Guidance Counselor: Financial Aid Resources

Find some MONEY$$$

updated 4/4/08

by Cindy Weaver

November 21, 2005

Financial Aid Resources

Scroll below the table for a list of scholarships received by the Guidance Office.

***NOTICE***

ATTENTION: Scholarships received by the Guidance Office will be posted below the chart of resources when they are received, listed in order of deadline for submission. Please stop back periodically to see what's available. Also, see searches listed below.

FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) must be filed by all college students (prospective ones, too) before other aid will be considered by colleges. It is free. Paper forms are available in the counseling office. View the forms, get college code numbers, or file on-line at . . . Note: Always list an Illinois college first on your FAFSA so that your file is processed into our state funding system as well as the federal data bank.	www.fafsa.ed.gov
FAFSA filers can obtain a personal identification number (PIN) for on-line filing and status checks on Student Aid Reports at . . . PINs are now available in real time.	www.pin.ed.gov
To phone for a paper copy of the FAFSA OR help with the FAFSA and other federal programs, call . . .	1-800-4-FED-AID
The main on-line address for information about the U.S. Department of Education's financial aid programs is . . . Students or parents can request a paper FAFSA form at this site OR they may download a PDF version.	www.studentaid.ed.gov
*The current version of Funding Your Education* is available at . . .**	www.ed.gov/prog_info/SFA/FYE
*The current version of the Student Guide* (to financial aid) is available at . . .**	www.ed.gov/prog_info/SFA/StudentGuide
The Illinois Student Assistance Commission can be accessed by calling the Client Access for Student Information line at 1-800-899-ISAC or go to . . .	www.collegezone.com
A site with many links to federal agencies that provide funds for college is	www.students.gov
*Managing the Price of College* may help families plan to pay at	www.ed.gov/pubs/collegecosts
The College Board offers a CSS/financial aid profile free online at	www.collegeboard.org
Do online searches for scholarships at	www.wiredscholar.com/scholarships
Another free online search site is	www.scholarships.com
Yet another free online search can be found at	www.discovercolleges.com
Keep looking for scholarships at	http://www.finaid.org
And don't give up yet, go to	http://www.fastweb.com
A free service where you fill out one application that gets sent to multiple schools and also has scholarship applications is at	www.ApplyingToSchool.com
The American Legion has sent a book listing scholarships they make available by state. Stop by the G.O. or go to	www.illegion.org
Sallie Mae offers parents a site for info from saving for college to estimating your likely awards. Go to	www.ParentAnswerService.com/KFC
Students: enter a profile and get a free scholarship search at . . .	www.CollegeAnswer.com/scholarships
and there are even more tips and strategies at . . .	www.CollegeAnswer.com/freemoney
Another net search tool is . . . .	www.nelnet.net/collegeplanning
Learn about school, careers, military service, and more at	www.forwardillinois.com
Explore colleges in virtual reality & financing tips at . . .	eCampusTours.com
Do even more exploring (including cost calculators and scholarship searches) at	www.collegegold.com
Parents: If you are looking ahead at financing a younger child's college, go to College Illinois! (a 529 prepaid program) by calling 1-877-877-3724 or go to . .	www.collegeillinois.com
Parents with younger children to plan for may want to look into tax sheltered savings/investment plan can look into Bright Start.	www.brightstartsavings.com