Beaverton City Library
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Handful of Money
THE EASY GUIDE TO FINANCIAL AID

Where to find info about federal, state and private scholarships, loans, grants and financial aid.


Websites - Using Reference Resources - Using Print Resources - Timeline to Apply for Financial Aid - Scholarship Scams - Searching the Online Catalog


SOURCES OF AID TYPES OF AID
  • Scholarships (merit based)
  • Grants (need based)
  • Work Awards (work and get paid with federal dollars)
  • Loans
  • Federal Government
  • State Government
  • Institution
  • Private Organizations and Agencies

WEBSITES

Oregon Resources

Oregon Student Assistance Commission (OSAC)
www.osac.state.or.us
List of links for everything from applications to scholarships to financial aid to studying abroad.

Get College Funds
www.getcollegefunds.org
Information, tips & links — everything from planning for college to paying for it — sponsored by the Oregon Student Assistance Commission.

General Resources

The College Answer
www.collegeanswer.com
The planning for college destination.

College Board Online
www.collegeboard.com
Site is designed for students, parents and educators. Offers information about colleges, admissions tests and scholarships.

Collegenet
www.collegenet.com
Search for colleges, scholarships, and other college resources.

e Student Loan
http://estudentloan.com
A commercial site for loan comparisons. You must register (free) to compare loan programs.

FAFSA on the Web
www.fafsa.ed.gov
Website to apply for Federal financial aid. Be careful NOT to go to fafsa.com, which will charge you $80 for a free application.

FastAID
www.fastaid.com
Free college scholarship search and student loan info.

FastWeb
www.fastweb.com
Provides a free scholarship search, as well as information on career planning, college admissions, and other issues pertaining to college.

Federal Student Aid
http://studentaid.ed.gov
America’s premier source of federal student aid information.

FinAid
www.finaid.org
Very comprehensive site providing access to a wide variety of financial aid resources. Great links. Also includes foreign exchange, and study abroad programs.

FinAid: Scholarship Scams
www.finaid.org/scholarships/scams.phtml
Gives tips for recognizing & protecting yourself from scholarship scams.

FTC Consumer Alert: Scholarship Scams
www.ftc.gov/scholarshipscams
Offers pointers for spotting scholarship scams. Federal Trade Commission Consumer Alert on Scholarship Scams for students and parents.

NELA (Northwest Education Loan Association)
http://nela.net
NELA provides informational publications, resources and counseling services to help simplify complex student aid information.

NELA—Center for Student Success
www.centerforstudentsuccess.net
Provides information and assistance on college admissions, financial aid and scholarship search resources.

Nellie Mae Student Loans
www.nelliemae.org
Apply online for undergraduate student loans, graduate
student loans, and student loans for parents.

Peterson’s Planner
www.petersons.com
Peterson’s helps you find money for college with a free scholarship search, the Best College Deals and an online tool to find little-known colleges.

PIN Registration
www.pin.ed.gov
Website to get a pin # to sign FAFSA electronically instead of printing out a signature page.

Scholarship Resource Network Express
www.srnexpress.com
A one stop resource for financial aid. Free scholarship search.

USING REFERENCE RESOURCES

Book Cover: The College Blue BookPeterson’s College Money Handbook
(REF 378 PET)
A quick resource and an in-depth reference that puts at your fingertips valuable information about college costs and financial aid opportunities.

Book Cover: The Best 351 CollegesCollege Cost and Financial Aid Handbook
(REF 378.3 COL)
This time-saving and stress-relieving guide provides the facts and figures needed to calculate the true costs, after factoring in financial aid, at over 3,000 four- and two-year colleges.

Book Cover: The Best 351 CollegesA’s and B’s of Academic Scholarships
(REF 378.3 LEI)
Do you have a "B" average or better, and need help paying for college? If so, learn where to find money for being bright or talented-regardless of family finances. The A’s and B’s lists 100,000 merit scholarships at over 1,200 U.S. colleges.

