Financial Aid & ScholarshipsAll financial aid is need-based, with the student filing his FAFSA (and, for some colleges, College Scholarship Service Profile) after October 1 of the senior year. The FAFSA qualifies a student for federal loans, and FAFSA and CSS are used to determine grants and loans the college might award.
Scholarships are generally not need based but awarded on the basis of academic or athletic merit. In general, the most selective colleges do not award merit scholarships, but many other colleges do.
There are also private scholarships that students can explore. Some of these sites are listed here:
“As a mother, I consider myself extremely fortunate to have had the opportunity to work with Sarah Reese on my daughter’s college admissions process. Her unique perspective and mastery of the selective college admissions process was invaluable. Sarah developed a rapport with my daughter that was very helpful in identifying the right colleges for her. She took the time to understand who she was and where she wanted to be in the future. Once they decided on what schools to apply to, Sarah was actively involved and instrumental in guiding our family through the college admissions process. My daughter was accepted to her first choice through the early decision process with a full tuition scholarship. Additionally, Sarah formulated a very thoughtful back up plan for the other schools of interest. Through her wisdom and guidance, Sarah significantly reduced the stress of a very complex and dynamic process. We are deeply grateful for all of her guidance.”
M.S., Miami, FL daughter attending Syracuse University