Scholarships, Financial Aid, and Student Loan Advice Mercer Island WA
Paying for college may seem like a daunting task for many parents and students alike, but there are ways to cut the cost down. Here you'll learn all about getting scholarships and applying for financial aid and student loans.
College costs keep rising annually -- several percentage points from the previous year -- and often outpacing the rate of inflation. These increasing costs put increasing pressure on students and families to find innovative methods for paying for college. Learn some of the basics of college costs, discount rates, and types of financial aid.
Free Application for Federal Student Aid -- official application that needs to be completed in order to apply for virtually all types of financial aid (federal, state, or institutional) for higher education. This form is distributed and processed by the United States Department of Education and should be completed as soon in possible in January of your senior year (and then in subsequent years) -- once you have basic income and tax-related information for your family.
Financial-aid packaging is a complex process that is governed both by the federal government and by the colleges themselves. It's important to understand that some parts of financial-aid packages can be negotiable, but these are usually the college-based programs.
