Don’t fall for these myths about federal student aid and the application process!
Myth: “My parents make too much money, so I won’t qualify for aid.”
Reality: There is no income cut-off to qualify for federal student aid. Many factors—such as the size of your family and your year in school—are taken into account. Also, when you fill out the FAFSA, you’re also automatically applying for funds from your state. Don’t make assumptions about what you’ll get—fill out the form and find out.
Myth: “Only students with good grades get financial aid.”
Reality: While a high grade point average will help a student get into a good school and may help with academic scholarships, most of the federal student aid programs do not take a student’s grades into consideration.
Myth: “I don’t have good credit, so I can’t get a student loan.”
Reality: You don’t need to get a credit check for most federal student loans (except for Direct PLUS Loans). Also, you won’t need a cosigner to get a federal student loan in most cases.
Myth: “I’ll have to update my FAFSA® form after I file my taxes in the spring, won’t I?”
Reality: Nope! Just enter the tax information the form asks for—or better yet, transfer it directly from the Internal Revenue Service if you’re offered that option while applying—and you’re good to go. No need to update later.
Myth: “I didn’t qualify for financial aid last year, so filling out the FAFSA® form again is just a waste of time.”
Reality: It’s super important to fill out a FAFSA form every year you’re in college. Why? Because things can change. For instance, your school or state might create a new grant or scholarship, or the factors used to calculate your aid could change from one year to the next.
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- Emily Ethridge, Geneva College SFS Student Intern (sources: Federal Student Aid and Inceptia)
Opinions expressed in the Geneva Blog are those of its contributors and do not necessarily represent the opinions or official position of the College. The Geneva Blog is a place for faculty and contributing writers to express points of view, academic insights, and contribute to national conversations to spark thought, conversation, and the pursuit of truth, in line with our philosophy as a Christian, liberal arts institution.
Dec 13, 2019
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FASFA) deadline is approaching, therefore knowing what exactly you need to do before the deadline is critical to ensure you receive as much Financial Aid as possible. Filling out a FAFSA can seem like a daunting task, so we have broken it down for you.
Federal work study programs help students and colleges that often have more work to do than staff to do it. Work study is a great way to help pay for college and gain valuable professional experience. To find out more about how the work study program works, keep reading.
To encourage students to enter STEM education, Geneva is offering the Noyce Grant. The purpose of this grant is to provide students with financial assistance and stability during their pursuit of their STEM degree. The hope is to open students' minds to the possibility of using their STEM degree to teach in the K-12 grades in their future careers.
The Honors Program at Geneva College seeks out students who clearly exemplify a determination in their educational endeavors directly out of high school and throughout college. The program is designed to encourage students to continue the same academic excellence throughout their entire college career.
Though college can be stressful, it is still one of the many decisions that all people need to think about. Geneva College not only offers an amazing personalized education for prospective students, but they are willing to help all students financially to obtain a high-value degree.
So much financial aid for college depends on a completely filled out and signed Free Application for Federal Student Aid form (FAFSA). Avoid these five common mistakes to give yourself the best chance to get the money you need for a great college education.
With the promises of God as a model of authenticity and commitment, Geneva is happy to be a Preferred College Partner of The Pittsburgh Promise. This program promotes high educational aspirations among urban youth, funds scholarships for college, and fuels a prepared and diverse workforce in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania region.
Learn how you can maximize financial aid, even after you have started pursuing your degree!
Concerned with what it takes to reenter school? Whether you’re interested in pursuing a graduate degree or finishing a bachelor’s program, push those worries aside and learn about the flexibility and affordability available to adult learners.
Learn more about Geneva College.
Have questions? Call us at 724-847-6505.
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