Steps to Financial Aid Success
- Complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at www.fafsa.ed.gov .
- If you submitted your FAFSA online your Student Aid Report (SAR) will be submitted electronically to all schools listed on your FAFSA.
- The financial aid office will use the information provided in your SAR to determine your eligibility. If you are eligible to receive aid, the financial aid office will send you an Award Letter along with a Master Promissory Note (MPN) or instructions for completing your Loans By Web.
- You must respond to the Award Letter by the specified deadline and return your completed MPN(s) or complete your Loans by Web process as soon as possible.
- The financial aid office will process your loan application and advise you of the funding process.
Check out the 7 Easy Steps of the Student's Guide to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid
Please make sure you, as a student, have filled out the FAFSA, applied for scholarships at your school of choice, and exhausted all Federal Aid options before applying for a Higher Education Loan.
Scholarships
Many scholarships are not need based or based on academic standing, but may be based on your ability, your area of study, geographic location, and ethnicity to name just a few.
There are a number of ways to search for scholarships. Scholarship locator sites such as myredkite.com and www.finaidtexas.com enable you to develop a personalized profile allowing you to search for scholarships based on your personal choices.
Consider these sources:
- Talk with your high school counselor
- College resource centers
- Scholarship reference books
- Check your specific college's web site for scholarship information
- Community organizations and financial institutions
Be wary of scholarship locator sites requiring payment. "Free money" should be just that. More information about scholarship scams and how to report them can be found at www.finaid.org.
