Financial Aid Information
Financial Aid helps students and families pay for college and is available from a variety of sources. Student aid includes grants, scholarships, work-study jobs, and various types of student loans.
Students may apply for Financial Aid for all accredited post-secondary education programs. Each program has a different deadline, so please plan ahead.
Financial Aid Resources
Download the GHS School Counseling Department's PowerPoint slideshow on the Financial Aid Process Here.
Visit the Federal Student Aid's website for more information on understanding Financial Aid (via the U.S. Department of Education).
Types of Financial Aid Forms
There are three (3) main types of forms to be aware of for Financial Aid:
- Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) - studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa
Completing the FAFSA Form is FREE!
The form must be completed online after October 1 of each school year.
Both the student and parent must have a Financial Aid Username & Password. - CSS Profile - cssprofile.collegeboard.org
Check with individual colleges to see if they require the CSS Profile. This form is mainly for private institutions & includes more detailed financial aid information than FAFSA. - Institutional Forms
Check with the individual schools once you submit your application to see if they have supplemental financial aid forms they require.
The sites above will allow students to access both "free money" such as grants & merit aid, along with low-cost federal loans.
Scholarships
Please note that all students pursuing post-secondary education should also apply for scholarships through Naviance, as well as searching online for additional scholarships they qualify for, through websites such as fastweb.com and bestcolleges.com.