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The FAFSA, step by step
What the form asks for, who has to sign it, and what the schools see once you press submit.
Paying for school articles
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How grants work and who awards them
Federal, state and school grants, how each one is decided, and when one has to be paid back.
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How Federal Work-Study works
A work-study line on your aid offer is a chance to earn a paycheck, and here is how to turn it into a job.
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Subsidized and unsubsidized federal loans
The two Direct Loans most students are offered, how their interest works, and how to borrow only what you need.
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Reading a financial aid offer line by line
Sort each line into money you keep, money you earn and money you repay, then work out what is left to pay.
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Asking the aid office to take a second look
When your family's finances have changed since the tax year on the FAFSA, the aid office can review your case.
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State grants and the dates they keep
Each state runs its own grants with its own deadline, and some hand out funds until they run out.
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Finding scholarships without paying anyone
Free places to look for scholarships, the warning signs of a scam, and how to keep your applications organized.
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Keeping your aid from one term to the next
Satisfactory Academic Progress, the three things schools measure, and what to do if you fall short.
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Emergency grants and short-term help on campus
Ways a college can help when an unexpected cost threatens your ability to stay enrolled.