Financial Aid
GRANTS & SCHOLARSHIPS
Grants and scholarships are the best types of financial aid because they do not need to be repaid. These two types of aid are based either on need or merit. Need-based aid is awarded to students based on your family’s financial situation, while merit-based aide is awarded for strong academic skill or talent.
The following websites are great resources for families looking to receive financial aid through scholarships, loans, and grants.
- 529 College Savings Plan - http://www.savingforcollege.com/
- Asian Pacific Fund - http://www.asianpacificfund.org/scholarships
- Broke Scholar - https://www.brokescholar.com/
- Careers and Colleges - http://www.careersandcolleges.com/tp2/cnc/login.do
- College Board scholarship website - http://apps.collegeboard.com/cbsearch_ss/welcome.jsp Assists in locating scholarships, internships, grants, and loans that match a student’s education level, talents, and background.
- CSS Profile - http://www.collegeboard.com/student/pay/scholarships-and-aid/8374.html
- www.FinAid.org– This site offers information on all types of financial aid, scholarships, grants and loans.
- www.FastWeb.com – This site offers a comprehensive list of scholarships and additional websites.
- Funding your Education Beyond High School - http://studentaid.ed.gov/students/publications/student_guide/index.html
- GoCollege - http://www.gocollege.com/
- Hispanic College Fund - http://www.hispanicfund.org/scholarships/
- Latino College Dollars - http://www.latinocollegedollars.org/
- Meritaid - http://www.meritaid.com/
- Military Scholarship Finder - http://aid.military.com/scholarship/search-for-scholarships.do
- The Posse Foundation - http://www.possefoundation.org/
- www.scholarships.com – This site offers customized scholarship opportunities after completing a survey.
- www.studentscholarshipsearch.com – This site provides students and parents with a FREE searchable database of college scholarships and grants.
- Scholarship Scams - http://www.finaid.org/scholarships/scams.phtml
- Scholarships for Students with Learning Differences - http://www.incight.org/
- Student Awards - http://www.studentawards.com/
- How to Read Financial Award Letters - http://www.collegeanswer.com/deciding/content/ac_awdltr.jsp
- Zinch Scholarship Search - http://www.zinch.com/
Somethings to remember…
Always check the financial aid office of the college/university that you are considering for additional grant and scholarship information.
We do not recommend using scholarship search organizations that charge a fee. These companies tend to be scams. Researching scholarships will take time and effort, but the result of your efforts may prove to be well worth your hard work.
LOANS
Loans are a form of financial aid that must be repaid. Loans based on financial need provide a lower interest rate and are subsidized by the federal government. Loans not based on need are available, but in most cases have a higher interest rate and payments must be made while the student is attending college.
APPLYING FOR FINANCIAL AID
The first step in the financial aid process is to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which is required by all colleges and universities and may be found on-line at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov. The application is processed by the Federal Department of Education. It is best to complete this form as soon as possible after January 1st of your senior year. If your parents’ tax returns are not finalized by that date, they must use estimates rather than miss the deadline. There is time to file an amendment if there is a large discrepancy between the estimate and actual numbers.
Some private colleges may also request families to complete a CSS Profile, a form from the College Scholarship Service, which is in addition to the FAFSA. To complete your personalized profile application go to www.collegeboard.com. This site typically opens on October 1st. It is not free, so be sure to fill out the registration form and send in the correct payment well in advance of January 1st. Individual forms customized for each college will be sent to you so that you can file them during the same time period as the FAFSA.
A list of current scholarships can be found on Naviance under "Colleges", then "Scholarships and Money"
Please contact your Counselor at Minnehaha Academy if you have any questions or need additional information or assistance.
