Funding Your Future
A Guide to Financial Aid
College costs money, but not as much as you might think. With the help of financial aid college can be affordable.
There are lots of financial resources available to help pay for your education beyond high school. The most common sources of financial aid are provided by the federal government, the state of Washington (for Washington residents), and colleges. In addition, financial aid is often available in the form of scholarships through private sources, like businesses, employers, and non-profit organizations, as well as civic, religious, and philanthropic groups.
FAFSA
Filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) makes your family eligible to be
considered for the different types of financial aid. Colleges use the data provided
in your FAFSA to determine your eligibility for
aid. Your financial need, as determined by
the college, is the difference between the
amount it will cost you to go to school--the
Cost of Attendance (COA)--and your family’s
Expected Family Contribution (EFC)
Visit www.bigfuture.collegeboard.org and