Support Services : Financial Aid Resources
What is financial aid?
The U.S. Government and many private companies and non-profit organizations can help you meet the expense of a college education through scholarships, grants, or loans.
Types of financial aid
Scholarships and grants do not have to be paid back, and we encourage students to seek out opportunities for this type of financial aid.
Federal (Government Sponsored) loans, which typically have a lower interest rate than Private (Bank-Owned) loans, are often the first choice for students who need aid beyond any scholarships and grants they qualify for. Students who do not qualify for Federal Loans may seek private loans to satisfy any unmet needs for financing college.
Below you will find a list of resources for finding financial aid for college. The first place to start is the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which will tell you how much the U.S. Government can help with your college education. Other resources are listed for your information as well.
| General | Search | ||||
| Site | Registration Required* | Info/ Links | Loans | Grants/ Scholarships | Comments |
| FAFSA - Free Application for Federal Student Aid | x | For seniors in their last semester; determines eligibility for federal financial aid; often the first step | |||
| FAFSA4caster | x | Similar to FAFSA, but for those who would like to get a head start on the financial aid process | |||
| eStudentLoan | x | x | Private student loans (based on credit) | ||
| Financial Aid Resource Center | x | Loan section links to eStudentLoan | |||
| CollegeBoard | x | x | Presents the different ways to pay for college | ||
| Scholarships.com | x | x | Searches based on entered information | ||
| US Department of Education | x | Provides a list of documents and other useful information | |||
| CollegeView | x | Financial Aid Guides, tips for college financing | |||
| FedMoney.org | x | x | Scholarships, fellowships, traineeships, loans | ||
| CollegeData | x | Search based on personal information; no login needed | |||
| FastWeb | x | x | Scholarships, colleges, and jobs and internships | ||
| IEFA - International Education Financial Aid | x | Awards, scholarships, and fellowships search | |||
| Careers and Colleges | x | x | Also links to eStudentLoan | ||
| ScholarshipExperts.com | x | x | Search scholarships, loans, and colleges | ||
| AIE - Adventures in Education | x | Searches by type (i.e. athletic, minority, career interest) | |||
* = Registration fees not required
