Getting Your Hands on Free Money for College

FAFSA, eligibility, need analysis, meal plans, housing deposit...  If you’ve ever heard these words and broken out in a cold sweat, you might be the parent of a high school senior.

$37,990.  That’s not for four, not two, but one - one - year of college at a Minnesota private school my daughter hopes to attend.  The cost of public universities continues to climb significantly every year, too. 

My daughter is a senior in the Robbinsdale schools, and these kinds of numbers can keep us parents up at night praying for a miracle.  So barring divine intervention, most parents will be looking for financial aid.

You know all the Golden Valley schools have guidance counselors, but have you thought about contacting one of  them?  If my guess is correct, you'd love to reach out for help, but the whole process is so overwhelming, you're not even sure which question to start with first.

Here's some good news.  Golden Valley Patch is working on it.  We're talking with counselors at the Robbinsdale high schools, and we're working with college financial aid representatives to provide some concrete steps to navigate the financial aid labyrinth.

So help us help you.  I'll be posting some helpful advice next week, but in the meantime, we want to make sure we get your questions and concerns addressed.

What are you doing, or what have others done to successfully find, apply and receive scholarship money?  Where do you go to help navigate the thousands of scholarship applications, and what really pays off?

Whether you’re a senior writing yet another essay, a parent trying to cozy up to the financial aid representative or a veteran of this college aid process that can offer some advice, we want to hear from you!