Seeking Help in Nky

Most colleges have websites at which you can start by applying there or calling their main office. Fastweb.com is a free place, amoung others that are on the web, that you can go to for grants and scholarships. Most of them you have to write essays for or fall under certain citeria. You also have to fill out what they call a FASFA (I believe it's spelled). It too can be looked up online or obtained from the main office of your school you attend. Its the same at every school so just stop by one and pick it up. This goes to the government and they decide how much "assistance" you will need based on the information. The school then will give you grants, along with the state and federal government sometimes, depending on your needs. Do a google for free websites for college scholarships. There are a few out there, and you simply fill out a little questionair and they will set up a list of all the ones you might possibly qualify for. Obtaining scholarships isn't always easy but it can take a huge burden off your shoulders. There is always the option of school loans also. They have rather low interest rates in the scheme of things. You don't have to pay on them until you are done with school, and when your credit report is taken into account they don't hurt your credit score unless you make a faulty payment. (At least that's what the lady that gave me my car loan told me! lol) Best wishes!

You need to fill out the FAFSA. It's a free, online application to see if you qualify for government financial aid and all colleges/universities require it to consider you for financial aid.

THen you need to enroll somewhere. A college or university cannot put together a financial aid package for you until it receives your FAFSA report and you are admitted and registered for classes. Aid is dependent on need and number of credits taken. (Don't forget to see about scholarships, too.)
It's can be quite a rigorous process! Persevere!
http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/

If you know what school you are applying to they have a financial aide department that will help you. Basically you start by filling out a FASFA. You can apply online. You will need to know which school you want the info sent to.
Congrats to you for wanting to go back to school. I did about a year ago and I love it. I feel so much better about myself. If you need anything else please leave me a message. I feel going back to school is an important decision, but can seem overwelming sometimes.

It's actually pretty easy. Contact the college you are interested in to ask about their application process. As far as funding, you can apply online at: www.fafsa.gov. You will need your taxes from last year handy as they will ask you specific questions from lines of your tax return. This will get you approved for both grants and student loans. You'll also need to tell them where to send your approval information and this can be sent to multiple colleges in case you are having trouble deciding where to go.

J.,
I have worked in Financial Aid for 10 years and I think you have all the answers that you need here, but I have a few more resources for you. First, definitely check with the school that you are interested in attending. They will tell you what the deadlines are for filing their applications and applying for their scholarships. Then, you definitely want to file the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). Make sure you file it at www.fafsa.ed.gov. This is a free site. There are others out there that charge you to file the application... if they ask for your credit card, you are on the wrong site. Also, you can go to www.pin.ed.gov and request a PIN number. You can use this to sign your FAFSA and you can also use it to sign your Master Promisory Note on-line if you choose to use a Stafford Loan.

When you enter your FAFSA, you will have the opportunity to list up to 4 schools that you would like you application sent to. The results of the FAFSA will be sent to you on what is called a Student Aid Report (or SAR) and they will also be sent to the college. The college may ask for more documentation and when they have everything that they need they will send you an award package. This will detail the amounts of financial aid types. It will definitely include any federal aid and state aid that you may qualify for and may include some institutional dollars, depending on the school. Federal grants will be the same at any college. Federal loan amounts are determined by your financial and year in college. State money depends on if you have been to college before and what type of school you attend (private, public, or proprietary). In addition, you may want to ask about Federal Work Study. Not every school participates in this program, but if they do, it is sometimes an easy way to get some extra money. Typically you can work on campus and they will work with your schedule (like you could work before, between, or after class).

A note about scholarships: NEVER pay anyone to find scholarships for you or pay them to give you a scholarship. If it sounds to good to be true, it usually is. There are A LOT of scams out there, so BEWARE!

Here are some reputable resources for you:
http://www.collegeboard.com/student/pay/
http://www.finaid.org/scholarships/
http://www.fastweb.com/
http://www.ed.gov/students/landing.jhtml

Good Luck! Remember, when in doubt, call the school. That's what we are here for!!
J.

Go to the website of the college in which you are interested and search for 'admissions' and 'financial aid'. If that doesn't give you the information you need, you should be able to find phone numbers on the websites.