After talking with 200 parents and students yesterday evening at a local Sacramento area College Fair about financial aid, I wanted to offer additional advice, as families continue working to fund rising college expenses. Then, the general sense of nervous anticipation about the expense of college amongst last night’s group can be used to fuel each family’s planning efforts.
Financial aid is a catch-all term, which if misinterpreted can create additional confusion within an already complex process to funding annually rising college expenses. Seeking as much information as possible from reliable internet sources, other families who’ve experienced the financial aid process, various colleges’ financial aid officers, a high school counselor, financial advisors, tax accountants, and independent college admissions consultants can help families learn the process, so no opportunities are missed to help pay for college. Then, when families are educated about the financial aid process, as well as the various forms of aid, and have a sense of their individual fiscal situation, any strategizing to pay for college costs can be more focused. There is no too early or too late when planning for college costs, for families to find the greatest value education for their children’s future.
