For a lot of students, a task that is even more intimidating than college itself is working out out how to apply for a student loan. While the paperwork may seem intimidating and complicated at first, there are many resources available to assist you through the process. Many colleges and universities are switching over to online form submission, which makes it even easier for most people.
The number one step to applying for a student loan is to fill out the standard application to get federal student assistance. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is available online for convenient electronic submission, or is available as a paper form from many guidance counselors. Once you have submitted the form, it will be evaluated and you will obtain a Student Aid Report that profiles your eligibility for the most common types of federal student aid. You could be eligible for other types of federal aid also, so be sure to check out other available programs as well.
Depending on the amount of federal student aid you will be awarded, you may have to get more aid to handle all of your college expenses. A common method of doing so is to search out and apply for...