Trying to get on the right track to attend college can be a daunting task at best. I have personally helped more people get started than I can count. Over the course of time, I have been surprised at the amount of people that have had no clue where to begin – from the parents of high school students, to single moms needing to make a better life for their families, to the average joe. Then I remember, I was once those same people, walking in the same shoes.
For the sake of this post, we will exclusively concentrate on the avenues set forth in the United States of America. We also won’t get too involved in many diverse details; we are just going for a starting point. You need to decide on at least one school that you plan to apply to and you will want to have your tax information handy. If you don’t have an FSA ID, this will actually be your starting point. Then proceed to completing your FAFSA online. This is the starting point for all schools-no matter if you will pay completely out-of-pocket, or receive grants/scholarships, or loans.
Each portion is a step-by-step process and will automatically save along the way. When you get to the school section it will guide you through inputting the school of your choice and will send the results directly to them. It also gives you the option of importing your tax information into the form (I highly recommend this portion, if you can possibly do it, because it will save a lot of hassle later.) This is definitely a 101 post, but will surely get you started on the right path!
Knowledge is power and the key to success!
Let me know in the comments, if you have found this helpful and be sure to check back for more!