College Money

[sethp]

Hey,

I know this is the Authors section but..I can't author any great novels without some college help. So my question to you is this...

I'm poor...dirt poor..need to work to make money..so.......

1. I applied to FAFSA and got transcripts etc. Is that all I can do as far as financial aid is concerned?
2. should I apply to state money or is that included in FAFSA?
3. Will the college know how to get the most money and should I let them do all the work?
4. Is there programs that actually pay you money so that you can go to college full time and not have to work????

Thanks everyone!

sethp

 

[sweetness6280]

Hey,

I know this is the Authors section but..I can't author any great novels without some college help. So my question to you is this...

I'm poor...dirt poor..need to work to make money..so.......

1. I applied to FAFSA and got transcripts etc. Is that all I can do as far as financial aid is concerned?
2. should I apply to state money or is that included in FAFSA?
3. Will the college know how to get the most money and should I let them do all the work?
4. Is there programs that actually pay you money so that you can go to college full time and not have to work????

Thanks everyone!

sethp

FAFSA is the first step, but FAFSA is does not award money. They assign your EFC and the school will use that to determine your awards. Make sure your information is accurate, because there are many things that are determined by the information you give to FAFSA.

Apply for everything you can! The school will sort out what you can have, and will have already assigned you a budget. This is the amount of financial aid you are allowed to have for the year. They will start with any grants for which you may be eligible (Pell, etc.). ALWAYS take the grant money first, because it does not have to be paid back. After grants, the school will award Federal loan funds (most likely Stafford, could be Perkins if you are eligible). These loans can be subsidized, unsubsidized, or a combination of the two, depending on your EFC. The loan limits are set per year, based on your classification (freshman, etc.) and if you are an independent or dependent student. Watch the lifetime limits carefully, and plan well, or you could end up in the last year without Federal money.

You should apply for any and all scholarship programs you can find. Fastweb.com is a good source for many available funding opportunities.

While the school will work hard on your award, as with anything, you should become as proactive in this as possible.

As for programs that pay you to go to school, if you find one, let me know. There are certain employers that will agree to pay for your schooling, if you commit to working for them for a specified length of time. These are not easy to find, and usually specific to certain types of work.

I am a student, and I have worked in Financial Aid at a university. Feel free to PM me if you have any other questions. I may not know the answer, but I probably know someone who does.