5 Financial Aid Questions to Ask During College Campus Visits
Students at our campus (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Although most students take an interest in a college campus because of the particular programs they offer, the location of the campus, the fact that it’s their family’s alma mater, or the possibility that friends will also attend, the truth is that it doesn’t take long for the question of money to come up. A college education could be considered a big-ticket item. Certainly it’s one that stands to show a decided return on investment, but first you’re going to have to pay the piper, by hook or by crook, and you’d probably rather it wasn’t the latter. Likely you’ll have some help from your parents.
But if you’re like most students, you’ll find yourself responsible for at least a portion of your tuition, fees, and other expenses, if not the entire burden of paying for your higher education. And this can definitely influence where you decide to apply for admission. However, you shouldn’t give up on schools that are out of your price range right off the bat. With various forms of financial aid, you might be able to swing it. The best way to find out if your dream school can be had within your budget is to ask the right questions during your campus visits. Here are a few to add to your list.
- What types of scholarships and grants are offered? The first thing you should always look into is free money. The best possible solution to your financial woes is a gift that you don’t have to pay back once you’ve graduated. And while there are certainly scholarships aplenty to go around (check out sites like Fastweb, CollegeBoard, and Scholarships.com, just for example), you should definitely ask if there are opportunities through the campus specifically. Often you can get information on the criteria and how to apply for the scholarships and grants that are particular to any given campus, potentially giving you the keys to attending your school of choice.
- Will the school assist you in filing for FAFSA? For most questions concerning the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, the average campus will refer you to the FAFSA website, where you can find the appropriate forms and much of the information needed to get through the filing process. However, you may need additional help and the university might provide resources to ensure that the process goes off without a hitch. You’ll also want to find out what happens when your FAFSA results come through; once you have determined the extent to which you’re eligible for grants, student loans, and so on, you may need some help determining what options are available to you.
- What loan options are available? There are all kinds of loans available to students, including government loans (Stafford, Perkins), private loans, and even peer-to-peer education loans. Parents may also be able to take out PLUS loans on behalf of their students in order to increase their contributions, but they will not get the same low interest rates offered to students or the opportunity for subsidization (by which the federal government pays the interest on a loan while the student is still in school). Since the options available to students could vary by area, the campus should be able to steer you in the right direction.
- Does the school help you find student loans? Supposing your family is only deemed to be responsible for a portion of your tuition and expenses during your time in college, you may be eligible for all manner of student loans. But you might not even know what’s out there, much less how to go about securing the funds you need. If there is a department on campus devoted to helping students get the loans needed to attend school, you’ll want to take advantage of the service.
- How often do you have to apply? Whether you’re looking at starting in community college, you have aspirations of attending an Ivy League school, or the http://www.healthadministrationdegree.usc.edu page holds the keys to your future, you have to understand the ins and outs of the financial aid process, and it could be one that takes place annually, depending on the types of scholarships, grants, and loans you’re eligible for. You’ll have to apply for FAFSA annually, for example, and that could affect everything else.
Category: Education
