Applying for College Financial Aid

Applying for College & Financial Aid December 3, 2019

How many schools should you apply to?

We recommend applying to at least three schools. This strategy gives you options so you can compare financial aid awards, and you have a backup in case Plan A falls through. Put at least one of each of these schools on your list:

• A safety school's where you're confident you'll be accepted. (In Iowa, community colleges are open-admission, which means they accept any student with a high school diploma or equivalent.)
• A target school's which you know is a solid possibility based on your GPA and test scores.
• A stretch school's (also called a dream school or reach school ), which might have an extremely low admission rate or might simply be a school where your statistics are slightly below the usual range. Don't sell yourself short. Outstanding essays or letters of recommendation might nudge you onto the accepted list.

What is Work-Study?

Federal Work-Study provides part-time jobs for college students with financial need, allowing you to earn money for education expenses. The program encourages community service work and work related to your course of study.

Participating schools administer Work-Study programs, but you must apply for the job yourself. Jobs are generally filled on a first-come, first-served basis, so apply as early as you can. If you qualify for Work-Study based on your FAFSA, your school will include it in your award letter. Learn more here.

6 tips to make friends in college

1. Make the most of your campus experience. If you live on campus, dorms are filled with other freshmen going through a similar, huge life transition. They're also nervous about making new friends and are open to new relationships. Leave your door open to encourage people to stop by. If you live off campus, stick around after class; making friends is hard if you always head straight home.
2. Be yourself. Other people can't get to know you if you aren't being yourself. Trust us, someone will share your interests and personality, but you won't find them if you aren't honest about who you are.
3. Take initiative. Instead of just saying hi, invite people out to dinner. Be the person who organizes fun activities. Say yes to invitations as much as you can. Take advantage of opportunities to meet people.
4. Join student clubs. A mistake freshmen often make is waiting too long to get involved. Joining a club or organization with people who have similar interests is an amazing way to make friends. Studies show that students involved with extra curriculars earn better grades and have higher levels of happiness.
5. Be nice! We don't mean being a people pleaser and phony laughing. People want to know you're genuinely interested in them.
6. Don't panic if it doesn't happen immediately. Plan to spend some time alone so you're not discouraged. Make a list of TV shows, movies, and books for your first couple of months. We bet you'll make friends before you finish the list!