National scholarships can be more competitive, but don’t let that keep you from applying. Prioritize local applications first. Just be careful. With scholarship opportunities, it’s wise to be cautious of student aid scams. If you are ever concerned about the legitimacy of a scholarship opportunity, contact your school’s financial aid office.
Prioritize local applications first and make sure you meet all deadlines.
FIND PART-TIME WORK Federal Work-Study can help you cover some costs throughout the semester since work-study funds are paid as you earn them. Remember, these funds are typically paid directly to you through a paycheck. So, if you still owe an amount to your school, you need to take those funds back to the school to pay your bill. If you were not awarded work-study funds, most schools have other part-time, on-campus positions that can help pay for school. Working part-time on campus can be beneficial to your educational experience, as long as you can find a healthy balance between your school and work. Ask your financial aid office or career services office how to apply for on-campus positions. TUITION PAYMENT PLANS Your school’s billing office (sometimes referred to as the bursar’s office, cashier’s office, or student accounts office) may have payment plans available to help you spread the remaining costs over several payments throughout a semester. The payment plan can help you budget the payments rather than paying in one lump sum, possibly helping you avoid costly late fees. REQUEST A REEVALUATION OF YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES Sometimes a family’s finances are not accurately reflected on the FAFSA form because of changes that have occurred, such as job loss/reduction, divorce or separation, or other special circumstances. This may be a consideration now that you can file the FAFSA form early with tax information that is two years old by the time enrollment begins. 4 2 3
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