any questions aboutfinancial aid or financial aid consultants, please send me an email!

Ah spring is coming. It’s raining more, snowing less, and I think I can smell the stink bugs coming back into my house. Yet nothing is more sweet than the wonderful nectar that FAFSA provides. For those just applying, congrats! For everyone else: Stay Strong! To help our new FAFSA brother’s and sister’s, I’ve decided to put together a quick 101 lesson on the almighty FAFSA. Enjoy.

1. What is FAFSA?

FAFSA = Free Application for Federal Student Aid

2. Ok I know what is means, how does it work?

Financial Need = Expected Family Contribution (EFC) – Total Cost of Attendance (TCOA)

If your confused about EFC or how to determine Financial need, consider using a FAFSA Calculator.

3. Thanks for the great info! But when is the FAFSA Deadline?

The FAFSA deadline is tricky, because there is a Federal Deadline which could differ from a state deadline. Click below to figure out when your FAFSA deadline is. The PDF is broken down by each state, to make it easier to find your FAFSA deadline.

2011-2012 FAFSA Deadline

Bonus Round: Some reminders when filling out your FAFSA

• Leave No Blank Entry: If the answer is $0, then put a 0. Seriously, do this and you’ll thank me later
• Reduce your family’s adjusted gross income (Not sure how to do this? Check out our FAFSA tips and tricks or consider contacting usabout it)

And that sums it up. Short, sweet and simple. If you have more questions, or want more information, contact us

This may sound strange, but we want to talk to you about financial aid!

If you’ve looked at our site Go Financial Aid, you will realize that the majority of the information is FREE, but we keep the site running Ad-free because of our financial aid consulting (which comes with a satisfaction guarantee). Similar to having someone else do your taxes, we can help you automate your financial aid and make sure you maximize the amount of money you receive. If you still want to fill out financial aid on your own, that’s alright! We’ll keep providing tons of free information via this financial aid blog, twitter, and facebook! If you have any questions about financial aid or financial aid consultants, please send me an email!

I’ve been going through dozens of complaints on how slow, unorganized, and often tiresome financial aid offices can be. Thats not to say there aren’t some amazing people working in some fantastic financial aid offices, but the feedback I’ve been getting is one of disappointment.   While it might be difficult to avoid the process, I do have some use links to help you fill out your FAFSA, find a FAFSA calculator, learn more about your CSS profile, use a college financial aid consultant, and learn about grants and scholarships.

FAFSA

FAFSA deadlines are looming so its time to act now.  These forms can be exhausting so we’ve tried to make it as easy as possible (Consider using our free FAFSA calculator) A couple reminders when filling out the form include:

• Try filling out a practice FAFSA to ensure optimization of your final form
• Remember to leave no blank entry bank

If the process become too tedious or confusing, consider emailing a college financial aid consultant with any or all questions.

CSS profile

The CSS PROFILE determines your eligibility for non-government financial aid, such as the institutional grants, scholarships and loans.

Here are some quick reminders about the CSS Profile:

• It’s requires more specific information than the FAFSA
• It also requires a free $9 Base Fee + $16 Per School

College Financial Aid Consultant

While many people are fine with filling out their financial aid, many also turn to college financial aid consultant for advice or to assist them in filling out their form. The point here is to find someone to fill out the forms so you don’t have to (much like tax consultants). The point is to save time, energy, and the piece of mind knowing that your forms were correctly filled out (which will help maximize the amount you receive).

If you’ve looked at our site Go Financial Aid, you will realize that the majority of the information is FREE, but we keep the site running Ad-free because of our financial aid consulting services.

We don’t like doing our taxes, so we get others to do them for us. Why? Because it helps us save energy, time, and money. Now we can sidestep another tedious process: financial aid. If you feel this process is too long, tiresome, complex, or just annoying, consider looking into a financial aid consultant (which comes with a satisfaction guarantee). If you don’t have the money for one of our packages, that alright! We’ll keep providing tons of free information via this financial aid blog, twitter, and facebook! If you have any questions about financial aid or financial aid consultants, please send me an email!

Didn’t January fly by? I remember counting down New Years and looking forward to 2011. Now it’s already one month in, which means we’re in FAFSA season! While the FAFSA is notorious for being confusing,  sites are available that provide FREE FAFSA Calculators!

Here are some tips to keep in mind while filling out the forms:

1. Some programs require specific school financial aid applications. Be sure to check at all the programs you’re applying for in order to maximize the amount you receive.

2. For Returning Students: Be sure to renew your FAFSA. Here are some things you’ll need to renew it:

• Your PIN number
• Updated tax information
• Any changes in personal information
• Current checking and/or savings account information

3.  Be Early! Now is the time to fill out your FAFSA. Use the free FAFSA Calculator!

If you have any additional questions, feel free to shoot us an email. This may sound crazy, but we WANT to talk to you about financial aid!

I’ve been posting HIGH QUALITY links on facebook and twitter. Recent topics have included:

Methods to prepare for the SAT

How Colleges are looking to change the cost of textbooks

Ways to gain experience before graduation!

