Transfer Tip #8: Make them show you the money

Here's ELIfe's weekly transfer tip from Dr. Glenn DuBois:

Make them show you the money. Fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) if you have not done so already. Call the university admissions office to see if it has scholarships set aside for transfer students—many institutions do. Make sure that you meet all of the deadlines for financial aid. Otherwise, you might miss out on assistance that is available to you. (Source)

One of the biggest considerations involved in choosing a transfer school is cost. Here are some helpful resources for arranging financial aid:

• First, if you are a Virginia resident you may be eligible for Virginia's Two Year College Transfer Grant. Learn more about eligibility and awards here from VAWizard. 
• Also, the Federal Student Aid website or Student Aid on the Web provides excellent guides to walk you through the financial aid process (see especially Understanding Grants and Loans). For text based instructions on completing your FAFSA, go here. If you're more of an audio/visual learner, go here. 
• Finally, try the scholarship search and financial aid calendar and find more articles about paying for college at Collegeboard.com.

And here's a tip to share with your friends (from Student Aid on the Web): 

The official FAFSA is at www.fafsa.gov - not at a .com Web site. If you go to a .com site, you will probably be asked to pay to submit the FAFSA. Remember, the first F in "FAFSA" stands for "Free" - so use the official government site to submit your application.

Don't forget to check with your transfer school's admissions office for more scholarship opportunities.