5 Tips to Help You Access Government Money for School

Whether you are looking to earn a degree for yourself or you will soon be sending your teens off to college (or both), you should know that there are programs in place to help struggling parents pay for higher education.

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form will use your most recent tax filing to determine whether or not you are eligible to receive government funding for your children or yourself.  And in most cases, colleges require this process to be complete before they will offer additional scholarships.

So if you’re seeking ways to get help with the astronomical costs of college these days, here are just a few tips to help you take advantage of what FAFSA has to offer.

1. Be accurate.  The government can be unforgiving when it comes to mistakes.  Because the FAFSA office receives so many applications each year from students seeking financial aid, they’re probably happy to reject forms that are missing information or contain discrepancies.  The onus is on you to provide data that is correct, so make your list and check it twice so you don’t have to face a rejection letter.  And P.S.: fudging is not only frowned upon, it is actually a federal offence, so don’t get lazy on the paperwork!
2. Be punctual.  Nothing good will come from turning in your application late.  You will not be considered for federal financial aid and you may even lose the chance to receive funding or admission from your college of choice.  Plus, no school wants to help people who don’t seem willing to help themselves.
3. Be forthcoming.  There will be circumstances in which the numbers aren’t enough to outline your financial situation.  For example, they may not demonstrate that you’re a single mother whose ex-husband refuses to pay child support, that you’re drowning in medical bills, or that you recently joined the growing ranks of the unemployed.  By simply calling or writing the FAFSA office you may be able to arrange a reassessment of your financial situation or even find a way to secure the funding you need for college.
4. Be polite.  You’ll attract more bees with honey than vinegar, so don’t take out your frustrations on the people who are there to help you.  Whether your paperwork has been delayed for some reason or you are trying to negotiate more funds, you need to keep in mind that those who work for FAFSA are interested in helping people go to college.  And if they like you there’s a much greater chance they will do their job to the best of their abilities.
5. Be prepared.  It is surprising how many people don’t know the difference between scholarships, grants, and loans, all three of which may be offered through FAFSA.  All you really need to understand at the outset, though, is that loans have to be repaid while scholarships and grants are free.  In addition, anything you receive from the government may be supplemented by your school of choice, so check college rankings to find the schools that will best suit your needs and that tend to offer more aid on average (and don’t forget to look into top online colleges, many of which are accredited schools).  Once you have received an approval of funds from FAFSA you should be able to send everyone in your family to college, including yourself, but you need to be proactive to find the best deals.

• Bio
• Latest Posts

Samantha Gregory

Editor at Rich Single Momma

Samantha Gregory has been encouraging single moms to learn how to thrive and not just survive the single mom journey. She is a coach, mentor, writer, mobile app developer, and mom of two. Hire her for your next project by calling 404-939-6179 or email samantha at richsinglemomma.com. Connect with her on Twitter, Facebook, Google+, and Pinterest.

Latest posts by Samantha Gregory (see all)

• Help Your Georgia Schools Win $10k with #TrueBlueSchools - Sep 26, 2013
• How My Ninja Mom Moves Saves My Sanity - Sep 26, 2013
• Our Family Adventure to Universal Studios Orlando - Sep 10, 2013