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| Note: The editors at MyPlan.com compile, summarize & provide links to sites that we believe may contain information of value to you. We do not, however, endorse these sites or the information they may contain, nor are we in any way affiliated with them. We simply believe in providing the best information to our users -- even if it may sometimes come from others. |
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 Common Financial Aid Forms |
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FAFSA
The U.S. Department of Education determines your eligibility for a host of financial aid programs from the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). This free application covers Federal Pell Grants, Federal Stafford Loans, Federal PLUS Loans, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants, Federal Work Study, and Perkins Loans. In addition, most campus-based programs also require completion of the FAFSA. www.fafsa.ed.gov |
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CSS/Financial Aid Profile
Many private colleges and a handful of state schools will require completion of the CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE form in addition to the FAFSA. The form is hosted by The College Board and, unfortunately, is not free. There is a small registration fee as well as a per-college processing fee. www.profileonline.collegeboard.com |
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| General Information |
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Adventures in Education
This site, sponsored by the Texas Guaranteed Student Loan Corporation, provides a good high-level introduction to financial aid. www.adventuresineducation.org/.. |
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College Board
The College Board hosts the CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE form, required by many private colleges and a handful of state schools. In addition, their website provides several free articles about procuring financial aid. www.collegeboard.com/.. |
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FinAid.com
This free, comprehensive financial aid resource contains information about all types of financial aid. They also offer some of the best financial aid calculators on the Web. Good articles, a glossary of relevant terms, and links to other financial aid sites make this a good starting point for financial aid information. www.finaid.com |
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The Old School (Financial Aid Resource Center)
This site, put together by a college financial aid administrator, offers lots of good information on different types of financial aid and how to procure them. www.theoldschool.org |
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Peterson's
Peterson’s publishes several books on colleges and financial aid. In addition, their website provides free excerpts from their published works on financial aid. www.petersons.com |
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The Student Guide to Financial Aid
This free, downloadable brochure, published annually by the Department of Education, provides a great overall of all federal grant and student loan programs. www.studentaid.ed.gov/.. |
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| Education Loans |
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eStudentLoan.com
This company offers a directory of commercial loan providers, and features a loan comparison tool for quickly selecting and comparing loan programs from dozens of lenders. www.estudentloan.com |
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FinAid.com
In addition to providing some of the best information on securing financial aid, FidAid.com provides an unbiased directory of commercial lenders of education loans. www.finaid.com/.. |
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Mapping Your Future
This site provides a free and innovative online student loan counselling service. The application still has some bugs and quirks (including the fact that not all colleges are listed for you to select from), but the information and quiz format give prospective student loan applicants a solid understanding of their rights and responsibilities. www.mapping-your-future.org/.. |
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Sallie Mae
In addition to being largest secondary market for student loans, Sallie Mae also originates Stafford, PLUS, consolidation and private education loans. Their useful website also provides general financial aid information. www.salliemae.com |
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Nellie Mae
Like its parent company (Sallie Mae), Nellie Mae is one of the major student loan underwriters in the U.S. They provide direct-to-student loans and their site offers financial aid information as well as calculators. www.nelliemae.com |
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