After high school a brand new world begins to open up. You are headed towards those hallowed halls of higher education. It may have been several years since you graduated high school and you are entering college as a non-traditional student.
Regardless of your age, you are going to have to face the problem of paying for college. That is why government grants for college expenses were initiated. They help pay for tuition, books, room and board. It may help to offset a huge student loan debt that will need to be repaid after graduation.
Everything about school starts in the financial aid office. Your financial aid will start there as well. You will need to fill out a FAFSA, which is a Free Application for Federal Student Aid form.
The FAFSA will need some demographic information, as well as tax information about you and your parents if you are still considered a dependant. If you are an adult attending school, then the FAFSA will be based on your previous year's taxes alone.
After the FAFSA is filed you will receive a Student Aid Report (SAR) that details what government grants for school you are eligible to receive and how much money will be made available to you. You may still need to take out a student loan but you should always try to minimize how much money you take out because, unlike grants, student loans have to be repaid once you graduate.
Your federal financial aid does come with a stipulation. You must be enrolled full time, in 12 credit hours worth of classes, and you must maintain at least a 2.0 grade point average, which is a 'C' grade point average. Hopefully, these two conditions will not cause you any trouble because you are a smart cookie.
Government grants for school can be an intimidating process when you first begin applying and filling out the paperwork. This is on top of all the paperwork your school already requires to be admitted. It is natural to feel a bit overwhelmed and anxious about your money and how things will be paid.
Just take a deep breath and relax. Your school's financial aid office can help you with any questions you may have and can help walk you through the process. Just picture yourself walking down the aisle at graduation with your college diploma in your hand. That will make things easier.
Mike Selvon's government grants portal has some more useful information on government grants for school. Visit his web site and leave a comment at his cash grants blog.
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