Students Montage
About Financial Preparedness

While finances should never get in the way of a college education, Grosse Ile is aware that money matters. The two main financial considerations for higher education are tuition fees and living costs, and these can vary vastly from college to college. Careful research and preparation can help you find financial aid from many sources: the government, grants, scholarships, and the universities themselves.

While considering a college, ask yourself--

 

  • Can my parents afford to pay for any or all of my college experience?
  • What grants, loans, and scholarships am I eligible for?
  • How do I apply for a student loan?
  • Should I consider a private or public college?

Most students need financial help to some degree, whether from parents or outside sources. Grosse Ile University Bound Financial Readiness has resources to help you best handle the financial burden of university life.


 

 

Financial Preparedness

First Steps to Financial Preparedness


National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators
Understanding College Costs
Average College Prices
Award Analyzer
Federal Student Aid
US Government Comprehensive Student Finance Guide


Tuition Tools


Student loan comparison tool to help students and their families make informed borrowing decisions.


Simple Tuition


Financial Terms


Glossary of Terms (US Dept. of Education)


Tuition Calculators


Student Loan Calculator
College Financing Calculators
4 Calculators for College Costs
Interactive Savings Plan Calculators


Student Loans


Low interest loans offered by the federal government.


Applying for Federal Student Aid
Financial Aid Publications (US Dept. of Education)
College Board Student Loan Calculator
Financial Aid Forecasting Tool
Selecting a Financial Aid Package
Stafford Loans for Students


Military Scholarships


Higher education funds available to ROTC students and current military dependents


Military Financial Benefits
Financial Aid for Military Careers
Military Financial Aid Options & Explanations


Scholarships


Funds awarded by colleges, universities, government, or outside sources on the basis of academic merit or financial need. Scholarships are generally used to waive tuition or fees.


Scholarship Awards Database
National Merit Scholarship Programs PSAT/NMSQT Scholarship Qualifying Test
Free Online Scholarship Search
Athletic Scholarship Questionnaire
Avoiding Scholarship Scams
NAACP Scholarship Information Packet


Education Savings Plans


Savings plans operated by a state or educational institution designed to help families save for college. Participants may receive tax benefits if basic plan requirements are met.

529 College Savings Plans
Student College Savings Guide


Grants


Monetary aid for higher education that does not have to be repaid


Federal Education Grant Program
Federal Pell Grant


Work-Study Programs


Jobs (on or off campus) provided by the federal government for eligible college students with financial need.


Federal Work-Study Program


University Bound is modeled after the University Ready site in Plano, Texas and is covered under Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License.