Financial Aid for Students: Print and Web Guides

Financial Aid for Students: Print and Web Guides

Order Code RS20832
Updated November 2, 2004
CRS Report for Congress
Received through the CRS Web
Financial Aid for Students:
Print and Web Guides
Lisa Mages
Information Research Specialist
Information Research Division
Summary
This list of books and Web addresses is intended to help students locate financial
aid. Students themselves are in the best position to determine which aid programs they
may be qualified for and which best meet their needs. This list includes both general
and comprehensive works, as well as ones targeted toward specific types of aid and
circumstances (e.g., non-need-based scholarships, female and minority students, or
students studying abroad). The works cited should be considered as samples of the types
of guides available through libraries, high school guidance offices, college financial aid
offices, and the Web. Many libraries provide access to the Internet and the Web for
public use. This report will be updated annually.
Planning for College
Coalition of America’s Colleges and Universities. College Is Possible.
[http://www.collegeispossible.org/]
One-step resource guide for parents, students, and education professionals regarding
preparing for, selecting, and paying for college. Includes overview of student aid
programs, FAQs, and a glossary of terms.
College Board.
[http://www.collegeboard.com/]
Complete guide to the college application process, including finding the right colleges
and financial aid, preparing for the SAT and other tests, and exploring career options.
Includes search function for undergraduate scholarships, loans, internships, and other
financial aid programs from non-college sources.
College Cost and Financial Aid Handbook. New York: College Entrance Examination
Board, 2004.
Compares costs and financial aid available at more than 3,000 four- and two-year
colleges.
Congressional Research Service ˜ The Library of Congress

CRS-2
Greene, Howard R., and Matthew W. Greene. Paying for College: The Greene’s Guide
to Financing Higher Education. New York: St. Martin’s Griffin, 2004.
Offers 10 principles designed to help families of every income level and at every stage
of preparation for college plan a strategy for paying for college.
Hurley, Joseph F. The Best Way to Save for College: A Complete Guide to 529 Plans.
Pittsford, NY: BonaCom Publications, 2004.
Comprehensive guide to 529 plans (Qualified Tuition Programs) and other college
savings strategies. Includes state-by-state comparisons of all 529 programs.
Kristoff, Kathy. Taming the Tuition Tiger: Getting the Money to Graduate. Princeton,
NJ: Bloomberg Press, 2003.
Tools and strategies for saving, investing, and managing taxes to cover all levels of
education costs, including 529 plans, Coverdell Education Savings Accounts, UGMAs
(Uniform Gifts to Minors Accounts), IDAs (Individual Development Accounts) for
low-income families, student loans, and public and private scholarships.
LaVeist, Thomas, and Will LaVeist. 8 Steps to Help Black Families Pay for College.
New York: Random House, 2003.
Step-by-step guide to finding the right school and understanding and applying for
financial aid.
Mapping Your Future.
[http://www.mapping-your-future.org/]
Sponsored by a group of guaranty agencies who participate in the Federal Family
Education Loan Program (FFEL), this site covers selecting a school and planning a
career and includes a step-by-step guide to paying for school.
Paying for College Without Going Broke. New York: Princeton Review Publishing,
2004.
Features instructions for the most commonly used need-analysis forms, long-term
strategies for paying for college, and short-term strategies for receiving more financial
aid.
General Directories and Search Engines
Cassidy, Daniel J. The Scholarship Book. New York: Prentice Hall Press, 2004.
Guide to 4,000 private sector sources for scholarships, grants, and loans, including
corporations, unions, trust funds, religious and fraternal organizations, and private
philanthropists.
College Board. Scholarship Search.
[http://apps.collegeboard.com/cbsearch_ss/welcome.jsp]
Database of more than 2,300 funding sources, including scholarships, internships,
grants, and loans.
College Money Handbook. Princeton, NJ: Peterson’s, 2004.
Profiles of the financial aid programs of more than 2,100 four-year colleges in the
United States as they relate to undergraduates in general and to freshmen in particular.
Includes indexes for non-need scholarships, athletic grants, ROTC programs, tuition
waivers, and alternative tuition payment plans, along with listings of state scholarship
and grant programs.

CRS-3
FastWeb, Inc. FastWeb Scholarship Search.
[http://fastweb.monster.com/]
Matches students with eligibility requirements for more than 600,000 scholarships
from around the country based on profile data entered by the student.
Grants Register 2005. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2004.
Comprehensive survey of non-refundable awards for postgraduate, professional, and
advanced vocational training throughout the world. Awards are indexed by subject
and subdivided into eligibility by nationality.
Kantrowitz, Mark. FinAid! The SmartStudent Guide to Financial Aid.
[http://www.finaid.org]
Comprehensive website listing federal, state, and private loans, scholarships, military
aid, student profile-based aid, and aid for graduate and professional school. The site
includes financial aid forms and calculators, FAQs about financial aid, and an e-mail
link for personalized help.
McKee, Cynthia Ruiz, and Phillip C. McKee, Jr. Cash for Graduate School: The
Ultimate Guide to Graduate School Scholarships. New York: Harper Collins, 2004.
More than 2500 entries for scholarships and grants, along with a step-by-step guide
through the entire application process and sample resumes, letters, schedules, forms,
and charts.
Michigan State University. Grants for Individuals.
[http://www.lib.msu.edu/harris23/grants/3electro.htm]
Sponsored by the Michigan State University Libraries, this site indexes grants by
academic level, population group, and academic subject.
Rosen, David, and Caryn Mladen. Free $ for College for Dummies. New York: Wiley,
2003.
How to find scholarships, grants, and other “free money.” Advice on applying for
federal grants, participating in state tuition plans, competing for scholarships from
private organizations, and finding financial aid from unlikely sources.
Sallie Mae (Student Loan Marketing Association). College Answer: The Planning for
College Destination.
[http://www.collegeanswer.com/index.jsp]
Sallie Mae is the nation’s largest provider of education loans, primarily through the
federally guaranteed Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFEL). This
comprehensive website covers all stages of preparing for and financing a college
education and includes a database of more than 2.4 million scholarships.
Schlachter, Gail, and R. David Weber. Kaplan Scholarships, 2005. New York: Simon
& Schuster, 2004.
Covers only portable undergraduate scholarships worth at least $1,000.
Scholarship Almanac. Princeton, NJ: Peterson’s, 2004.
Details on the 500 largest scholarship programs in the United States and Canada and
profiles of state-sponsored scholarship programs.