Book Cover: The Best 351 CollegesDon’t Miss Out: The Ambitious Student’s Guide to Financial Aid
(REF 378.3 LEI)
This book cuts through all the red tape & teaches you where the money really is and makes sure you get your fair share!

Book Cover: The Best 351 CollegesFinancial Aid Financer: Expert Answers to College Financing Questions
(REF 378.3 RE)
This question and answer guide goes beyond common situations like divorces and job loss. It explains hundreds of unusual family circumstances and tells parents how the financial aid process can work for them.

Book Cover: The Best 351 CollegesDirectory of Financial Aids for Women
(REF 378.3 SCH)
A resource that describes over 1,700 funding programs for women.

Book Cover: The Best 351 CollegesFinancial Aid for the Disabled and their Families
(REF 378.3 SCH)
Among the thousand programs cited are those offering $10,000 a year for blind undergraduate or graduate students; $2,000 a year to undergraduates with an immune deficiency disease and $3,200 to buy computer or other assistive equipment.

Book Cover: The Best 351 CollegesPeterson’s Scholarships, Grants & Prizes
(REF 378.3 SCH)
Provides updated profiles on nearly 1.6 million awards worth more than $6 billion and based on the ethnic heritage, talent, employment experience, military service, and many other categories. All are available from private sources such as foundations, corporations, and religious and civic organizations.

Book Cover: The Best 351 CollegesScholarships, Fellowships and Loans: A Guide to Education-Related Financial Aid Programs for Students and Professionals
(REF 378.3 SCH)
This resource provides more than 3,700 sources of education-related financial aid and awards at all levels of study.

Book Cover: The Best 351 CollegesFinancial Aid for Veterans, Military Personnel and Their Dependents
(REF 378.3025 FIN)
The most comprehensive guide available on the subject of financial aid for those with ties to the military.

Book Cover: The Best 351 CollegesHigh School Senior’s Guide to Merit and Other No-Need Funding
(REF 378.3025 HIG)
1,200 merit scholarships and other no-need college funding programs open just to college-bound high school seniors are described here. And, not one of these programs ever looks at income in the selection process.

Book Cover: The College Board Index of Majors & Graduate DegreesThe Scholarship Book
(REF 378.3025 CAS)
Organized in an easy—to—find format, The Scholarship Book makes the overwhelming world of private—sector funding manageable and beneficial to all types of students, regardless of grades, financial status, or school attending.

Book Cover: Peterson’s 4-Year CollegesFinancial Aid for African Americans
(REF 378.3025 SCH)
Now, you can turn to just one source and find detailed descriptions of the scholarships, fellowships, loans, grants, awards, and internships available to African Americans at any level (from high school through professional and post-doctoral).

Book Cover: Peterson’s 4-Year CollegesFinancial Aid for Hispanic Americans
(REF 378.3025 SCH)
This directory identifies more than 1,700 scholarships, fellowships, loans, grants, awards, and internships available to Hispanic Americans, including Mexican Americans, Puerto Ricans, Cuban Americans, and others of Latin American origin.

Book Cover: Peterson’s 4-Year CollegesThe College Board Scholarship Handbook
(REF 378.34 COL)
Provides complete and authoritative facts about more than 2,100 scholarships, internships, and loan programs offered to undergraduates nationwide by foundations, charitable organizations, and state and federal government agencies.

Book Cover: Peterson’s 4-Year CollegesScholarships
(REF 378.34 SCH)
You’ll receive tips and advice on researching your options, setting a timetable, applying for the best opportunities, and avoiding scholarship scams.

Book Cover: Peterson’s 4-Year CollegesBarron’s ... Best Buys in College Education
(REF 378.73 BAR)
Updated to reflect the most recent changes in tuition, fees, and general cost of living, and featuring several new "Best Buy" colleges, this popular directory shows parents and students where to find a first-class education at a reasonable price.

