Is financial aid not covering all of your expenses? Are you not eligible for the best scholarships and grants? As you probably know by now, financing your education includes much more than just tuition costs and room and board. If you are serious about going back to school to continue your education but you don’t know how to cover the cost, you should consider applying for a student loan.
When all is said and done, paying for college usually ends up costing way more than you thought it would in the beginning. While tuition costs are high enough, as a student you must also take into account paying for books, traveling expenses, a computer, and keeping a roof over your head. For non-traditional students hoping to return to school to jump-start their career, these costs can be overwhelming and even impossible without the help of federal or private lenders.
Read the following articles on the basics of student loans so you can be educated when applying for the loan that best fits you and your financial needs.
Online College Scholarships
If you are enrolled in an accredited online degree program and you meet the necessary requirements, you should be eligible to receive the same scholarships offered to campus-based students. Many college scholarships are directly geared at online students.
How to Win a College Scholarship
Unlike student loans, scholarships are a great way to pay for college because the funds you receive do not have to be paid back. While countless scholarships are available to almost every type of student, the best scholarships are of course very competitive and hard to win. Here are 20 tips on how to win a college scholarship.
Dropping Out and Repaying Financial Aid
While leaving college early for any reason is always an option, you may not realize that you will be required to pay portions of your financial aid back to the federal requirement. If you are currently on financial aid, you must read this article before dropping out of college!
Save Money at College!
Besides tuition, there are a lot of small costs that can quickly add up while you are away at college, possibly leaving you feeling overwhelmed and a little stressed come graduation day. Here are some tips that can help you save money at college.
Hidden College Costs
When figuring out how much college is probably going to cost, most people tabulate the costs of tuition, room and board, and books, then convinced that they have a pretty good estimate in mind. Read this article and prepare your finances so you are not overwhelmed when you pay your education bills. Here are some examples of common hidden college costs
Financial Aid Myths
Misconceptions about financial aid can easily hurt your financial situation and, in the worst cases, even cheat you out of the funding you deserve. Here are some popular financial aid myths. Knowing about these might save you some money when you enroll in college.
Types of Financial Aid
Education costs are rising quickly these days, so it is definitely important to be aware of all of the different types of financial aid available when you are planning how to finance your college education. There are four major types of financial aid available, including scholarships, grants, loans, and work-study programs.
Popular Scholarship Scams
Sadly, uncounted numbers of students and parents are the victims of scholarship scams every year. Beware: scholarship scam artists often use “official-sounding” titles that feature words like “national” or “administration” to dupe unsuspecting students.
Do You Qualify for Financial Aid?
Here in the United States, more than half of all full-time undergraduate students receive some sort of financial aid. Even if you think you will not qualify, you might in fact be eligible. Take the time to apply, as you may be very surprised by the results. Remember: you can only receive financial aid if you apply for it.
What is a Perkins Loan?
A Federal Perkins Loan (also known as a Perkins Loan) is a need-based subsidized student loan offered by the United States Department of Education to help students pay for higher education. In general, the Perkins Loan is intended for undergraduate and graduate students with exceptional financial need. Find out if you are eligible for the Perkins Loan.
Apply for Student Loans
If you want to return to school but are unsure of how you will pay for it, you should definitely apply for student loans. Unlike grants and scholarships, Loans are usually included in a financial aid package and must be repaid with interest.
How to Search For Scholarships
Since there are so many different scholarships available to all types of students, it is important to understand the best way to go about performing a basic scholarship search. Developing a strategy for scholarship searching will help you find those opportunities designed just for you, based on your background, heritage, financial situation, skills, interests, and program of study.
Financial Aid for Non-Traditional Students
Non-traditional students vary greatly in age, previous education, family structure, life situations, and reasons for pursuing a college education. Even though a large amount of college students are now over the age of 25, financial aid is still targeted mostly at traditional students. You might have to search a little harder to find them, but special financial aid programs for non-traditional students are still available.
