No doubt a lot of you out there are asking yourself this question. Never fear! We have (some of the) answers!!! Or you know what, let's just say we have some advice for both parent and student:
1. FAFSA! The earlier you apply, the more aid you'll (more likely) get. You don't actually need to have filed your income tax return, using estimated tax information will do for now. You will have to correct any discrepancies later. Go to http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/ to apply now!
2. Pricey schools sometimes offer MORE aid. Just because the school is pricey does NOT mean you can't afford it! For example, for families with an income < $60,000 Texas A&M University offers free tuition through their Aggie Assurance Program. Click here for "100 Free College Rides You Don't Need Daddy to Pay For." Most of these programs are merit-based and need-based, so if you worked hard in high school, it paid off!
3. Aim a little lower than the Ivies, (or whatever your dream school is) and you might get a merit-based scholarship in addition to other financial aid. Remember, colleges are essentially businesses too; they want more people to enroll with them.
4. GOOGLE it. This may seem obvious, but there are numerous FREE scholarship sources on the internet. Be wary of scholarship scams. If you have to pay to get money...avoid it like the plague.
Read "Diligence, speed will help secure 2009 college aid" for more wise financial aid advice.
For those of you already planning that first year in college: "Financing Your Child's Freshman Year" should provide insight on what you should do.
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