Everyone knows that college tuition prices are not inexpensive, and they just continue to rise from year to year. That means just about every family will need assistance if they want to send their kids for more education. Here’s a quick checklist for maximizing college aid, even if your family is well above the poverty line.
- Apply for everything you can – Even if the answer is no because your household income is too high, it doesn’t hurt to try applying for every sort of aid available.
- Try for merit-based scholarships – Very few kids get a full-ride scholarship, but there are plenty of students getting partial scholarships based on merit. Don’t forget to apply for scholarships from the school and to any other third-party scholarships you qualify for.
- Discover your expected family contribution – Your household income is just one element of your EFC. What you may realize is that your EFC is just a small part of the tuition cost of the school you plan to attend. That means there could be a great deal of financial aid available to you.
- Don’t wait – The sooner you start applying for aid, the more you will end up with. Don’t miss deadlines and let money that could have gone toward your school go to waste.
College Financial Planning Experts in Southern California
College Planning Source is where you can get the best advice on admissions and financial planning for college. Whether you plan on attending an ivy league school or a local college, we can help. Call 858.676.0700 or submit our online contact form to learn more.
