FAFSA

In most states, when you file your Free Application for Federal Student Aid, the FAFSA is also used to determine your eligibility for financial aid from your state government. After filing your FAFSA, the Department of Education will issue you a Student Aid Report, which will tell you how much you're expected to contribute to your education costs based on your financial means. The SAR is also sent to the college you've selected, and they will then proceed to build a financial aid package around your specific needs, using several different kinds of aid. The information on the SAR is also sent to the government agency in your state that administers student financial aid. Be advised that most colleges and states have much earlier deadlines for applying for aid than the federal government does; you need to get your paperwork completed as soon as possible.

Besides aid coming from colleges and the federal and state governments, there are thousands and thousand of sources of college aid in the private sector. If you're still in high school, schedule a meeting with your guidance counselor who may be aware of local sources of financial aid. Another great way of locating more aid is by using one of the popular websites that perform scholarship searches.

FAFSA stands for Free Application for Federal Student Aid, and is going to be the centerpiece of your plan for acquiring financial aid. The federal Department of Education has set up a website, http://www.fafsa.ed.gov, where you can view and fill out all the necessary forms. You can also get paper forms from you high school guidance counselor, any college financial aid office, and most public libraries.