If you want to qualify for financial aid, you start by filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (the FAFSA). This form gets the ball rolling on all federal, state, and institutional financial aid.

The FAFSA should be filled out as soon as possible after January 1 if you are starting school in the summer or fall. Many financial aid programs require that the FAFSA be completed and submitted no later than March 15 or no funds will be dispursed.

What would be your life after high school?

Graduating from high school is the moment of truth. You need to decide on the path that you will follow after your high school life. There are some who prefer to get a job right away instead of pursuing their respective college dreams while others will join the military as their service to the American people. But a majority of high school graduates are still undecided in terms of what career they will pursue after high school.

However, the most essential thing you need to remember is to do follow the path where God is leading you.

When you apply for financial aid for college, you will probably be given an award letter. This is a document which details how much money you will be given toward the cost of college. However, there are different components to the award letter, and you should be aware of how they will affect you.

The best thing in your award letter is the scholarships. These are given based on merit. For instance, an athletic scholarship is given to a football or cross country star who agrees to play on the school’s sports teams. At Division I schools, athletic scholarships cover tuition and fees, room, board, and books. The student basically only has to pay for his or her toothpaste.

Let’s face it, college is expensive. The cost of attendance at a community college is around $10,600 per year for a student living at home while a prestigious four year school can put you back $52,000 when everything is taken into account.

The cost of attendance is the measure of all of your expenses while attending school. This includes not only tuition and fees but also books, housing, food, transportation and other living expenses.