Scholarships & Financial Aid

There are several ways to fund your college education: Financial aid is money lent or given to you to help you pay for college, while grants and scholarships are kinds of financial aid that you don’t have to pay back and so are sometimes referred to as “gift aid”. 

Sources for funding can be from governments (Federal and State), individual colleges, and private organizations such as companies, foundations, and community organizations.

Research for scholarship opportunities should generally be done during the summer between your junior and senior years. However, application deadlines and requirements vary by each scholarship/organization so we encourage students to give themselves ample time to research and meet any application requirements. 

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA): is the form that determines your financial aid from the government and most colleges. Aid may come in the form of Federal grants, loans, or work-study programs. These monies are disbursed directly to your school. With grants or loans, your school will apply that money toward your tuition, fees and (if you live on campus) room and board.  The FAFSA should not be confused with the CSS Profile, which is also required by some colleges.

*FAFSA is a FREE program. Please use the above-linked government site as there are fake websites that charge applicants to fill out the FAFSA.

College Board’s CSS Profile: is the online application that collects information used by almost 400 colleges, universities, professional schools, and scholarship programs to award financial aid from sources outside of the federal government.