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Return To Scholarships Article Archive   Search the Article Archives Finding Financial Aid for School By BJ Wilson There's no easy way to find financial aid for school. But there are plenty of sources available to help you find the money you need for your education if you're willing to work and do your research. Theres no easy way to find financial aid for school. But there are plenty of sources available to help you find the money you need for your education if youre willing to work and do your research. Where to Begin First, know yourself. Ask yourself some basic questions. The answers will help you in your search for financial aid. What is your major or what do you want to major in? Why have you selected this course of study? What career do you have in mind? Why have you chosen this career? What kind of money are you looking for? Financial Aid - Taxpayer-supported stipends based on need. Grants - Federal, state and college gifts based on need. Scholarships - College, corporate and private gifts based on academic status and standing. What are you eligible for? What characteristics do you have that meet the criteria for financial aid, grants or scholarships? Next, ask - anyone and everyone. And then, look - everywhere. Who To Ask/Where To Look At school - If youre currently attending a community college, trying to find financial aid for school elsewhere, start your search at the school you are attending. Every campus has a financial aid office which offers financial aid applications. Does your campus have a scholarship bulletin board? Check with the financial aid office at the university you want to transfer to for applications and grant information. Publications - Check newspaper classified sections, the backs of trade magazines in your field and the yellow pages. Major corporations often advertise scholarship opportunities. Investigate corporations - Many give large scholarships. For example; Coca-Cola gave thousands to a student at a local college one year and another large corporation gave a Psych major $10,000 to transfer to a state university. Other likely places - Ask your employer, where you volunteer, your Mom or Dads employer, local organizations like the Lions Club, Elks or Eastern Star and your church. Use free scholarship search engines: brokescholar.com scholarsite.com collegeboard.com fastweb.com srnexpress.com iefa.orgiv iie.orgv internationalscholarships.com rotary.org aisf.or.jp istc.umn.edu cies.org scholarships-bourses-ca.org lib.msu.edu/harris23/grants/3undergr.htm How To Apply Start early. The process is arduous and time consuming, sometimes taking an entire semester to get the money. Frequently, you have to pay for the semester of study initially and then youre reimbursed. Read eligibility requirements carefully. Each financial aid source will maintain strict criteria. Keep scholarship materials organized. Set up separate folders, for example. Keep copies of EVERYTHING. Do your homework. Look at biographies, annual reports, grants list(s) of previous recipients. And, if possible, their bios and entry essays. Learn what forms you need. For financial aid, for example, you need a number of forms which can be found at www.fafsa.ed.gov. For grants and scholarships, request a copy of the guidelines and the application. Call or email the sponsor if you have any questions. Follow instructions completely. Proofread carefully to be sure youve completed the forms accurately. Many use templates, but be sure that all the names, dates, etc. are updated when necessary. Complete fully. Leave nothing blank. Be legible. The recipient has to be able to read your submission. Get the application materials in on time. Avoid scams. When doing your research for financial aid, be on the lookout for any of the following: Anyone (individual or website)... ...that asks for your credit card, bank numbers or social security number. (Of course, government financial aid forms, where the aid is based on income, will ask for your social security number and/or IRS information.) ...that says they guarantee a scholarship. ...that 'selects' you as a 'winner'. ...that offers unsolicited free stuff. ...that claims to be a 'Foundation' without giving a name. (Check out the source.) ...that tells you that you cant get this information 'anywhere else'. ...that says they are 'holding' a scholarship for you and need money from you first. ...that asks for any money up front. ...that offers to do all the work for you. As you see here, Ive offered lots of resources but you still have a lot of work to do to find the money you need. About the Author: For more information on finding the money to pay for college, visit EducationGuide101.com where BJ Wilson offers a free report 'Finding the Money to Pay for College: Your Guide to Grants and Student Loans'. Apply For Free Government Grant

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