Where's the Money Coming From?
Uncle Sam's Contribution. The Federal Aid Umbrella. State Coffers. Hidden College Funds. Private Stashes.
Types of Financial Aid.
Grants Are Great. Scholarships Are Everywhere. Athletic Scholarships. Merit Scholarships.
Low-Interest Loans.
Federal Direct Loan Program. Family Education Loans. Stafford Loans. Parent Loans. Perkins Loans. Work-Study Programs.
Service-Learning Programs.
The Connection Between Community and College. Why Service Programs Are Important.
Tips on Applying for Financial Aid.
The Federal Formula. Consider Using Your Home. Watch Your Assets. Your Expected Contribution.
Watch for Fraud.

Eliminate Frustration: Do Your Research. Who Gets the Money? Do You Need the Money?
What's Considered Total Cost? More Expensive May Be Cheaper. Misconceptions About Need.
What You're Expected to Pay.
Low-Income Families. Middle-Income Families. Wealthy Families.
Is Your Kid Eligible? Stepping into the Application Process.
Step 1: Complete the Application. Step 2: Evaluate the Student Aid Report. Step 3: Receive and Consider Offers.
Dispelling Financial Aid Myths.
Millions of Scholarship Dollars Go Unclaimed. Your Family's Income Is Too High to Qualify. Don't Consider High-Tuition Colleges. Financial Aid Funds Are Dwindling. Moving Forward.
Do You Need Help?Other Sources of Money.
Admissions Counselors. Special-Programs Operatives. Financial Aid Officers.

Why Does College Cost So Much? How Much Money Goes Into Financial Aid Annually? If I Apply, Will Strangers Pry Into My Personal Business? Isn't Asking for Financial Aid the Same as Asking for Welfare? Does Each College Have a Different Financial Aid System? How Can I Get the Most Out of the System? How Do I Know If I'm Eligible for Financial Aid? Is My Kid Eligible for Special Aid? Merit-Based Scholarship Myths.
Athletic Scholarships. Extracurricular Activities.
How to Be a Contender.
Third-Party Organizations. Corporations. Service Organizations.
How Many Aid Sources Should I Explore? When Should I Submit Applications? Where Can I Get More Information and Guidance? When Should I Begin Planning for My Kid's Education? How Can I Find Out If I Qualify for Assistance?
Is There an Income Cutoff for Federal Aid? Do I Need to Reduce My Asset Base to Qualify? Isn't the Federal Government Reducing Financial Assistance Programs?
What Are the Alternatives to Federal Aid? What's the Best Savings Plan? What Are Tuition Stabilization Plans? Who Can Help Me Get Through This Process?

Minimum Course Work Required.
Language Arts. Math. Science. Social Sciences. Foreign Languages. Other Courses.
Advice for High School Freshmen. Advice for High School Sophomores.
Sophomore Fall Checklist. Sophomore Winter Checklist. Sophomore Spring Checklist. Sophomore Summer Checklist.
Advice for High School Juniors.
Junior Fall Checklist. Junior Winter Checklist. Junior Spring Checklist. Junior Summer Checklist.
Advice for High School Seniors.
Senior Fall Checklist. Senior Winter Checklist. Senior Spring Checklist. Senior Summer Checklist.
Ten Financial Aid Tips.

Choose Wisely, Kid. Start by Gathering Information.
Questions to Ask the Admissions Officer. Questions to Ask the Financial Aid Administrator. Questions to Ask the Placement Director.
Look for Creative Payment Plans. Become a Wise Consumer.
Count Your Credit. It May Be Cheaper at the Top.
Selection Criteria.
Extracurricular Activities Do Count. Fill a College's Need. Find the Right Match.
Some Do's and Don'ts.
The Do's. The Don'ts.
Online Applications. College Admissions Criteria. International Considerations. Selecting the Winner.

The Almighty Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT).
What Exactly Is the SAT. How Important Is the SAT? What Is the PSAT? Who Created the SAT?
Preparing for the Test.
Long-Term Preparation. Short-Term Preparation. Test Preparation Courses.
What's Inside the SAT?
The Verbal Part. The Math Part.
How Much Time Should You Spend on Each Question? How Does SAT Scoring Work? To Guess or Not to Guess. Practice Tests. How Test Scores Are Used.

Get All of the Facts.
Gather Information. Ask Questions. What's the Best College for Your Kid?
Get Colleges to Tell You What the Cost Is.
Direct Cost. Tuition. Fees. Room and Board.
Variable Costs.
Books and Supplies. Computers. Transportation. Personal Expenses.
Other Costs. Breaking Down the Expenses.
Create an Effective Action Plan. Dividing Up the Money.
Homework for Your Kid.

Getting Started.
Setting Priorities. Emergency Funds. Use Time Wisely. The Magic of Compound Interest.
Putting It All Together. Choosing an Investment Program. Investing and Savings Options.
Investing for Your Preteen. College Savings Plans. Prepaid Tuition Plans.
Where to Invest.
Passbook Accounts. Money Market Accounts. Savings Bonds. Mutual Funds and Stocks.

