FAFSA 101: Por Dónde Empezar y Cómo Terminar

The CSS Profile asks the hard questions, and rather than guess on how to answer them, we asked experts from several Coalition member colleges to get you the right answers. In these short videos, financial aid officers decode the most confusing parts of the application. Get the "insider" perspective on everything from home equity to non-custodial parent requirements, straight from the source.

Paying for college can feel confusing—especially when financial aid terms start showing up without much explanation. Work-study is one of those terms that students and families often have questions about. 

If you’re not sure what work-study is, how it works, or whether it’s something you should consider, we’ll break it down for you. 

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Paying for college can be challenging, and outside scholarships — funded by private organizations — can help. Here’s a quick guide on everything you need to know about outside scholarships. 

Scholarships are a great tool to help you afford college. However, not all scholarships are the same. In this article, we’ll dive into the different types of scholarships and some terms related to scholarships that may help you understand the scholarships that you are awarded or are available for you to apply for. 

The process of applying for financial aid as a transfer student is different than when you first applied as a first-year student. Aid options will vary depending on the policies and resources of each receiving institution.

Let’s cut to the chase and try to keep this as brief as possible while giving you helpful information. College is expensive!  We know paying for college is on most families’ minds.

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As a college student looking to transfer, you probably have some questions about financial aid. Well, we’ve got some answers!

Here are some commonly asked questions and answers about financial aid for transfer students:

From grants and scholarships to FAFSA and federal student aid, there’s a lot for you to know about financial aid. That’s why we’ve compiled an alphabetical list of the most frequently used financial aid terms— check it out below!

Did you know? More than 75 percent of students get help paying for college.

In fact, over 13 million students receive more than $120 billion in federal student aid each year — and that’s just from the federal government! Students like you may also be eligible for financial aid from states, colleges, and/or private organizations.

We at the Coalition believe in the value of a college education: Research shows that students with a four-year bachelor’s degree earn an average of $1.3 million more than those with only a high school diploma. But we also realize that the cost to attend college can seem very high.

So, let’s talk about calculating the cost of your college education.

As you begin researching your college options, you might find yourself asking: How can I possibly pay for college?

We’re glad you asked (and you will be too)!

First things first: You’re not alone. Almost every student wonders how they’ll be able to afford college. But you may not realize that most students — more than 75 percent of them — get help paying for it.