Financial Aid and Scholarships: A PCL Pathfinder

As college costs continue to rise, the search for financial aid becomes more competitive. Students familiar with the sources of aid and the process by which to apply for it will find themselves at an advantage when it comes time to pay the bursar. Thousands of sources exist but only those students who fit the criteria are eligible to apply. This guide introduces researchers to some of the basic informational sources on the topic. The terms and phrases listed in the subject headings below can be used to search for more materials in the library's catalog and research databases. If you need further assistance, please ask a librarian.

College Board College Cost and Financial Aid Handbook . New York: College Entrance Examination Board. Annual. ISBN: 0874476976.
Provides the facts and figures needed to calculate the true costs at over 2,700 four-and two-year colleges. It includes itemized tuition and fee information; itemized charts of all student expenses; payment plan information; indexes of colleges offering merit, academic, and athletic scholarships.
REF 378.3 COL

College Money Handbook. Lawrencville, NJ : Peterson's. Annual. ISBN 0768915031.
Find information on federal grants, work-study programs, and other financial aid programs offered at more than 2100 four-year colleges and universities.
REF 378.3 PET

Peterson's College Money Handbook, 21st ed. Lawrenceville, NJ: Thomson/Peterson's, 1984– . Annual. ISBN: 0768912342.
Annually updated reference guide to more than 1,600 individual colleges' student financial aid appropriations. Contains a chart that shows actual, average costs of specific colleges.
REF 378.3097 PET

Scholarships, Fellowships, and Loans by S. Norman Feingold and Marie Feingold. Boston: Bellman, 1949– . Annual. ISBN: 0787634751.
Provides more than 3,700 sources of education-related financial aid and awards at all levels of study.
We do not own this title. You may find it at the Portage District Library and the Waldo Library at WMU.

FAFSA forms are available at the Reference Desk.

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College Board Online
www.collegeboard.com
Site is designed for teachers, educators, and parents. Offers information about colleges, admission tests, and scholarship information.

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

FastWeb
www.fastweb.com
College and scholarship search.

Federal Student Aid
http://studentaid.ed.gov
Provides resources to take you through steps to college success including: preparing for college, choosing the right school, applying to schools, finding funding to attend school, and repaying college debt.

Finaid
www.finaid.org
Established in the fall of 1994 as a public service. This award-winning site has grown into the most comprehensive annotated collection of information about student financial aid on the Web.

Free Application for Federal Student Aid, U.S. Department of Education
www.FAFSA.ed.gov
To apply for federal student financial aid, and to apply for many state student aid programs, students must complete a “Free Application for Federal Student Aid” (FAFSA).

IPEDS College Opportunities Online
http://nces.ed.gov/IPEDS/cool/Search.asp
Includes many ways to search nearly 7,000 colleges and universities in the United States by size, specialization, careers or trades.

Scholarship Scams, Federal Trade Commission
www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/edcams/scholarship/index.html
Learn tips on how to avoid scholarship scams.

Student Gateway to the United States Government
www.students.gov
Offers a variety of information for students including how to find the right college, apply for federal student financial aid, learn about military educational benefits, find a job or internship, and register for selective service.

The Student Guide
http://studentaid.ed.gov/students/publications/student_guide/2004_2005/english/index.htm
This guide explains student financial aid programs the U.S. Department of Education's Federal Student Aid (FSA) office administers.

Student Resources, Office of Postsecondary Education, U.S. Department of Education
www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ope/students.html
Lists financial assistance and scholarship programs for undergraduates and graduates.

“Winning the Financial Aid Game” by Sarah Breckenridge. Smart Money , October 30, 2002.
www.smartmoney.com/mag/index.cfm?story=nov02-college
Article details the college entrance and scholarship process with tips on how to find more money.

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