The Various Types of Grants.
Merit-Based Grants. Applying for Merit-Based Grants. Need-Based Grants.
Federal Grant Programs.
Pell Grants. Supplemental Education Grants. Work-Study Programs.
Five Ways to Begin Your Grant Search.
Community Services. Library Resources and School Districts. Subscription Services. The News Media. Online Services.
Federal Grants.
Federal Register. Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance.
Making the Grant Process Work for You.
Education Department General Administration Regulations. Private Funding Sources.
Grant-Writing Tips.
Understand the Guidelines. Be Innovative. Back Up Your Goals with a Budget.

Overview of State Aid Programs. A Sampling of State Aid Programs.
Student Incentive Grants. Robert C. Byrd Honors Scholarships. Paul Douglas Teacher Scholarship Program.
State Aid Offices. How Much Aid Comes from the States? Types of Programs Administered by the States. The Non-Need Aid Trend. Where Do States Get Their Money? State Guaranty Agencies. Special State Programs to Consider.
Prepaid Tuition Plans. Guaranteed Tuition Plans. Work-Study Programs. Loan Forgiveness Programs. Western Student Exchange Program.
Highlights of State Financial Aid Programs.

Surfing the Web for Scholarships.
Scholarship Databases. Peterson's Scholarship Search. College Board's Fund Finder. SRN Express. CollegeNET MACH25.
Scholarship Programs for Minorities.
Project Excellence. Children's Scholarship Fund. Educational Opportunity Programs (EOP). William Simon Foundation.
How to Win a Scholarship. Can Average Students Get Scholarships? Scholarship Scams. Fellowships. Private School Scholarships.

Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) Scholarships. Military Academy Scholarships. Military Financial Assistance Programs.
Air Force Aid Society. Air Force Sergeants Association/Airmen Memorial Foundation. Army College Fund. Army Continuing Education System. Army ROTC. Army Nurse Corps. Army Loan Repayment Program. Service Members Opportunity Colleges. Broadened Opportunity for Officer Selection and Training Program (BOOST). Navy's Dependents Scholarship Program. Navy Student Loans. The Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation. Montgomery GI Bill.
Veterans Programs.
Veterans Education Assistance Program (VEAP). Disabled American Veterans Auxiliary National Education Loan Fund. Veterans Administration Dependents Education Assistance Act. Knights of Columbus Educational Fund. Noncommissioned Officers Association Scholarship Foundation. Retired Officers Association Scholarship Loan Program.
Veterans Administration Centers. Publications.

Financial Aid for Minority Students. Nontraditional Students. Financial Aid Programs for Women. Handicapped Students. A Sampling of Minority Aid Programs.
American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. Association of University Programs in Health Administration. Bureau of Indian Affairs Higher Education Grant Program. Congressional Hispanic Caucus. General Motors Scholarship Program. Indian Education and Psychology Fellowship Program. Indian Fellowship Program. National Achievement Scholarship Program. National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering (NACME). National Merit Scholarship Program. United Methodist Church. United Negro College Fund Schools.
Financial Aid Publications for Minority Students.

Adult Student Programs. Graduate Student Programs.
Graduate Student Loans. Fellowships.
International Student Programs.
International Co-Op Programs. How International Co-Op Programs Are Administered.
Support from Abroad Does Happen. International Student Loans. They May Want You. Employee Educational Assistance Packages (EAP).
Where Do You Find EAP Funding? Do You Pay Taxes on EAP Funds? Do You Have to Pay Back EAPs? Negotiate, Negotiate, and Negotiate Some More. What If You Get a “No” ?
Making It All Happen with an Action Plan.
Watch Your Pennies. Set Priorities with a Spending Plan. Painless Money-Saving Tips.

Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans.
Parent Loans. Stafford Loans. Perkins Loans. Signature Education Loans.
Private Loans. Institutional Loans. Sallie Mae Loans. Applying for a Loan. What Happens When You Get a Loan? How Are Loans Administered?
What Happens If You Default? Loan Terms and Conditions. Repayment Plans. Graduated Payment Plans. Long-Term Payment Plans. Grace Periods.
Finding the Right Lender. Comparing Loan Offers. Interest Rates and Fees. Loan Terms.

Tax Credits.
HOPE Scholarship Tax Credits. Lifetime Learning Tax Credits.
Tax-Exempt Bonds.
U.S. Series EE Bonds. U.S. Treasury Bonds. State Tuition Bonds. Baccalaureate Bonds.
Tax-Exempt Trust Accounts.
Charitable Remainder Trusts. Clifford Trusts. Crummey Trusts. Custodial Accounts.
College Sure CDs. Money Market Mutual Funds. Education IRAs. 529 IRA Plans. College Savings Plans.

