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Start with Scholarships

Your first step in any search for college financial aid begins with scholarship and grant awards. Scholarships and grants are FREE money that does not have to be repaid. They are awarded for athletic, academic, artistic and other achievements or associations.

Use our directory of the net's largest scholarship search engines. You will find over $44 billion is scholarship awards.

Search scholarship database

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Understand the Aid Process

Become Qualified
view what's needed to qualify for student financial aid. Understand college costs, dependency status and expected family contribution (EFC).

Submit FAFSA Form
students (and parents) must submit the FAFSA to start the aid process. The FAFSA is used by colleges and agencies to determine eligible aid amounts.

Review the SAR
the Student Aid Report (SAR) summarizes your FAFSA information and calculates EFC. Review it carefully for changes and corrections.

Get Award Letter
colleges will use the SAR to determine your eligible financial aid awards. Compare your award letters among colleges to determine best aid package.

Analyze Aid Options
financial aid options include grants, scholarships, work-study, loans, state aid, community service, and other federal and private aid. View options.

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View Aid Charts:

	aid chart for: undergraduates
	aid chart for: parents of undergraduates
	summary: summary student loan chart
	summary: student loans pros and cons
	summary: summary aid options

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Budgeting Expenses

Students and parents should work together to setup a budgeting plan for college.

We invite you to use these quick steps:

• you can download these steps as a 1-page trifold

Download this FREE college budgeting worksheet and use the 1-page trifold to build your college budget:

• click to download budgeting worksheet