About college and financial aid...?

karen

New member
...Do I need to be sure that I have the financial aid before applying to a college? Do I apply to both at the same time or...?
 
You can apply for scholarships at any time. If you are talking about the FAFSA you cannot apply for it before the application is ready for you.

So if you are entering you senior year now you can start applying to universities in the fall of 2009, the winter of 2009, and (sometimes) early spring of 2010. It's important to find out the application deadlines for all the universities you are interested in and mark them on your calendar. You should also find out if you need to write any essays or have any letters of recommendations written. If you do, start on the essay early and work on it when you have spare time and ask your teachers early so they have plenty of time to get it all done.

But you cannot apply for the FAFSA until January 1st of 2010 because you will need the 2010-2011 FAFSA application. If you fill out an earlier application you will just cause a lot of headache for yourself and the staff at your university's financial aid office.
In order to fill out the FAFSA you need your (if you have a job) and your parents' tax information so make sure you get your taxes done early!
it is also important to find out each state's FAFSA deadline and make sure you complete it by then. If you don't you may not get as much aid as you could have had you been on time.
 
When I applied for financial aid... school was starting in 2 weeks. So we couldn't waist any time. Take your time and read all the print.. It could be better in the long run to know what your getting involved with. Advice is to start your first 2-4 years in a community college.. so that your financial aid will be lower than if you just jump into a university or institute. I know... I have $50,000 in debt and its only 1/2 my degree... I started at an Institution... VERY EXPENSIVE!!! If I could go back I would take it slow... and read all the fine print. And find a resource like yahoo to ask questions... although not everyone is for real on this. Sit down and talk with your Financial Aid and ASK QUESTIONS! They get paid to answer them. No harm in that... you pay a lot of money to go to school... and they should treat you like your the boss. (Thats my opinion)

Advice for the future... maintain good credit while in college... it can get really bad if you fall short on a credit card payment and then not to be able to be approved for a loan the next year and it could be your last year... they will demand cash or not being able to attend college if you are denied a loan. Then you have to pay your loans with no degree... (Thats what I did... not a fun place to be in... but its the hard way to do things and some of us have to learn the hard way.)

I wish the best of luck to you!
 
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