Quick Steps to Financial Aid

1. Apply for the FAFSA (free)

   • Review our FAFSA information below.

2. Sign up with OSAC (free)

   • Review our OSAC information below.

3. Sign up for the College Board's CSS Profile (some cost)

   • Review our College Board's CSS Profile information below.

4. Apply for scholarships (free)

   • Local scholarship are posted here.

5. Apply for financial aid at your college of choice (free)

   • Many colleges have money set aside specifically for financial aid of students attending their college. Check with the college of your choice's admissions about additional aid.

4 Types of Financial Aid

• Grants - Free money from the government

• Scholarships - Free money from private organizations

• Loans - Money you borrow

  • Government Student Loans (Stafford, Perkins, etc.) “good debt”. Very Low interest rate, no payments due until 6 months faster you leave college. It’s easy to skip payments if you are unemployed, sick, etc.

  • Private Student Loans (from banks) - “not-so-good debt” High interest rates banks are aggressive if you can’t make a payment.

• Work Study - Financial aid you work for (student jobs on-campus). They’re great jobs for students because they’re so flexible (you work for a few hours between classes, you can take time off easily if you need to study for a test, etc.)

Karyn Barats
Scholarship Coordinator
Counseling Secretary
541-482-8771 ext. 2114
Karyn.Barats@ashland.k12.or.us
Available Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 am - 3:00 pm.
Meeting by appointment during office hours.
Contact via email, phone, or Teams to schedule an appointment.

Jennifer Marsden
College & Career Center
ASPIRE Coordinator
541-482-8771 ext. 2115
Jennifer.Marsden@ashland.k12.or.us
Available Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 am - 4:00 pm.
Meeting by appointment during office hours.
Contact via email, phone, or Teams to schedule an appointment.

Katie Howett
College Dreams Representative
khowitt@collegedreams.org
Contact via email or phone to schedule an appointment.