USING PRINT RESOURCES

Book Cover: The Early Admissions Game100 Ways to Cut the High Cost of Attending College: Money Saving Advice for Students and Parents
(371.22 VIO)
For students and families with too much income to apply for need-based financial aid yet still wanting to keep college costs reasonable, this book offers numerous tips for getting a quality degree without breaking the bank.

Book Cover: The Truth About Getting InPeterson’s College Money Handbook
(378 PET)
A quick resource and an in-depth reference that puts at your fingertips valuable information about college costs and financial aid opportunities.

Book Cover: Cracking College AdmissionsFree Money for College
(378.3 BLU)
This directory of undergraduate scholarships and loans has four main parts: programs listed by state; listings by field of study; aid for women, ethnic groups, and the handicapped; and awards limited to fraternal orders, unions, etc., as well as grants with no special restrictions.

Book Cover: What to Do When for CollegePaying for College Without Going Broke
(378.3 CHA)
Takes the guess-work out of applying for financial aid. Students learn how to calculate their aid eligibility before applying to college and plan ahead to improve their chances of receiving aid.

Book Cover: Choose the Right College & Get Accepted College Cost and Financial Aid Handbook
(378.3 COL)
This time-saving and stress-relieving guide provides the facts and figures needed to calculate the true costs, after factoring in financial aid, at over 3,000 four- and two-year colleges.

Book Cover: The College Application EssayDon’t Miss Out: The Ambitious Student’s Guide to Financial Aid
(378.3 LEI)
This book cuts through all the red tape & teaches you where the money really is and makes sure you get your fair share!

Book Cover: Best Answers to the 201 Most Frequently Asked Questions About Getting Into CollegeFinancial Aid Financer: Expert Answers to College Financing Questions
(378.3 RE)
This question and answer guide goes beyond common situations like divorces and job loss. It explains hundreds of unusual family circumstances and tells parents how the financial aid process can work for them.

Book Cover: Gatekeepers: Inside the Admissions Process...Free $ for College for Dummies
(378.3 ROS)
Need money for college? This simple, straightforward guide shows you how to find scholarships, grants, and other "free money" to use toward your college expenses.

Book Cover: How They Got Into HarvardDirectory of Financial Aids for Women
(378.3 SCH)
A resource that describes over 1,700 funding programs for women. The programs support study, research, travel, training, career development, or innovative effort from high school through post doctorate.

Book Cover: The Adams College Admissions Essay HandbookFinancial Aid for the Disabled and their Families
(378.3 SCH)
Among the thousand programs cited are those offering $10,000 a year for blind undergraduate or graduate students; $2,000 a year to undergraduates with an immune deficiency disease and $3,200 to buy computer or other assistive equipment.

Book Cover: Wrting an Outstanding College Application EssayPeterson’s Scholarships, Grants & Prizes
(378.3 SCH)
Provides updated profiles on nearly 1.6 million awards worth more than $6 billion and based on ethnic heritage, talent, employment experience, military service, and many other categories. All are available from private sources such as foundations, corporations, and religious and civic organizations.

Book Cover: Rock Hard Apps: How to Write a Killer College ApplicationScholarships, Fellowships and Loans: A Guide to Education-Related Financial Aid Programs for Students and Professionals
(378.3 SCH)
This resource provides more than 3,700 sources of education-related financial aid and awards at all levels of study.

Book Cover: The Real Freshman Handbook...High School Senior’s Guide to Merit and Other No-Need Funding
(378.3025 HIG)
1,200 merit scholarships and other no-need college funding programs open just to college-bound high school seniors are described here. And, not one of these programs ever looks at income in the selection process.

Book Cover: The Everything College Survival Book...Free College Money and Training for Women
(378.3025 LES)
This book lists all the help women need to do what they’ve always dreamed with the help of $80 billion in grants, loans and scholarships.

