St. Charles North High School

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Since financial aid related information fills up books, we highly recommend you do the following to best prepare for paying for college: First, begin to explore some of the web sites at the bottom of the page. All are excellent, however, some will meet your needs better than others. Second, attend a financial aid night (Note that the Fox Valley Financial Aid Night occurs at Geneva High School in early December; our school also hosts a Financial Aid Night here at St. Charles North High School in early January.) Both of these will feature financial aid experts explaining the process in a way you will be able to understand. Third, talk to people who have been through the process and/or have knowledge about it. This could mean a friend, a colleague, or your child's counselor. Last, but not least, begin now. Don't wait or put it off any longer. Yes, this process can be a bit overwhelming, but will become more manageable as you begin learning more. Good luck! To get you started, here is some basic financial aid information.

Most financial aid comes from the college or university your son or daughter chooses to attend. However, some financial aid will come from outside agencies such as the American Legion, banks, insurance companies and churches. St. Charles North High School will also offer over 80 scholarships to seniors from district 303.

 

There are four types of financial aid assistance:

1. Scholarships - These are monetary awards that don't have to be paid back. These are usually based on grades, ethnicity, athletics, or a special attribute such as a personal characteristic or relationship (ie. for children of a parent who works at a particular place of business).

2. Grants - These awards also do not need to be paid back and are based on need.

3. Loans - These are funds loaned to a student through a lending institution with reasonable interest rates. Once the student graduates, s/he begins to make monthly payments towards the full loan amount.

4. Work Study Programs - This involves the student getting a guaranteed job while enrolled in school, with the money going towards his/her education.

 

FINANCIAL AID / SCHOLARSHIPS WEBSITES

The guidance office staff has provided this resource, which contains useful information pertaining to financial aid as a convenience so that students and parents can plan effectively for college. St. Charles North High School and District 303 do not endorse any of these sites or the services they offer, and is not responsible for any information, or misinformation, contained in these sites. Please note that additional information, and assistance, can be found in the guidance office.

College Illinois - http://www.collegeillinois.com
Here, one can discover more about planning financially for a post-secondary education, including the 529 prepaid tuition plan, which allows one to lock in the current cost of tuition and fees for college.

FAFSA on the Web - http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/
All college-bound seniors should apply for financial aid using this form after January 1st. FAFSA on the web contains the electronic application utilized by all colleges and universities throughout the country. To discover where helpful workshop sessions are located (usually in February), visit http://www.faam.org.

Fastweb - http://www.fastweb.com
Contains a free scholarship search database; will e-mail new scholarships to student’s mail box.

Federal Trade Commission - http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/alerts/ouchalrt.htm
Site provides information on what to look out for in regards to scholarship scams.

The Financial Aid Information Page - http://www.finaid.org/scholarships/scams.phtml
Quality page of links to many financial aid sites, including scholarships, loans, and scam alerts. Check out the
useful frequently asked question area.

Go College - http://www.gocollege.com
This website provides college and scholarship searches as well as practice ACT and SAT tests.

Illinois Student Assistance Commission - http://www.collegezone.com
Our state’s own valuable resource for students and parents to remain up-to-date as to the latest financial aid news and changes; one can also find college planning information, perform scholarship searches, and use a financial aid estimator.

Sallie Mae - http://www.salliemae.com
A comprehensive on-line resource for planning and paying for college. The various areas will provide answers to many of your questions, including scholarship scams, finding the right college, loans, etc.

 

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