The following is a guest post. Enjoy!
In Bob Dylan’s memorable song Mr. Tambourine Man, there are some interesting verses such as, ‘How many roads must a man walk down before you can call him a man…’. The path to growth and enlightenment, and certainly to financial independence is education. Wisdom is the sum total of our life experiences – both theoretical and practical, while success comes from a clearly formulated plan. Very little comes from haphazard behavior, unless of course, it’s a windfall payday off a lucky lottery ticket.
For most of us, achievement is the result of working intelligently towards an objective. With this in mind, it’s important to formulate a blueprint for academic excellence. In the United States, tertiary education is a major expense item. By the time a young adult enters high school, it is important to start planning for college. Unbeknownst to many students, the federal government offers many programs to assist students in paying for their schooling. These include grants, work-study initiatives, and loans. This federal aid is often what makes the difference between being able to pay for college education or not.
Understanding What Options Are Available for FAFSA
Depending on what type of education a student is looking for, costs can vary from a couple of thousand dollars a year to tens of thousands of dollars per year. Community colleges offer an alternative path to regular college, after completing 2 years before credits can be transferred over. This is an affordable option for many folks and a workaround to the high costs associated with traditional colleges. There are several ways that students can enjoy federal aid, including the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Otherwise known as FAFSA, this determines your personal eligibility for different types of student aid. The form can easily be completed online and can translate into free money for a college education. Students who apply for these forms of government aid may be enrolled in work/study programs or approved for different types of loans.
The bureaucratic red tape surrounding many federal aid programs is a disincentive to many folks. Fortunately, there are services out there that make it relatively easy to determine qualification for student aid, given specific criteria. The application process is 100% free since there is an official federal government site available. Even universities and colleges across the United States use FAFSA applications to determine a student’s eligibility for non-federal student aid. Once the low-interest loans have been approved, students can use that as a tool to build their credit scores. The competition to enter US colleges is fierce. Students who show initiative by actively applying for student aid often fare better in admissions than others. Since the application process can typically be completed in under 30 minutes, it is an easy way to begin taking meaningful steps towards a college education.
Facts and figures:
- Students can apply early for FAFSA loans – as early as 1 October
- The deadline for students is 30 June
- Corrections must be made by 15 September
- Early applications do not guarantee early loans
- Tax forms from the previous 2 years must be presented
- Every year $150 billion is dispersed in federal student aid
- You don’t need to apply to a college before you apply for Federal student aid loans
There are many benefits to receiving one of these loans, including no payment until graduation. It is also possible to temporarily postpone payments, or even lower payments accordingly. If a graduate works in public service, a significant chunk of the loan may be foregone. In an era of rising interest rates, such as the present, FAFSA loans are offered at a much lower rate than credit cards and personal loans.
