Financial Aid and Scholarships

• Financial Aid Applications
  • The FAFSA is the main financial aid application and is required to apply for federal and state grants and loans.
  • Current high school seniors can submit their FAFSA after October 1st of their senior year.
  • Be sure to use the application form named for the academic year in which you will be enrolled in college.
  • The FAFSA website (FAFSA.GOV) will NOT charge you to file the FAFSA and will not ask for credit card information.
  • The CSS PROFILE is required by specific colleges who seek more information about a student's finances than the FAFSA collects.
  • There is a fee to process and submit the PROFILE application.
  • Which colleges and scholarships require the PROFILE?
• FAFSA - Free Application for Federal Student Aid
• CSS PROFILE
• Institutional Forms - Check the financial aid pages of your colleges' websites for any forms they require in addition to the FAFSA.
• The Excelsior Scholarship - New York State's free tuition program for middle-income students for SUNY/CUNY colleges.
• NYS's Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) Application - Note: you must file your FAFSA before you're able to file the TAP application.

• Information about financial aid
  • Student Aid on the Web The federal government's student financial aid homepage.
  • Higher Education Services Corporation (HESC)  New York State's financial aid organization.  HESC oversees NYS's Tuition Assistance Program (TAP).
  • College Goal NY, a New York State Government website explains how to file the FAFSA in 3 steps.
  • New York State Financial Aid Administrators Association (NYSFAA)  New York's financial aid professional's website.  Look for video resources under the "Videos for Students" tab.
  • National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA) 
  • NYS Scholarship for Academic Excellence
  • FinAid.org
    • Maximizing Financial Aid - This article provides detailed information on ethical means by which you can increase your financial aid eligibility.
  • College Scorecard -- A federal website you can use to, among many things, estimate the cost of specific colleges based on household income level.
  • NET PRICE CALCULATORS - A college's published Cost of Attendance (sometimes called its sticker price) is not always what a student will be expected to pay.  Net Price is the amount that a student pays to attend an institution in a single academic year AFTER subtracting scholarships and grants the student receives.  Different colleges will have different policies and resources that affect the financial aid a student will receive.  Depending on your family's financial situation and the aid you qualifiy for, your net price could be significantly below the published sticker price.  You can estimate your Net Price by using a college's Net Price Calculator (NPC).  Every college and university is required to provide an NPC on its website.  Use this link to locate the NPC of a specific college or university.
  • Federal Aid Estimator-- Use this federal resource to estimate your Expected Family Contribution (EFC).  Colleges use your EFC, which is generated from information you submit on your FAFSA, to determine how much federal financial aid you will receive.
• Private Scholarship Resources
  • Guidance Office Scholarship List
  • Crary Foundation Scholarship Website
  • Poodles-Hanneford Scholarship Application for LG Alumni (see bottom of Scholarship List)
  • Student Aid on the Web Scholarship Information
  • U.S. Department of Labor's CareerOneStop Scholarship search**
  • Cappex.com**
  • FASTWEB Scholarship Match-Maker**
  • GoingMerry.com**
  • Scholarship Search by Sallie-Mae
  • CollegeBoard's Big Future Scholarship Search**
  • Scholarships.com**
  • Scholarshipamerica.org**
  • studentscholarshipsearch.com**
  • CollegeScholarship.org
  • Unigo Scholarship Database**
  • SchoolSoup providing students with connections to over $32 billion in scholarship awards.  College and career research as well.
  • Additional Scholarships, sorted by category, organized by Chamberofcommerce.org
  • Imagine-America Scholarship for Career Colleges
  • RAISE.ME -- A unique opportunity for students age 13 and up.  Receive "micro-scholarships" for your achievements in high school.
  • Scholarship Programs for high-achieving students with financial need
  • Questbridge
  • Jack Kent Cooke Foundation

 ** This scholarship site was mentioned in a Wall Street Journal article (01-06-2020) regarding how to find reliable scholarship leads.  The article included this comment. "There are many ways students can look online for free money for college beyond opportunities made available through their local high school.  Here is a sampling of several comprehensive and free search engines recommended by college counselors.  Keep in mind that some of these resources may share students' information with third parties, so those who are concerned should check the privacy policy of each site."

SAMPLE SCHOLARSHIPS courtesy of GOING MERRY (See above for link):

• Other Resources

• EOP and HEOP Programs - available at most SUNY campuses (EOP) as well as numerous private NYS colleges (HEOP). Provide financial and academic support for qualified students.
• Financial Aid Related articles from CAPPEX.COM  select "Money" at www.cappex.com/articles
• New York State's 529 Savings Program
• U.S. News & World Report article:  "Colleges That Report Meeting Full Financial Need"