We don’t like doing our taxes, so we get others to do them for us. Why? Because it helps us save energy, time, and money. Now we can sidestep another tedious process: financial aid. If you feel this process is too long, tiresome, complex, or just annoying, check out some of the services we offer (which comes with a satisfaction guarantee). If you don’t have the money for one of our packages, that alright! We’ll keep providing tons of free information via this blog, twitter, and facebook! Thanks for stopping by!

Winter time is here, which means only one thing (besides the super bowl)…it’s Financial Aid Time!  For those of you entering or returning to school, maximizing your financial aid can help relieve those financial burdens. Trust me, the small steps leading up to the application process can mean significant changes in the money you receive, so don’t put off the forms. Now the reason I put this post up is because  a lot of people ask about the best financial aid available. While different institutions offer different programs,  here are some tips to get you started:

• Review the college applications and remember your financial aid deadline. Failing to submit the forms on time will have a major impact on how much money you receive. Began thinking early so you won’t have to struggle come springtime.
• Research the types of financial aid and outline the ones you are eligible for. Determine which scholarships you want to apply for, as well as potentials loans and grants. Once again, the sooner you begin outlining and researching the easier it is to determine which ones will be the best fit for you.
• Seek out scholarships and list the ones you want to apply for. Figure out what they’re looking for, and adjust your submission accordingly. If the scholarship is focused on environmental issues, don’t tell the story of your championship baseball team (unless it’s relevant). Instead, focus on the issues they’re concern with and how you fit in as their ideal candidate.
• If you feel the process is too complex, or simply do not have enough time to complete the forms, review and contact potential financial aid consultants. If you’re unsure whether you need one or not, contact the company and review their services.

Just like taxes, the process can be burdensome, but with a little preparation or help you can maximize your financial aid. The best financial aid is one that “fits” you, so the importance lies in researching the specific institution (or institutions) you wish to attend, and submitting all the necessary applications on time.

For the best financial aid links from around the web, check out our pages on facebook and twitter. For specific information, please email us.

We know that the FAFSA can be overwhelming at first glance (and second…and maybe third), so below is a list of some FAFSA “dos and don’ts” to help ensure that you get the most out of the federal financial aid system.

FAFSA DOS AND DON’TS

• Do look into practice FAFSA documents that are available on the FAFSA website that you can fill out periodically for free. This will show you everything you should be prepared for when filling out the actual document, giving you head start before you even receive the real thing.
• Do get all your personal financial information together before filling out the FAFSA. After doing the practice FAFSA, you should have some solid general ideas for what to expect on the real document. Once you know what will be asked of you, make sure you have all the information at hand and ready to go, so you won’t be scrambling to find it all when you are filling out the actual FAFSA. This includes information like your Social Security number, driver’s license and FAFSA PIN.
• Do calculate your EFC (Expected Family Contribution) ahead of time. Many websites, even college or university sites, now offer EFC calculators that will give you a good estimate of what your EFC will be. This allows you to be aware of around the amount you will be expected to provide based on your family assets and other personal information, allowing you to better prepare yourself for paying for the school of your choice, as well as looking into additional forms of aid, such as scholarships and state or private loans.
• Don’t put it off! The first day to send in the FAFSA is January 1st of each year. While this is surely not an ideal task to be doing on New Years, it will definitely be to your financial benefit to fill it out and send it in as early as possible. Federal financial aid goes by a “first come, first served” guideline, so the sooner you send in your FAFSA, the better chance you have of getting more aid.
• Don’t leave any questions blank! Blank responses are one of the costliest errors on the FAFSA because many people do not know that they must write something down, even if it does not apply to them. Double check all of your responses before sending in the FAFSA to make sure you did not leave anything out, as it could cost you significant amounts of financial aid.
• Don’t forget to renew the FAFSA every year! Your personal financial situation can change in as little as a few weeks, let alone one year. The FAFSA requires that it be renewed each year to keep it current along with your finances, making sure that you are receiving the right amount of financial aid based on your eligibility.
• If the process of completing the FAFSA is causing more stress than you think is necessary, do consider hiring a financial aid consultant. These experts can help guide you through the financial aid process, making sure that you are filling out the applications correctly and on time, thus significantly decreasing your chances of making costly errors on your financial aid documents.

Thankfully, more websites are stepping up to provide financial aid help for families struggling with the process of finding ways to get money for school.  The FAFSA site is obviously a good place to start, as this form is certainly one of the most important documents you’ll fill out in the process of obtaining financial aid.  However, federal loans are certainly not the only form of financial aid out there.  Other websites allow people to compare the different private student loan offers.  The College Board is also a highly regarded non-profit organization that provides people with countless financial aid options all online.  Whatever your preference of aid, the College Board will help you find it all right at your fingertips.

