College Financial Aid & Student Loan Programs

College Financial Aid	Pass a CLEP Test or Don't Pay

Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)	An overview of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid process.
Federal Student Aid Programs	A description of the different types of federal student aid programs.
Financial Aid Eligibility	Eligibility requirements to qualify for federal student aid.
Financial Aid Deadlines	Deadlines for the 2005-2006 school year to apply for federal student aid.
Federal Benefits Programs - Dept of Education	GovBenefits.gov helps citizens access government benefit eligibility information through a free, confidential, and easy-to-use online screening tool. After answering some basic questions, the user receives a customized report listing the benefit programs for which the user, or person for whom he or she is entering information, may be eligible.
Overview of The Financial Aid System	This article summarizes how a student s financial aid eligibility is assessed and how grants and loans are packaged.
PLUS Loan for Parents of Undergraduate Students	When it comes time to pay the college bills or to figure out if it will be possible to pay the future college bills parents often ask financial aid professionals and financial advisors to identify the best payment strategies.
Today, financial aid officers and financial advisors often recommend PLUS loans (Parent Loans for Undergraduate Students) to families looking to bridge the college affordability gap. Unlike scholarships or grants, PLUS loans are not need-based. Parents can borrow up to 100% of the estimated cost of their child s college attendance, including tuition, room and board, books, transportation and additional expenses, minus any other financial aid awarded to the student and they can do so retroactively to cover educational costs they ve already incurred for the current school year. Other PLUS loan benefits include tax deductibility of PLUS loan interest payments and a favorable interest rate. Many people take advantage of the PLUS loan due to the low interest rates and favorable repayment terms. With simple interest rates as low as 2.22%, many families place the money that they were going to use for college into investments that earn more compounding interest. Selecting the best college funding options for your family will depend on your specific financial circumstances and personal preferences. In the end, most families pay their portion of college costs using some combination of disposable income, savings, and long term financing.