With college classes starting soon, ideally you have made all your payments and are ready to settle in. But if you are still looking for financial aid to help cover your tuition, you will have to move fast. Here are five strategies recommended by people who specialize in college admissions:
Contact your school's financial aid office
Call your school today to discuss your options with a financial aid officer, who can lay out funding options or direct you to the school's payment plan, if available. "They want the student, they are expecting the student, they have the deposit, they are holding a dorm for them, so they have a huge incentive to work things out for the student," said Donald Heller, provost and vice president of academic affairs at the University of San Francisco.
Submit a student-aid application
If you have not already, fill out and submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, which is used by the federal government, states and schools to determine what kind of aid might be available to you.
Since you are submitting it close to the start of the fall classes, you may have missed out on certain grants, scholarships or need-based aid, but federal loan options are still available. Appeal your financial aid offer
If your family's finances have taken a hit since you received a financial aid award, let your school know, since you could be eligible for more aid.
"They should say, this is what happened," said Lisa Sohmer, an independent college consultant in Los Angeles. "Find out if there's anything the financial aid office can do to help."
