What are they and how can they help me with college?
Scholarships
Grants
Loans
Personal Finance


SCHOLARSHIPS
Scholarships are a form of aid that helps students pay for their education. Unlike loans, they do not have to be repaid. Generally, scholarships are awarded for achievement. They are reserved for students with special qualifications, such as academic, athletic or artistic talent. Awards are also available for students who are interested in particular fields of study, who are members of underrepresented groups, who live in certain areas of the country or who demonstrate financial need.

*Please note that there are deadlines for most scholarship applications. Remember to check for deadlines.

www.fastweb.com
Searchable database of schools, scholarships, fellowships, loans, and grants

www.scholarships.com
No fee search service for college scholarships and financial resources

http://www.petersons.com/
Free scholarship service.

www.csac.ca.gov
Details on California state aid programs and how to apply for them.

www.studentaid.ed.gov
Federal student aid information center

GRANTS
Grants are another form of aid that assists students with tuition costs to attend a college, university, or a private secondary institution. They do not have to be repaid. Grants are awards based on financial need as determined by completing the FAFSA, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid.

*Please note that there are deadlines for most scholarship applications. Remember to check for deadlines.

http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/
Free application for federal student aid. Online form to complete and submit over the Internet.

www.fastweb.com
Searchable database of schools, scholarships, fellowships, loans, and grants

www.calgrants.org
Information on all the Cal Grant awards

http://www.chafee.csac.ca.gov/
Complete the application for the California Chafee Grant Program online.


LOANS
After students have explored scholarships and both federal and state grant programs; they can subsidize their remaining educational costs with student loans. A student loan is a form of financial aid that must be repaid, with interest.

The loans must be paid back after you graduate from college or drop below a half time status. Your loans can be deferred during some periods while you are in attendance in school and most loans have a grace period before you begin to repay. Lower interest rates and more flexible repayment plans make Federal Education Loan s an appealing way to finance your education, if necessary.

Your main loan options are: Student Loans (also called Stanford or Perkins loans)

Private Loans (also called alternative) Parent Loans (also called PLUS)

Loans
http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/
Free application for federal student aid. Online form to complete and submit over the Internet.

http://www.collegeboard.com/splash
Download the “Profile”, an independent financial aid form.

www.fastweb.com
Searchable database of schools, scholarships, fellowships, loans, and grants

www.staffordloan.com
Offers information and advice on the US federal Stafford loan as well as general financial aid information

www.edfund.org
Low-interest student loans

www.sallimae.com
Financial aid basics

www.csac.ca.gov
Details on California state aid programs and how to apply for them.

PERSONAL FINANCE
Do you really know how much your expenses at college will be? Can you afford to live off campus? What about spending money?

http://www.edwise.org/
The online financial planning guides. Create a plan for your college education online using the EdWise Student Loan Calculator.

http://www.mapping-your-future.org/
Provides information about career planning and higher education. It gives information and tips on selecting a career, a school, how to pay for school, and more.

http://www.icanaffordcollege.com/applications/homepage.cfm
A great place to see how to get started, they also provide financial aid information.