To further assist you in the financial aid process, getting help from a financial aid advisor or consultant is certainly something to consider.  While this does require a fee, it will take an extensive amount of the burden of hunting for college funding off your shoulders, as well as provide you with an experienced professional who will guide you step-by-step through the process.  Go Financial Aid offers these services, and you can set it all up online, by choosing a solution that is right for you and your current financial status.

Getting financial aid help does not have to be an overly stressful process.  It is important to know that there are many options out there to help you get the amount of funding you need to enhance your education and improve your future.

If attending a graduate school to achieve an MBA is what you’re striving for, MBA financial aid is more important than ever.  Do not think that just because universities are raising their prices that there isn’t a countless amount of financial aid funding available to you…you just have to apply!  Do not wait until the last minute to do so, as financial aid is not unlimited.  Applying early will keep you ahead of the game, as well as ahead of other financial aid contenders.

Getting started:

• There are 6 financial aid sources for MBA students: grants, loans, work study, tax credits, state aid and scholarships.  All of these can significantly reduce your tuition costs, making grad school a much more realistic option.  Apply for as many as you can as early as possible.
• Fill out the FAFSA as early as possible.  Even if you don’t want to apply for federal aid because you may end up finding a financial aid program that fits for you, and pretty much all require that the FAFSA be filled out on time.
• Most grant money from graduate schools isn’t openly advertised.  This is money that you do not need to pay back, so make sure you ask the school’s financial aid office about it as soon as you get accepted.
• There is a ton of loan money available to MBA students, so don’t hesitate to inquire about it.  Stafford, Perkins, School-Based and Private loans are all frequently used loan programs by MBA students.
• The 2 tax credits available to MBA students are the Hope Tax Credit and the Lifetime Learning Tax Credit.  With both of these you will receive the full amount of credit that you qualify for, so make sure to check them out.
• The best way to find out about scholarships and work study is to contact the financial aid office at the grad school of your choice.  They will know the best options available for MBA students.  Hiring a financial aid consultant may not be a bad decision either if you’re struggling with the process and need some extra help.

All of this being said, do not give up on getting your MBA because of high tuition costs and fear of debt.  There are many options out there to help make your education affordable, which will in turn make you a more marketable candidate for a well-paying career in the future.

If you’re contemplating pulling your hair out from the whole college funding / financial aid process, don’t!  There are many options for financial aid assistance that will help you get the money you need to go to the college of your choice, as well as taking a lot of stress off your shoulders from all the paperwork.  It’s not an easy process to navigate, and you don’t have to do it on your own.

Some helpful hints…

• Apply early for scholarships and grants!  There is only a limited amount of funding available, so the sooner you get your applications in, the better chance you have of receiving aid.  Remember, you do not have to pay this money back, so take advantage of it! Apply for as many as possible.  There are a lot of scholarship options out there, you just have to look.
• Know all of the information that will be asked of you on the FAFSA form ahead of time, so you won’t get stuck trying to locate everything while you’re filling it out (Social Security number, driver’s license, FAFSA pin, etc.)
• Remember to fill in all the blanks on the FAFSA form.  Leaving spaces blank could result in you losing significant funds that you could have saved.
• Try to finish your taxes early.  This will allow to have all your assets together, and to know where you stand financially before filling out the form.
• Check out your EFC (Expected Family Contribution) before filling out the FAFSA.  Knowing this number ahead of time will give you a basis for the amount of money you’ll be expected to pay.  Using an online financial aid calculator is a quick and easy way to do this.
• Do not forget to renew your FAFSA every year to make sure all your grants and loans continue to be in effect.

Most importantly, ask for help.  If you’re struggling with getting your finances together or you just want some guidance, consider hiring a financial aid consultant.  He or she will help you search for the best financial aid options for you, as well as saving you a considerable amount of time and anxiety by completing a lot of the paperwork for you.

If you are currently a college student/parent of a college student/recent college grad, you understand what I mean when I say there is a lot of paperwork to fill out and what seems like a never ending stack of papers you receive by mail from American Education Services and the banks that provide your loans. If you are just starting the financial aid process, you to will become all too familiar with the paperwork that is financial aid.

If you want to save yourself time and think you may need a little help. A financial aid consultant may be the answer. Financial aid consultants know how to fill out the FAFSA. They know these forms inside and out. Keep in mind that a mistake on your FAFSA can lead to your form not being processed. Remember, one mistake can cost you thousands of dollars.

Remember a financial aid consultant should always be willing to sign your forms as the preparer. If not, credibility may be a concern. Make sure you find a consultant with experience, reasonable fees, and avoid gimmicks. Contact your college, they may be able to tell you if they have had any trouble with a particular consultant and do not let a consult encourage you do to anything unethical–the consequences aren’t worth it!

Financial Aid Consultants can:

1. Save you the hassle of filling out endless applications and forms.
2. Ensure you meet all deadlines.
3. Help you search for loans and scholarships.
4. Ensuring you receive all aid you are qualified for.
5. Guide you through the process.
6. Save you time and money by helping you receive financial aid.
7. Determine if you are receiving a fair financial aid offer.

Financial aid can be tricky and cause a headache, but remember there is help.