Paying for College

Paying for college is the number one concern of students and families.  The cost of education continues to rise, but if you're determined to achieve the success that education beyond high school can bring the investment is worth it.  Financial aid is made up of three main parts: scholarships/ grants (free money, doesn't need to be paid back); loans (federal and private); and work.  This is explained on http://www.federalstudentaid.ed.gov/ 

How to

8 Easy Steps in the Student Financial Aid Process

Is it possible to negotiate need-based financial aid?

Scholarships

A searchable database for scholarships maintained by FCPS is now on Family Connection

Searching for Scholarships (pdf) A mini handbook

FAFSA

FAFSA Information is now available online.  Get your PIN and use the FAFSA worksheet to help prepare you to apply for federal and college financial aid beginning the first of January.  Use your most recent completed tax returns to estimate.  After January 1 and once you've completed the tax returns due on April 15, you can then make changes to the FAFSA through the Student Aid Report (SAR).  Click on www.fafsa.ed.gov to go to the FAFSA website. 

Please note there are a number of "ghost" sites that will offer to complete the FAFSA for you for a fee.  BEWARE - http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/ is a free site.

Click here to find out why you should file the FAFSA.

Deadlines

It is extremely important for students and their families to be aware of the deadlines that colleges set for specific scholarships.  Although many scholarship opportunities are offered through the basic admissions process there are those colleges that set earlier deadlines and tie them to scholarships.  For exampled, the College of William and Mary Murray Scholars requires that students apply to the College by December 1st in order to be considered for the scholarship.  The regular deadline for admission is in January. 

Financial Aid Resources

Click here to see more than 15 links to nationwide online resources for help explain all aspects of paying for college.