College financial aid is out there and I will direct to the resources where you can get it!

Besides the Federal Student Aid, there are lots of other avenues to get College financial aid or to save money so you won't have a huge student loan when you graduate. You can think of financing your college education as an investment. Something that grows over time. However, you can get free money so you don't have to spend all your money (or your parent's) to pay for it.

Tuition and expenses were some of the biggest issues for me to consider when I was deciding which university I wanted to go to. Back then, I was not aware of all the free money available to students. So, I set out to find where I can get some. With that said, I would like to direct you to some College financial aid resources that I took advantage of (or wish I did) when I was in school.

Ok, so you've heard of scholarships before and you're probably thinking, "It's so difficult to get them." Qualifying for a scholarship that covers all your tuition and expenses is difficult because they are usually only available to a limited number of students. Guess what, you can be one of those students!

There are scholarships that are available in small chunks. These chunks add up and increase your College financial aid so you end up paying less for college. Here are some of the scholarship resources right in your school...

Extended Opportunity Programs and Services or EOP & S is a state-funded program that offers College financial aid through book grants, priority enrollment and many other benefits. There are many such programs in community colleges and universities and they may be called by different names (note: some states may not have them). The eligibility for these programs is based on students' information from the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). Aside from financial eligibility, a student may also qualify if they are deemed to have some disadvantage compared to other students. Some examples of these advantages are: being part of a minority group or first generation to go to college etc.

Most of the time, you don't have to have low income to qualify for these grants. In fact, I qualified to participate in this program during the time that I did not qualify for federal student aid. Sounds to good to be true? Not really because you do have to submit and keep up with their requirements to apply for the program as well as to stay in the program. But don't be afraid. These requirements are not difficult to do. In fact, they are designed to help you succeed. Click here to see what they are.

While you can apply for grants and scholarships, you may also choose to do some work to get additional College financial aid. Because you may lose valuable study time, you may pick-out part-time, summer jobs or internships that will possibly help you with your future career. As a result, you are getting other personal benefits besides the financial help. In this way, you're added benefits will make-up for the time you take away from studying.

What do I mean by this?

Let's say you want to major in business. You can find jobs or paid internships at a bank or a local merchant that may closely match your future job description. Now, you may think that you are learning very basic stuff during this time but your experience will build over time. This cumulative experience can make your resume look much better when you're a fresh college graduate compared to numerous other applicants in the same situation.

Click here for more information on the benefits of part-time jobs and/or internships.

There are many ways to save money for college and Uncle Sam makes it more attractive for parents (and relatives) to start a college fund for their kids. There are two tax-free ways to save for college. The Coverdell education savings account and the 529 college savings Plans.

Both plans have pros and cons depending on your family's situation. It might be too late for parents who have kids in high school to enroll in these plans due to their limitations. However, if the kids are still young, then one of these plans may be right for you.

As a student who is planning to go to college, this information may not help you right now. But, read on because it might help you when you have kids in the future.

These plans are similar to retirement plans but they are designed for funding a college education. Find out how their features differ from your parents' retirement plan by clicking on this education savings plan link.

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