Deciding to go to college is a huge financial step, even if it is an online school you are most likely going to need financial aid. Financial aid is not just loans but also government backed grants and scholarships. With so many opportunities out there, it can get a little confusing and sometimes overwhelming. Let's take a look at some steps you will need to look at for securing money for college.
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The first thing you will need to look at if you want to borrow money for school is if the school is accredited or not. Accreditation is a national qualification that tells you if the school meets a prescribed educational standard. Most loan providers, the government, and scholarship committees will look to see if the school is national accredited before they will give you any type of financial aid.
The next thing you will want to do is call the schools financial aid office and see what type of assistance you can get in securing financial aid. The school will most likely have some brochures they can send that talks about financial aid and what it means to you. If you have served in the military be sure to mention that, there are extra benefits you can apply for if you have served your country in the armed forces.
Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for federal student aid. The form is available online and usually takes about 15 minutes. It doesn't cost anything to fill out the form so don't let anyone try to charge you to fill it out. You can even go or call the school for help in filling it out if you don't understand a question on it.
Don't forget about scholarships! Most of the time new students, especially those who have been out of school for a while forget about the free money available to certain groups of individuals that meet certain standards. The standards range from ethnicity groups to trade groups. You may qualify if your testing skills meet a certain level or if you volunteer in your community. Certain organization and employers also off special scholarships as well.