How Much Do They Cost?
How Much Is Too Much?
Who Are the Experts? Who Are the Incompetents? What to Expect from a Planning Meeting. Computer Search Services.
Free Scholarship Search Services. Database Quality. Questions to Ask Search Services.

What You Should Know. Your Expected Contribution. Shop Before You Buy. Take Care of the Paperwork. What If They Require an Essay? When Do You Get the Package? The Award Letter.
Eligibility. The Offer.

Completing the FAFSA on the Web.
FAFSA Express. FAFSA in PDF.
Sending FAFSA to College. Line-by-Line Instructions for Completing the FAFSA.
Step One: Personal Information. Step Two: Tax Status Information. Step Three: More Basic Questions. Step Four: Household Information. Step Five: More Household Information. Step Six: Request for Schools to Receive Your Financial Aid Information. Step Seven: Releases and Signatures.
Mistakes You Don't Want to Make. Checklist for Filing the FAFSA.

Figuring Out Your Best Deal. What Does an Award Letter Look Like? What If Your Application Is Rejected? Check Your SAR. Don't Lose Aid Because You Won't Respond. Don't Get Rejected Because You Didn't Renew. Ask Your State for Help.
Establishing State Residency.

Check Your Appeal Options. How to Negotiate for More Aid.
Negotiating Tactics. Get Ready to Bargain.
Get the Facts. Compare Tuition Costs. Making Your Appeal.
Competitive Offers. Do They Need Students? Add Diversity. Changes in Your Family. Loss of Income. Prove Everything on Your Appeals Claim. Example of an Appeal Letter.

Continue to Get Good Grades. Look for Contest Money. Community Service Payoffs. Get an Inside Job. Find a Sponsor. Market Yourself. Employment Program Opportunities.
Work Experience Programs. Federal Work-Study Program. Student Educational Employment Program (SEEP). Institutional Employment Programs. Private Sector Employment Programs. Resident Adviser (RA) Program. State Work-Study Programs.
Employer Tuition Plans. Cooperative Education.
How Does the Co-Op Program Work? Who's in the Program? The Program Takes Time.
Get Help from Associates. Junior Fellowship Program. Other Sources of Aid.
Your Local Government. Unions. Community Organizations. Religious Organizations.

The Three-Year Program. Take College Classes in High School.
Advanced Programs.
Go to a Community College First. Co-Op Your Way Through. Earn While You Learn. Challenge Classes. Innovative Tuition Plans.
Installment Plans. Prepayment Discounts. Leadership Programs. Legacy Programs. Test the Waters Programs. Tuition-Matching Programs. Moral Obligation Scholarships.
Wait Before You Buy Anything.
Buy Used Books. Travel Smart.
Other Cost-Cutting Moneymaking Strategies.
Live at Home. Barter for Deals. Find Your Own Deal. Become a Part-Time Salesperson.

Associations Related to Financial Aid. Adult Financial Aid Programs. Athletic Scholarships. Budgeting. Career Guidance. College Admissions Requirements. College Financial Aid Directory. Community Colleges. Consulting Services. Directory of Colleges and Universities. FAFSA Form. FAFSA Online. Federal Financial Aid. Federal Financial Aid Regional Offices and Related Sites.
Related Sites.
Financial Aid Resources. Financial Planning. Frauds and Scams. Graduate and Professional Student Loans. Graduate Study Financial Aid Programs. Graduate Tests (GMAT, GRE, LSAT, MCAT).
Graduate Management Assessment Test (GMAT). Graduate Record Examination (GRE). Law School Admission Test (LSAT). Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT).
Handicapped Students Assistance Programs. International Financial Aid Directory.
Major Fellowship Opportunities and Aid to Advanced Education for Foreign Nationals.
Lenders of College Loans.
Lenders of College Loans (Telephone Directory). Lenders of College Loans (Web Sites).
Loan Consolidation and Forgiveness Programs. Loan Programs. Military and Veteran Programs. Minority Programs. Prepaid Tuition Programs. Private Tuition Payment Plans. Reference Books, Periodicals, and News Sources. Scholarships, Grants and Fellowships. Scholastic Aptitude Tests (SAT, PSAT, ACT). Software for Financial Aid. Tax Deductions. Women's Financial Aid Publications. Work-Study and Co-Op Programs.
Work-Study. Co-Op Programs.

Alabama. Alaska. Arizona. Arkansas. California. Colorado. Connecticut. Delaware. District of Columbia. Florida. Georgia. Hawaii. Idaho. Illinois. Indiana. Iowa. Kansas. Kentucky. Louisiana. Maine. Maryland. Massachusetts. Michigan. Minnesota. Mississippi. Missouri. Montana. Nebraska. Nevada. New Hampshire. New Jersey. New Mexico. New York. North Carolina. North Dakota. Ohio. Oklahoma. Oregon. Pennsylvania. Rhode Island. South Carolina. South Dakota. Tennessee. Texas. Utah. Vermont. Virginia. Washington. West Virginia. Wisconsin. Wyoming.