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The transition into college means thinking about factors you might not have considered before: one of the largest factors is money. The college financial aid process can be complex, especially if you’re new to it. Not taking the time to understand how it works or how much financial aid you are eligible for could result in you losing thousands of dollars that may have been entitled to. The only way to get the maximum benefit of financial aid is to spend time and learn about financial aid.
Where You Can Learn About Financial Aid
As you can see, listed below are the places where you can learn about financial aid. There are plenty of resources online and in real life that you can use to educate yourself on financial aid.
Federal Websites
Start your research at government websites such as studentaid.ed.gov to learn about the FAFSA, federal student aid, federal loans, and more. Just taking a few minutes to educate and familiarize yourself with the process and website can make a world of a difference as you journey through the college financial process.
High School Financial Aid Nights
Bookmark the date of your school financial aid night and be sure to attend it. Studies show that the students who most need aid are the least likely to attend these school-sponsored events. Make sure you go to learn valuable information on looking for scholarships, navigating federal aid, asking for institutional aid, and more.
High School Counselors
School counselors are also an excellent resource for information about financial aid, and can help you in your scholarship search. Also, counselors likely know how institutional aid works at the nearby and state colleges.
College Financial Aid Offices
Be sure to reach out to the financial aid offices of each college you apply to. They can give you helpful information on how aid works at that school, and give you an idea of what sort of aid you might be eligible for.
College Raptor
We have hundreds of articles about the various aspects of financial aid right here on our site, ranging from financial planning, to scholarship opportunities, to loan FAQs. Also, if you’ve ever had a question about aid, we probably have an article dedicated to it.
- Financial Aid
- Student Loans
- Scholarships
- Scholarship Search & Apps
- Financial Advice & Planning
- Questions & Answer
- Myths
Additionally, with a free account on College Raptor, you can discover your personalized college cost estimate to every college in the country! You can also find your estimated debt upon graduation, what sort of scholarship you could qualify for, and compare private loan lenders and their interest rates.
What You Should Learn About
Regardless of which resource you use, some of the most important aspects you must learn about financial aid are:
- The FAFSA and why it’s important
- The total cost of attendance
- The different types of loans, how each of them work
- The financial aid timeline, with special focus on when to apply
- How scholarships work and where to look for opportunities
Armed with this information, you can avoid crushing student loan debt and be better prepared to finance your future.
| Lender | Rates (APR) | Eligibility | |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
5.50%-16.12%* Variable
3.99%-15.61%* Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT CITIZENS |
 |
5.54% - 15.70% Variable
3.99% - 15.49% Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT SALLIE MAE |
 |
4.63% - 17.99% Variable
3.49% - 17.99% Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT CREDIBLE |
 |
6.00% - 13.75% Variable
3.99% - 13.75% Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT LENDKEY |
 |
5.66% - 14.72% Variable
3.69% - 14.56% Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT ASCENT |
 |
3.70% - 8.75% Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT ISL |
 |
5.62% - 16.85% Variable
3.69% - 16.49% Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT EARNEST |
|
|
5.00% - 14.22% Variable
3.69% - 14.22% Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT ELFI |
