Financial aid is money from the U. S. government, state government, college, or a non-profit organization that is given to a student to help pay for college. Financial aid is important because students can use this to pay for their tuition, housing, books, or other necessary expenses. There are different types of aid. These include federal grants, state grants, loans, military programs, and work study.
Types of Financial Aid
To learn about the different types of financial aid, please click on the button below. Place the cursor over the tab labeled "Types of Aid" or watch the the video to learn more about different types of financial aid.
Students must first fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form. In order for students to apply for the FAFSA, students need to have a PIN number, which can be retrieved in the link below. Afterward, students can apply for the FAFSA.
In order to fill out the FAFSA, students will need the following:
Social security number,
Most recent federal income tax return and W-2 forms
Federal Student Aid Pin
Alien registration number (if not a US citizen)
Records of untaxed income (if applicable)
Records of investment (if applicable)
Students can apply for the FAFSA starting on October 1st. It is recommended that students complete and submit the FAFSA sooner to increase the likelihood of receiving monetary aid. Please note that everyone may apply. The FAFSA is used by many academic institutions and state governments to decide who else receives aid. Deadlines
Federal Deadline Online applications must be submitted by midnight Central Time, June 30, 2017. Any corrections or updates must be submitted by midnight Central Time, September 23, 2017.
State Deadline Texas - March 15, 2016, by midnight, Central Time. College Deadline Check with the college(s) you are interested in attending. You may also want to ask your college about its definition of an application deadline - whether it is the date the college receives your FAFSA, or the date your FAFSA is processed.
Keep your grades up year round because grades in senior year can affect the eligibility of receiving scholarships.
Remain active in different extracurricular activities. Universities like to see that students are continuously finding ways to give back to the community.
Try to acquire leadership positions as this shows that you have a great sense of responsibility and know how to lead. Such people can positively contribute back to the diversity of the campus.
Spring
Visit the different colleges that have asked you to enroll.
Compare the financial aid offers made by the different universities and narrow down which universities you might be more interested in attending.
If you have questions concerning the financial aid awards, contact the university's financial aid office and ask them to clarify your concerns.
After you have decided what university you wish to attend, contact them and turn in any other documentation or deposit that they ask.
Fall
Speak to your counselor to see if you are on track and will graduate. If you are missing credits, speak to your counselor to come up with an action plan to get you where you should be.
Take all standardized tests required by the university. The SAT and the ACT are the more common standardized tests.
Check if the university requires the SAT II Subject tests. If they do, take the necessary subject tests.
Ask teachers for letters of recommendation early in the school year so you have submit everything by the time that the application is due.
Inform yourself on the different university and scholarship application deadlines. Write them down and create a personal tracking sheet to stay on task.
Work on all the necessary essays and gather everything you need, such as letters of recommendations, transcripts, or anything else asked of you so you can submit everything before the deadline.
Complete and submit the FAFSA as soon as possible after October 1st.
Complete all financial aid packets and essays for the different scholarships that you might apply to.