Six Tips to Help You Qualify for Financial Aid for College

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How to qualify for financial aid for college is a dilemma that bothers high school graduates, college students, let alone their parents. It's because a college education can cost a lot and it is also not something that everyone can to afford to pay for. Many students who wish to take on an undergrad or possibly a master's degree typically search for financial aid so they can continue with their school work.

The tragic point is not every student who applies for federal financial aid for college, or privately-endowed student financing gets it. It's not only because the competition for grants is enormous, but it is because students getting this aid do not completely appreciate the appropriate way to to get financial aid for college.

There are many of places you can look to reference on how to qualify for financial aid for college, and the following are the six most useful guidelines which will assist you.

1. The most common suggestion is to seek the recommendations of a financial aid adviser. A financial aid adviser knows the ins and outs of the process. This financial aid advisor will take you through the process to make your application more distinct, so it will be very important that you get one and work closely together with them. Another essential word of advice you need to remember is to keep tabs on the deadlines and move promptly.

2. Almost all programs offering financial assistance for college students, particularly those run by the federal government, are awarded on a first-come, first-serve basis. The quicker you deliver the documents and requirements for the federal grants you are applying to, the higher your chances of you getting that financing.

3. If it is your child who is going to attend college or university soon, you should start converting whichever investments you have available a couple of years just before your kid would need school funding. If the federal agency that is giving the aid finds that you have the dollars to send your child to college, you will end up hurting your child's probabilities for obtaining that support. Why do you have to limit your readily available assets two years prior to application? That is because each and every sale you will be making within that two-year period ahead of the application will probably be viewed as capital gain, therefore an income.

4. Lowering your earnings can also help. Do you have any sort of extra income or perks moving your way in the couple of years before you can put in your FAFSA? See if you possibly could defer them until after your FAFSA has been approved. Do you have any money originating from ventures or savings in the bank? Sell off or dispose of what investments you will be able to so the government is not going to realize that you've got cash to send your kid to university.

5. As you are liquidating your belongings, try putting money into your residence, a 401K or 529 plan. The only financial savings that the federal government will never check out as they review your kid's qualifications for assistance to fund their higher education are financial savings needed for your primary home, your pension or a 529 account. Hence, in the act of cleaning your resources and downplaying your revenue, you could make extra payments on your property loan, get a new residence, or place funds in a 401K or any retirement account. You must also place some cash in a 529 account.

6. If you can, set that 529 policy in your child's grandparents' name and nominate your child as the beneficiary.And lastly, although not the least, use up the enrollees savings. The government considers that 35% of the student's personal funds must be employed to funding their college education right before they could be given assistance.

Consequently, to add to the prospect of securing that assistance successfully, your kid must use up that cash they have got in their name prior to asking for federal financial aid for college. It could possibly be for a brand new computer or things they may require for their dorm room or apartment.

These are only a number of recommendations you may work with to acquire the financial aid for college that you need. The matter is that you have to make the government notice that you do not possess financial assets on hand for your kid to use as college money. You will be able to end up with cash for college with success if you know how to qualify for financial aid for college. Read more.

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Grants for Adults Returning to College

NRC Chairman Klein Presents Grant Money to University of Illinois (Photo credit: NRCgov)

For 2016 an up-to-date list of current active scholarships and grant programs at the end of this post.

Many adults have never finished their college degrees or even started them. Through the many twists and turns of life we just don't do it. Either family needs take precedent or we just don't have the money. Today many adults are returning to college to start or finish a degree. 

They now have the time or have changed jobs forcing the question of returning to school to the forefront. They never have realized that there are many grants available, specifically for adults returning to school.

A grant is money given to a student that does not need to be paid back when they complete their degree. Some grants are one time events, while others are renewed yearly, as you progress through school. Usually grants are given based on your financial needs or provided when you chose a specific path of study.

Even though you are working full time, this doesn't keep you from obtaining money for college tuition. For adult students you don't have to sign up as a full-time student to receive grant money. Adult grants understand that you still have work and family obligations to juggle while going to school.

Federal Education Grants.

The largest government grant option is called Pell Grants. This money is given to you and does not have to be paid back. For the 2010-2011 school year, the value of the federal Pell grant was $5,550. In order to qualify annually for a Pell grant, you must be working toward a degree.

To apply for Pell Grants you must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) forms. The FAFSA forms must be completed annually to continue to receive government grants. Income information is necessary for completing FAFSA forms, so it is helpful to submit your tax forms early and have your most recent tax return documentation available when you complete the forms.

You must apply before June 30th, but if you submit in early February you will get a quicker response and more grant money than those that wait till June. There is a limited amount of money and the sooner you apply the better. FAFSA forms and information can be found here: Fafsa.Gov.

Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant (FSEOG).

This other federal grant is offered by the government for people with a greater financial need. Also there are grants offered based on gender, race, nationality, and other specific groups. To find other government grants, visit Students.Gov

State School Grants.

Even some states offer grants to students who attend their state college or choose a specific career path. Some states are in need of teachers so they offer specific grants for that vocation. Check your states government website, education and grants section, for more information.

College Grant Providers.

Colleges themselves often have grant monies available for students. Some colleges have separate programs for adult students, and corresponding grant programs to assist the students with tuition costs. Whether the college has a separate program for adults or not, the financial aid officers at the college should be able to direct adult students to specific grant and scholarship programs that can assist them.

Employer Grants.

Many larger companies offer grants or tuition reimbursement programs for employees that want to continue their education. Check your companies human resources department for more information.

Community Grants.

Many cities have organizations that offer grants and scholarships to adults students going back to school. Many scholarships are available by a variety of clubs, organizations, civic groups, and religious organizations. The only problem is there is no one source to track down these services. You will have to use the phone and Internet and search for these organizations one by one.

Though many grants and scholarships are generous in the amount of money they offer, remember they will not cover the totality of your education costs. You still need to have some money saved for uncovered expenses. You could fill in your need for money by taking loans, but it may be better to pay for education when you have the cash available.

Update for 2016. Here is an up-to-date list of current active scholarships. 

• Visine Students with Vision Scholarship Program
• National Hispanic Health Foundation Scholarship Program
• College Scholarships and Grants Available for Veterans
• American Psychological Association Scholarships, Grants and Awards
• State Farm Grants and Scholarships
• The Rover College Scholarship
• NSHSS Foundation STEM Scholarships
• Scholarships and Fellowships | UNCF Merck Science Initiative
• Green Home Improvement Scholarship
• Microsoft College Scholarships

List courtesy of educatorlabs.org

A few more Scholarships to update the current list.

• Global Scholarships (globalscholarship.com), a scholarship search engine
• Awareness of Smoking Essay Contest Scholarship
• Verne LaMarr Lyons Memorial Social Work Graduate Student Scholarship
• Veterans Make Great Technology and Engineering/STEM Teachers Scholarship
• The Mary Blake Single Parent Nursing Scholarship
• Kosciuszko Foundation Tuition Scholarships for Polish-American Students
• James & Patricia Sood Education Studies Scholarship
• Boom & Bucket is offering a scholarship of $1,000 to be awarded each year to a student pursuing a heavy machinery-themed program
• Student Financial Aid Search Engine: Find & Apply for Financial Aid to Pay for College
• Geneseo Migrant Center Scholarships for Migrant Students
• Print and Graphics Scholarship Foundation Scholarships
• Society of Women Engineers Scholarship Program
• ENTELEC’s Wayne V. Black Scholarship
• VFW Auxiliary’s Young American Patriotic Art Contest
• NOAA’s Ernest F. Hollings Undergraduate Scholarship
• Jeannette Rankin Women’s Scholarship Fund
• Diabetes Scholars Foundation
• Common Knowledge Scholarship Competition

List courtesy of outsidescholarships.org

4 Ways to get FASFA Help

It's that time of year again to fill out your FASFA forms. In my house we have three to do. We have been doing it for a few years now so the initial trauma has subsided. But if you were like me and were confused at first I have listed a few helpful resources to get you started. Good Luck.

1. FAFSA on the Web.

When you’re wrestling with the FAFSA, you can get help from the FAFSA help line courtesy of the U.S. Department of Education. Here is the FAFSA phone number: (800) 433-3243. When you are working online with the application, you can also obtain help by clicking the “Live Help” button.

Before tackling the financial aid form, I’d recommend using the FAFSA on the Web Worksheet, which you can download from the federal student aid website.

2. TuitionCoach.

This free site contains videos, financial aid backgrounders and a FAFSA calculator that can help you determine what your college costs could be. You’ll also find worksheets that can help you complete the FAFSA and the CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE.

3. College Goal Sunday.

This free program, which is sponsored by the YMCA and the Lumina Foundation, offers personal FAFSA advice at weekend events in January and February through the nation.  Some events are starting as early as this week. You can find a calendar of events on the College Goal Sunday website.

4. Student Financial Aid Services.

This is a paid service that helps families prepare and file the FAFSA via the phone and Internet. Depending on the services, the prices range from $79.99 to $99.99.

Here are some additional helpful articles:

4 Misconceptions About College Financial Aid

How To Go To Medical School For Free

Divorced Families Cause Problems For College Students