Over 60% of US college students receive some form of Financial Aid. If you’re thinking about applying for some, read this article for some tips on how to do it and what to bear in mind before you apply.

How much do you need?

It’s important to work out before you even consider applying, how much finance you’ll need to go to college. Schools do vary enormously in cost, and if you’re living in a city you might have other costs to bear in mind, too.

Draw up a list of things you’ll need to spend money on when at college, and be sure to include not just tuition,  but books, food, lodging, supplies, travel and personal expenses (aka beer money). Once you’ve worked out your budget you’ll be in a clearer position as to what your funding target needs to be.

Know the system

There’s no point applying if you don’t have a very good idea about what’s available, and what you are eligible for. Fill out the form on the right hand of this page to get your hands on the FreeEducationGuide – a downloadable resource that shows you where to find more information on financial aid, scholarships and grants. It includes a ‘how-to’ guide and also gives you access to over 1900 colleges.

Alternatively, you can get it by visiting the FEG website here. It’s probably one of the more useful resources online.

Are you eligble?

Before applying to any grants, scholarships or other types of financial aid it’s very important to know that you qualify beforehand. I’m going to say it again: be sure you qualify BEFORE applying. Otherwise your applicaton will be rejected, and you will have wasted time.

If necessary, pick up the phone and speak to someone within the funding department of the college, or anyone connected to the funding option in some way.

Merit Vs Need

Remember that not all aid is for the worst-off students. Those who perform well academically can also be eligable for funding. Be sure to check those avenues too, if you think you are brainy and might not qualify for funding based on your financial circumstances.

Submit in plenty of time

Be organized, and make sure you apply well before the deadline is up. Some financial aid is awarded to those who apply and qualify first, until that money is used up. So if you apply late, you’re risking missing out.

If you are applying for federal aid, remember that you’ll need to complete an analysis form and also colleges might also ask for a form that includes information about your financial position. You need to submit these as close to the January 1st opening time as possible.

Remember – the sooner you apply, the greater chance you have. Simple, but true!

Explore plenty of options

Just applying for one or two grants probably won’t be enough. The more you apply for, the greater your chance is. Don’t limit your options.

Good luck!

Download the Free Education Guide by filling out the form on the right hand side of this page, or go directly to the FEG website by clicking  here. It contains a how-to guide for applying for grants, scholarships and other college financial aid. You also get access to search over 1900 colleges.

You  might also be interested in:

The Federal Student Aid website (FAFSA)

http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/

Before I go any further, you can see the site for yourself here.

It’s no secret that the cost of attending college has increased over the last few years. According to the College Board website, in-state colleges are now 37% more expensive than they were ten years ago. The average total charges for fees, tuition and other costs are just over $14,000 for in-state students and around $25,000 for out of state undergraduates.

Is this considerable expense worth it? Before I went to college I also asked myself this question : will four years of my life, and several thousand dollars actually earn me a better career and salary than if I went straight into work?

The simple answer is – yes, if you choose wisely. If you are focused on earning the maximum you can as a graduate, then you’ll need to do some groundwork first. Applying to the right college is crucial; another reason the ‘best value’ colleges study is useful.

Let’s have a look at some statistics first:

This data from the US Census Bureau shows that the average earnings for a graduate are indeed far higher than high school graduates. Professional degrees (which may not take as long as PhD’s) will net the largest salary, but even an Associates degree should give you an edge over high school graduates.

Tips for choosing the best value college

#1. Be clear about your career path from the outset

This is of course, easier said than done. However, having a good idea of the job you eventually want to find yourself in is a good way to secure a good-value education. Knowing this can help narrow down schools significantly. Use the resource shown below to find the best schools by career.

#2. In-State vs. Out-of-State

It’s true to say that studying in-state will save you tuition fees. And if you live at home, you’ll be saving even more money. However, an in-state college may not be the right one for you. Consider studying further afield if it means a college that’s better suited to the career you want. In other words – don’t  be fooled by cost. Some of the most expensive colleges in the country are considered ‘best value’ by the Princeton Review.

#3. Narrow down, weigh up.

Using one of the free resources from the college-finder guide can help you get a list of colleges that are best suited to you. You should be able to generate a list of colleges that meet your needs, and then you can narrow down the list by process of elimination.

The next step, once you’ve narrowed down your list, would be to compare them on the best value website and weigh up your options. If one college is clearly not pulling its weight in the value-stakes, you could decide to eliminate it from your list.

The site is basically another resource you might want to use when you’re trying to find the right college.

This site is great if you know the kind of career you want, but haven’t found the right college yet. It’s free to join, and you can search through hundreds of colleges. Also provides a lot of information on the best professions and possible earnings.

I’ve published this short post to re-direct you to some sources that I found really useful when applying for college.  The sites listed guide you to making the right choice, so it really cuts down the amount of time you’ll spend finding a college. Check ‘em out!

above:  This site lets you download a very useful information guide to over 1900 colleges. Pretty useful if you want a broad range of information. Also gives you a guide to getting scholarships & grants. This is the best site I found that gives you general information as well as a proper college search facility.

above: Degree detective is a free website that helps to match you with the right college. You just need to fill out your details and they’ll put you in touch with colleges that meet your criteria. Choose from a whole load of disciplines – be as specific or general as you like. This really is a great resource if you’re still struggling finding a college.

above: If you’re interested in finding a college that will set you up for the best career, this site’s for you. It’s very career-oriented, so you’ll be able to search by discipline as well as the potential job you want. Again, this is another free site.

Do you want to take a psychology degree? Are you looking for related programs such as family/marriage therapy or social work? Then this site is for you. Quickly get matched up to lots of good schools where relevant programs are offered.

Considering a degree in the criminal justice field? Forensic science? Police training? This site has loads of information on great schools that would be suitable for you. Again, it’s free to use – just type in your details and get matched immediately. A massive time-saver!

A good place to start. The free education guide does what it says – it’s a comprehensive guide to over 1900 colleges. Once you’ve entered your user information (it’s free to join), you can then select to receive information from colleges that you think might be right.

On the other hand if you’re clear about the degree you want to do, but aren’t sure which college would be best for you then check out Degree Detective…

Degree Detective takes away a lot of hard work if you know what kind of program you’re interested in. Join this site, and DD will use its clever algorithm to match you with the right college. The other cool thing about this service is that it’s free, and might throw up some options you hadn’t considered before. Give it a try!

This site is great if you know the career you want, but you’re not sure how to get there. For instance, if you want to be a nurse, you can select that as your search criteria (along with a lot of other fields) and the website will take care of the rest. It can also give you a good idea of the kind of salary you can expect from various professions. This site is also a free resource.

Do you want to take a psychology degree? Are you looking for related programs such as family/marriage therapy or social work? Then this site is for you. Quickly get matched up to lots of good schools where relevant programs are offered.

Considering a degree in the criminal justice field? Forensic science? Police training? This site has loads of information on great schools that would be suitable for you. Again, it’s free to use – just type in your details and get matched immediately. A massive time-saver!