If you want to attend college but aren't sure how to pay for your education, financial aid could make the difference between attending and not attending college. Read on for more information on how to apply for financial aid for college.

The content in this page is not a substitute for professional financial advice. Please contact your financial adviser before using the information presented here.

• The procedures for applying for financial aid vary by college. It is important to determine what information a specific school requires, and what dates each form or document is due. Ensure that you meet the deadlines, as failure to supply required information on a timely basis could disqualify you from receiving aid.

• Financial aid can consist of grants, loans, and work study jobs that are awarded on the basis of financial need. Grants do not need to be paid back. The combination of aid available will vary from school to school.

Each school has it's own requirements for what they need in order to process an application for financial aid.

1. Most schools require you to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Although this application is required to receive federal aid (such as Pell Grants), many schools also use it to determine how to award their own institutional aid.
2. In addition to the FAFSA, some schools require a student to submit the CSS Profile, which asks for slightly different information.
3. Most school also have their own forms and supplements.
4. In addition to filing the forms, expect to be asked to provide copies of tax returns and W-2s.

• The FAFSA is generally completed online, and signed electronically with a PIN. It can take up to three days from the time you apply for a PIN for it to be activated, so plan ahead. You can't begin the FAFSA the night before the deadline if your PIN hasn't been activated yet.

• Many private schools consider different things from the FAFSA when calculating financial aid. They use the CSS Profile application, a product of the College Board, to gather the information. If the school you are interested in requires the Profile, you will not receive institutional aid if you do not complete it.

• Like the FAFSA, the CSS Profile can be completed online. Unlike the FAFSA, however, there is a fee for filing the Profile. For the 2009-2010 school year the fee is $25, plus $16 for each additional school that requires the Profile information.

• The College Board recommends you register for the Profile at least two weeks in advance of a school's financial aid due date.

• Schools may also offer merit aid for academic achievement, athletics, or specific extracurriculars. You can generally find details about these programs on the school's website.

• Private and community organizations also offer scholarships to students who meet certain criteria. If you receive a scholarship from an outside source, a school generally requires you to report it to the financial aid office, and may adjust your aid award accordingly.

• If you are applying for financial aid, you'll need to understand your preferred college's individual process, completing all required forms and submitting them with any required information by the deadlines. If you miss a deadline, or omit required information, the school may deem you ineligible for aid for that year.

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