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In Part I of Paying For College, a panel of North Dakota experts discuss:
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the impact of choices students make when selecting
their college
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how financial aid eligibility is determined
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calculating the costs of college
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federal financial aid programs and who is eligible
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non-federal and private financial aid programs
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the differences between grants, loans, and scholarships
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need-based and non-need based financial aid
Part II of Paying For College includes a step by step instructions
on how to fill out the FAFSA form and tips on avoiding some of the common
mistakes people make when filling out the forms and how that can negatively
impact financial aid eligibility.
According to statistics from Student
Loans of North Dakota, most families don't know how to tap into the
funds that are available to help them pay for college. Student loans,
grants, and work study programs are crucial in helping high school students
continue their education.
Check these web sites for information on finding the funds you need to
reach your goals.
MyStudentLoanOnline
This service from the Student Loans North Dakota provides a comprehensive
guide to financial aid programs available to students in the state, early
planning tools for parents and students, a guide to help select a college
, and a comprehensive list of all schools that shows the estimated cost
of attendance to aid in determining financial aid need.
Financial Aid Information
Page
You'll find a comprehensive listing of resources available
on the web to help you find financing for your college education. This
site includes links to searchable databases of grant and scholarships
programs, scam alerts, links to private and government financial aid programs
and calculators to help you figure your financial aid needs.
The
Student Guide
The Student Guide is the most comprehensive resource on student
financial aid from the U.S. Department of Education. Grants, loans, and
work-study are the three major forms of student financial aid available
through the federal Student Financial Assistance Programs. The Student
Guide tells you about the programs and how to apply for them.
Funding
Your Education
Most high school students expect to go on the college or technical
school after they graduate. But more than 86% need financial aid to complete
their education. For many, federal programs are their primary sources
of aid. Check this US Department of Education site for detailed information
about federal loan and grant programs available.
FastWeb
This web site includes a searchable online database of more
than 275,000 financial aid programs. Look here for detailed information
on scholarship, loan, work-study, and grant programs. If your school is
registered with fastWEB, you'll find detailed information on local awards,
too!
FAFSA Instructions
This site provides step by step instructions on how to complete
the Free Aapplication for Federal Student Aid. According to officials
with North Dakota's student loan agency, more than 80% of all FAFSA applications
are returned because they were incomplete or contained errors. This delays
student's financial aid applications and can mean that they miss opportunities
for scholarship and grant programs.
FAFSA
Express
For the computer savvy, check out the US Department of Education's
online financial aid application process. You can complete the FAFSA directly
from the web, download offline software, or print out a hardcopy of the
FAFSA using online PDF forms.
Funding for "Paying For College" was provided by Student
Loans of North Dakota, the College
Information Service, the
Bank of North Dakota who provided the first
federally insured student loan in the country in 1967, and by the members
of Prairie Public Television.
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© 1998 Prairie
Public Broadcasting, Inc.
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