Book Cover: College Knowledge: The A+ Guide to Early College PlanningFinancial Aid for Asian Americans
(378.3025 SCH)
More than 1,500 funding opportunities open to Chinese Americans, Japanese Americans, Korean Americans, Vietnamese Americans, Filipinos, and other Americans of Asian ancestry.

Book Cover: Living the College Life...The College Board Scholarship Handbook
(378.34 COL)
Provides complete and authoritative facts about more than 2,100 scholarships, internships, and loan programs offered to undergraduates nationwide by foundations, charitable organizations, and state and federal government agencies.

College Knowledge: 101 Tips for the College-bound StudentThe Scholarship Scouting Report: An Insider’s Guide to America’s Best Scholarships
(378.34 KAP)
A collection of more than 100 carefully selected awards with the usual information on entry requirements and application procedures, but also with great insider’s advice on judging criteria, excerpts from winning scholarship entries, and summaries of the actual experiences of award winners.

Book Cover: The Latino Student’s Guide to College SuccessWinning Scholarships for College
(378.34 RAG)
This is one of the most comprehensive books on winning scholarships available. It reveals where and how to search for funds and takes you step by step through the application process.

Book Cover: Cool Colleges for the Hyper-Intelligent...How to Go to College Almost for Free: the Secrets of Winning Scholarship Money
(378.38 KAP)
This book speaks directly to students in their language, with practical tips and interesting insights into the “winning attitude.”

Book Cover: College Board International Student HandbookTaming the Tuition Tiger
(378.38 KRI)
This practical and reassuring guide presents the facts, tools, and strategies for saving, investing, and managing taxes to address this challenge, regardless of your financial circumstances.

Book Cover: The Kids’ College Almanac: A First Look at CollegeSaving/Paying for College
(378.38 SAV)
This handbook helps parents and students determine exactly how much money they will need, then presents the full range of financial options available-from scholarships and grants, to loans and work-study.

Book Cover: Making a Difference College & Graduate GuideEveryone’s Money Book on College
(378.3809 GOO)
This guide gives complete, detailed information on paying for college. It shows how to determine costs, describes state savings plans, offers investment strategies, and provides tips on government grants, scholarships, loans, and applying for financial aid.

SEARCHING THE ONLINE CATALOG

When searching for information on financial aid, scholarships, loans and grants, you can browse the following CALL NUMBERS: (Note: Call #s are the same, whether you’re in the teen section, kids’ section, main section, DVDs, Reference, etc.)

378s, 378.3s, 378.3025s, 378.34s, 378.38s

When searching for information on financial aid in our online catalog, try a keyword and/or keyword subject search, using one of the following:

  • Student aid—United States
  • Financial Aid
  • Scholarships
  • Scholarships—United States
  • Research Grants
  • College costs
  • Student loan funds

This guide is just a starting place for finding useful info on obtaining financial aid.

Be sure to check out our other Easy Guides, such as our:
Easy Guide to Test Prep Help
Easy Guide to College

If you can’t find what you’re looking for, ask a Teen Services librarian!Search the online catalog:

go to Online Catalog - WCCLS

Timeline to apply for financial aid

1. Apply for a pin number now (both student and parent) so you can use it to sign your FAFSA electronically.

2. Complete admissions application process at each school.

3. If they have one, fill out the institutional financial aid application.

4. In January, fill out the FAFSA, either on paper or online (DO NOT WAIT to file taxes; use estimated #s).

5. If possible, submit OSAC scholarship application & apply for outside scholarships all through the winter and early spring.

6. Return any additional information requested by schools as soon as possible.

7. Wait for award letters (most won’t come out until mid-March for private schools, and April for state schools).

Scholarship Scams

They usually charge money (ranging from $5 to $1000) and say they can guarantee you will receive a scholarship.
Another scam is that they’ll say they can get you funding up to the cost of your education.

No one ever gets their money back, and they almost NEVER get more money than if they simply applied to the schools for financial aid (which is free).

See our list of websites for more info on Scholarship Scams!



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