STUDENTS AND FAMILIES
Finances
Maximize financial aid and scholarships.
When you ask students and families their top concerns about college, their answer is usually the same: money. Whether you're concerned about out-of-pocket cost, loan debt, or simply the unknown, this collection of resources is here for you.
Understand college costs.
There are various kinds of college costs – direct costs such as tuition and room and board, and indirect costs such as books or gas – that may not be included in the price on a college's website. Be sure to understand both.
Don't miss out on federal aid.
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid is the number one source for help paying for college. Yet in 2015, $2.9 billion set aside for students went unclaimed! Make sure you don't miss this opportunity.
Apply for scholarships.
Scholarships are free money for college that you never have to pay back. There are thousands of sources for scholarships – let us help you find resources that work for you.
Understand student loans.
It’s normal to take on some debt during college. Understand the steps to paying it back and how to get the loans that cost you the least money over time.
Tools We Recommend
FINANCES
FAFSA
Federal funding is the largest source of financial aid. Apply for grants, loans, and other types of aid with this free application.
FINANCES
Texas Application for State Financial Aid (TASFA)
This form lets foreign students and noncitizens who have filed taxes apply for financial aid.
FINANCES
Federal Student Aid
Understand exactly how FAFSA funds are distributed and benefit students with this tool from the US Department of Education.
JOBS AND CAREERS | FINANCES
Texas Reality Check
Curious how your college and career path will impact your future income? How easy it will be to pay off student loans? Find out.
Important Dates and Deadlines
OCT
01
GRADE 12
FAFSA opens
OCT
01
GRADE 12
CSS PROFILE opens
JAN
15
GRADE 12
Dell Scholars Program Deadline
Jan
15
GRADE 12
Texas priority deadline for TASFA and FAFSA
All Resources for Finances
Middle School
College for All Texans
COLLEGE PLANNING | FINANCES
Find out your options on how to pay for college education costs. Understand tuition and fees, financial aid, and scholarships and loans.
Early High School
Resources to Share: National Merit Scholarship
BLOG
The fall is PSAT season, which means students have questions about the National Merit Scholarship. Often, students don’t fully understand why the PSAT is important, except as a practice for the SAT. We've created simple graphics that can help you guide your students.
Texas Reality Check
JOBS AND CAREERS | FINANCES
Curious how your college and career path will impact your future income? How easy it will be to pay off student loans? Find out.
Adventures in Education
FINANCES
Access financial aid information, money management tools, and scholarship opportunities as students prepare to pay for college.
Compare College TX
COLLEGE PLANNING
Compare College TX enables you to compare Texas public two- and four-year universities by cost, graduation rate, and more.
GenTX
COLLEGE PLANNING
Gain access to a collection of resources that help you and your student begin preparing for college in high school – including admissions, financial aid, and more.
College for All Texans
COLLEGE PLANNING | FINANCES
Find out your options on how to pay for college education costs. Understand tuition and fees, financial aid, and scholarships and loans.
BigFuture
COLLEGE PLANNING
Learn what colleges offer your major, where you can get in, how much schools cost, and more with this College Board resource.
Texas Career Check
JOBS AND CAREERS
Learn about hundreds of careers with this career search for high school students. Explore salaries, popularity, and more.
Launch My Career
JOBS AND CAREERS | FINANCES
Explore handy charts to compare your choice of school, career, and income to others. Research your college and career options
Late High School
Roadtrip Texas: Paying for College
FINANCES
Many students feel stress and apprehension about paying for college. In this video, students like you discuss the ways in which they tackled this problem, from school selection to scholarship applications and more.
Starting the Conversation: Financial Aid Award Letters
BLOG
As we leave 2018 FAFSA priority deadlines behind us, students are checking their portals and mailboxes for their financial aid award letters. As they gear up to make big decisions about their financial and educational future, here are a series of helpful terms and questions to help guide students through their award letters.
College Costs: Four Tips for Four Types
BLOG
As college acceptances and financial aid award letters start rolling in for high school seniors, families are beginning to count the cost of these postsecondary options. The cost of attendance for each college includes four main types of expenses. Understanding these types of expenses, some direct and some indirect, will help families decide whether a college is a financial fit and find ways to cut costs.
The Basics: Scholarship Applications
BLOG
Starting the scholarship process can be overwhelming for students! Here, we’ve organized our tips into four simple steps to get students started on their application process, with downloadable resources for students, parents, and educators.
Resources to Share: National Merit Scholarship
BLOG
The fall is PSAT season, which means students have questions about the National Merit Scholarship. Often, students don’t fully understand why the PSAT is important, except as a practice for the SAT. We've created simple graphics that can help you guide your students.
Access Additional College Scholarship Funds with CSS Profile
BLOG
In October, many college counselors and advisers are heads-down focused on helping students with FAFSA and TASFA applications. However, did you know students and families may qualify for additional financial aid through the CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE application? This application is used by 300+ colleges and scholarship providers and, like the SAT, is administered by the College Board.
TASFA: Help Texas Residents Access Financial Aid
BLOG
Undocumented and DACA-status students are often confused or frightened about how to seek financial aid. In today’s climate, students may have a particularly hard time seeking this sort of help from authority figures. As a Texas educator, you can assure students that in-state financial aid is available to all students who reside here, not just citizens.
Best Practices: FAFSA Resources
BLOG
Among young people who did not finish college, nearly seven in 10 have no idea what FAFSA is, according to a 2011 survey. This not only undercuts their ability to pay for, and complete, college. It also makes them vulnerable to scamming and other malicious acts.
THECB Student Loans
FINANCIAL AID
Since 1965, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) has provided low-interest student loans in Texas to Texas residents who are eligible to pay in-state tuition. Because THECB does not sell its loans, all loans are serviced at THECB until they are paid in full.
Texas Reality Check
JOBS AND CAREERS | FINANCES
Curious how your college and career path will impact your future income? How easy it will be to pay off student loans? Find out.
Adventures in Education
FINANCES
Access financial aid information, money management tools, and scholarship opportunities as students prepare to pay for college.
FAFSA
FINANCES
Federal funding is the largest source of financial aid. Apply for grants, loans, and other types of aid with this free application.
Federal Student Aid
FINANCES
Understand exactly how FAFSA funds are distributed and benefit students with this tool from the US Department of Education.
Texas Application for State Financial Aid (TASFA)
FINANCES
This form lets foreign students and noncitizens who have filed taxes apply for financial aid.
Compare College TX
COLLEGE PLANNING
Compare College TX enables you to compare Texas public two- and four-year universities by cost, graduation rate, and more.
GenTX
COLLEGE PLANNING
Gain access to a collection of resources that help you and your student begin preparing for college in high school – including admissions, financial aid, and more.
College for All Texans
COLLEGE PLANNING | FINANCES
Find out your options on how to pay for college education costs. Understand tuition and fees, financial aid, and scholarships and loans.
College Scorecard
COLLEGE PLANNING | FINANCES
Compare colleges and universities based on information such as average cost, graduation rate, and salary after graduation.
BigFuture
COLLEGE PLANNING
Learn what colleges offer your major, where you can get in, how much schools cost, and more with this College Board resource.
Texas Career Check
JOBS AND CAREERS
Learn about hundreds of careers with this career search for high school students. Explore salaries, popularity, and more.
Launch My Career
JOBS AND CAREERS | FINANCES
Explore handy charts to compare your choice of school, career, and income to others. Research your college and career options
Texas Wages
JOBS AND CAREERS | FINANCES
Help students explore the difference between future careers and how much they pay with this simple tool from the Texas Workforce Commission.
