Parents' Resources for College Funding

Links to Help with Financial Aid

Attending college in the United States is an expensive proposition. Providing children with an opportunity to pursue higher education is the second largest expenditure, after the purchase of a home, that many families face. Becker Academic, LLC, does not specialize in financial planning for college costs. We encourage you to obtain the services of a reputable and certified financial planner to meet this need. However, here are a few websites that may be helpful when it comes time to confront the battery of financial aid forms.

www.fafsa.ed.gov
The federal website for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which is required of every student wishing to be considered for aid at any college. The FAFSA uses the standardized federal methodology for calculating demonstrated need.

www.collegeboard.com
The website for the CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE, the aid application required by many colleges and universities. Because CSS/PROFILE relies on individual institutional methodologies for calculating need, colleges often arrive at different dollar amounts for the Expected Family Contribution (EFC). The website provides an estimator for EFC based on data input by the user.

www.easi.ed.gov
This is the US Department of Education website, with links to aid programs operated by state governments.

www.finaid.org
The National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators offers information on college funding, including Sec. 529 Plans, Education Tax Credits and tips to maximize eligibility.

www.fastweb.com
Students complete a questionnaire for potential scholarships at this free site.