Arbor View High School Counseling

There are three important things you and your family should do – beginning during your senior year in high school – to apply for financial aid for college.

 

STEP 1: Determine your eligibility for need-based financial aid. To determine whether you are eligible to receive need-based aid, you will need to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (called the FAFSA for short). The FAFSA is an online application that is found at www.fafsa.ed.gov. It requires detailed financial information from your family. It should be completed as soon as possible after January 1 of your senior year. Many private colleges also require the CSS PROFILE (https://profileonline.collegeboard.com) which may be due earlier in the year. In addition, some private colleges have their own financial aid applications.

 

 STEP 2: Apply for scholarships through your college and department. Many colleges offer scholarships, grants, or work study to incoming students. Research to learn what your college choices offer in terms of need-based and merit-based aid. In some cases, you will be automatically considered for aid. In other cases, you must apply separately for scholarships, merit awards, or departmental grants. Make sure you understand your college’s requirements, as well as the deadlines to apply.

 

 STEP 3: Apply for scholarships from other organizations. In addition to colleges and the federal government, many other organizations offer scholarships for college. These scholarships require individual applications, and may be tailored to students with specific qualifications. One good way to search for scholarships is the Public Education Foundation (www.thepef.org). Thepef.org is a free, web-based scholarship for Clark County students. Remember, NEVER pay for a scholarship search.