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PAYING TUITION &
OTHER COSTS |
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Regardless of which college or
career school you choose, you’ll probably need help
paying for your tuition, fees, books, and living expenses.
You’re probably wondering how you’re going to
pay for these things. As we mentioned, the Department
of Education offers a variety of student financial aid
programs that can help, if you qualify.
SO, HOW CAN THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION HELP ME PAY
FOR SCHOOL?
Federal student aid includes grants, work-study, and loans.
You don’t have to pay back grants. Work-study allows
you to earn money for your education, and loans allow
you to borrow money for school. You’ll have to repay
any money you borrow. See(Federal
Pell Grants, Campus
Based Aid Programs, Stafford
Loans, and
PLUS Loans) for more detailed information on the
federal student aid programs.
You can learn about state programs by contacting your
state department of education (click
here for a list of phone numbers), and you can
learn about other programs by checking with your high
school counselor or the college or career school you plan
to attend. You also might want to use a search engine
on the Web with a key phrase such as “financial aid,”
“student aid,” or “scholarships.”
Or, check the reference section of your local library
under the same phrases.
WHAT ABOUT SCHOLARSHIP SEARCH
SERVICES THAT CONTACT ME?
Many private scholarship search services provide lists
of sources of financial assistance for which you may apply.
You should be aware that we do not evaluate private scholarship
search services. If you decide to use a service, you can
check its reputation by contacting the Better Business
Bureau or a state attorney general’s office.
HOW CAN I TELL THESE SEARCH SERVICES
AREN’T SCAMS? ARE THERE ANY SIGNS I SHOULD LOOK FOR?
Estimates show that families lose millions of dollars
to scholarship fraud every year. The College Scholarship
Fraud Prevention Act provides protection against fraud
in student financial assistance. The Federal Trade Commission
(FTC) cautions students to look for these telltale lines:
- “The scholarship is guaranteed or your money
back.”
- “You can’t get this information anywhere
else.”
- “I just need your credit card or bank account
number to hold this scholarship.”
- “We’ll do all the work.”
- “The scholarship will cost some money.”
- “You’ve been selected by a ‘national
foundation’ to receive a scholarship” or
“You’re a finalist” in a contest you
never entered.
Be careful when searching
for information
on student financial assistance.
Make sure information and offers are
legitimate. Don’t fall prey to fraud.
To file a complaint, or for free information,
call
1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357) or visit
www.ftc.gov/scholarshipscams
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