Pursuing your education can be quite expensive. Have you saved? Will your parents help? Are you planning on working while you study? Ask yourself these questions and start a dialogue with your loved ones. For now, we'll cover an essential topic - the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
Filling out your FAFSA may seem intimidating but we've got you covered.
WHAT YOU WILL NEED
The U.S. Department of Education has a resource page titled Federal | Student Aid. It can be found here. The site offers a detailed breakdown of what you will need and a brief explanation for each item.
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A detailed breakdown of these items (including a list of what is included and what is excluded) can be found on the Student Aid site here.
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FILLING OUT THE FAFSA APPLICATION
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) application asks a variety of questions covering demographics, education, personal financial information, parental financial information and more. Nitro College offers a great step-by-step resource to help you better understand the listed questions as you complete your FAFSA application. It can be found here.
FUNDING YOUR COLLEGE EDUCATION
There are a variety of ways to fund your education. Start your search early. Many students wait until their last semester to pursue options for college admissions and potential funding. The Student Aid site offers an excellent explanation of the difference between funding options you will encounter. These options include:
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Those resources and explanations can be found here.
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FINAL THOUGHTS
Have an open conversation about your education with your loved ones. This applies just as much to parents as it does to students. The simple fact is - very few 18-year-olds are prepared for the transition to college. Living away from home, flexible curriculums, adjusting to new teacher-student classroom ratios, networking and potentially balancing a job while pursuing a full time education can be quite the culture shock.
Parents
Be candid about educational funding. Did you prepare? Are you pulling funds from retirement accounts? Speaking openly can help you and your student make the most informed decision. More often than not, an unknowing student will make mistakes in their first year and become conflicted about continuing their education. Revealing the aforementioned details after the fact can lead students to feelings of guilt, disappointment and ultimately unwillingness to pursue their education.
Students
Plan. Organize. Prepare. Understand the full cost of living away from home. Are your parents going to continue covering your expenses? Those monthly subscriptions (Internet Service, Netflix, Spotify, etc.) can add up quickly.
Be candid about educational funding. Did you prepare? Are you pulling funds from retirement accounts? Speaking openly can help you and your student make the most informed decision. More often than not, an unknowing student will make mistakes in their first year and become conflicted about continuing their education. Revealing the aforementioned details after the fact can lead students to feelings of guilt, disappointment and ultimately unwillingness to pursue their education.
Students
Plan. Organize. Prepare. Understand the full cost of living away from home. Are your parents going to continue covering your expenses? Those monthly subscriptions (Internet Service, Netflix, Spotify, etc.) can add up quickly.