CRS-4
Scholarship Resource Network Express.
[http://www.srnexpress.com/index.cfm]
Database of over 8,000 scholarship programs for undergraduate and graduate students.
Includes student loan forgiveness programs.
Scholarships, Grants, and Prizes. Princeton, NJ: Peterson’s, 2004.
List of more than 1.7 million awards available from private sources, including
foundations, corporations, and religious and civic organizations. Awards are listed
by academic/career area; indexing includes by talent, academic performance, ethnic
heritage, military service, and employment experience.
Tanabe, Gen S., and Kelly Y. Tanabe. Get Free Cash for College: Secrets to Winning
Scholarships. Los Altos, CA: SuperCollege, LLC, 2004.
Both a how-to manual and a comprehensive scholarship directory, indexed by
academic major and state of residence.
U.S. Department of Education. Student Financial Assistance.
[http://studentaid.ed.gov/PORTALSWebApp/students/english/index.jsp]
General information on the major federal student aid programs, including grants,
loans, work-study assistance, and tax credits. Describes loan deferment, cancellation,
and consolidation, and dealing with loans that are in default. The site includes an
electronic application form.
Vuturo, Chris. The Scholarship Advisor. New York: Random House, 2003.
In addition to listing more than 18,000 scholarships, this source walks the reader
through the application process and includes guidance on writing letters, essays, and
personal statements and on interviewing.
International
Council on International Educational Exchange.
[http://www.ciee.org/study/scholarships.aspx]
Information on scholarships offered directly by the council and links to financial aid
offered through other sources, including the International Student Loan Program,
Rotary International, and the National Security Education Program.
Institute for International Education.
[http://www.iie.org]
International exchange and training programs around the world administered by the
Institute for International Education, including the Fulbright Program.
Kantrowitz, Mark. eduPASS! The SmartStudent Guide to Studying in the USA.
[http://www.edupass.org/]
Resources for foreign students who wish to study in the United States, including a free
scholarship search service and information on financing college, passports and visas,
English as a second language, and the college admission process.
Schlachter, Gail Ann, and R. David Weber. Financial Aid for Study and Training
Abroad, 2004-2006. El Dorado Hill, CA: Reference Service Press, 2004.
Financial aid programs for U.S. citizens for study and training abroad at all levels:
high school, undergraduate, graduate, postdoctoral, and professional.

CRS-5
Disabled Students
HEATH Resource Center. Creating Options: Financial Aid for Students with Disabilities.
[http://www.heath.gwu.edu/PDFs/Finaid2004.pdf]
Comprehensive guide to financial aid in the form of grants, loans, work-study, and
scholarships, published annually.
Schlachter, Gail Ann, and R. David Weber. Financial Aid for the Disabled and Their
Families, 2004-2006. El Dorado Hills, CA: Reference Service Press, 2004.
List of scholarships, fellowships/grants, loans, grants-in-aid, awards, and internships
designed primarily or exclusively for persons with disabilities and members of their
families. Includes information on state financial aid, loans, and vocational
rehabilitation services.
Women and Minority Students
Getting Money for College: Scholarships for African-American Students. Princeton, NJ:
Peterson’s, 2003.
Guide to more than 17,000 scholarship awards geared specifically toward African-
American students.
Hispanic Scholarship Fund.
[http://www.hsf.net/]
The Hispanic Scholarship Fund offers scholarships to U.S. citizens or legal permanent
residents of Hispanic heritage.
Schlachter, Gail Ann. Directory of Financial Aids for Women, 2003-2005. El Dorado
Hills, CA: Reference Service Press, 2003.
List of scholarships, fellowships, loans, grants, awards, and internships designed
primarily or exclusively for women. Includes information on state financial aid and
guaranteed loan programs.
Schlachter, Gail Ann, and R. David Weber. RSP Minority Funding Set, 2003-2005. El
Dorado Hills, CA: Reference Service Press, 2003.
Four-volume set covering scholarships, grants, fellowships, awards, loans, and prizes
open specifically to African, Asian, Hispanic, and Native Americans.
United Negro College Fund.
[http://www.uncf.org/scholarship/index.asp]
Covers scholarships awarded by the UNCF and includes an additional scholarship
database searchable by major, classification, achievement, and state.
Other Specialized Aid
AFL-CIO. Help with College Costs.
[http://aflcio.org/familyfunresources/collegecosts/]
Describes scholarships available from national and international unions, state labor
federations, central labor councils, and local unions.

CRS-6
Association of American Medical Colleges. Financing Your Medical Education.
[http://www.aamc.org/students/financing/start.htm]
Scholarships and government and private loans for pre-med and medical students and
for residents.
Law School Admission Council. Financial Aid for Law School.
[http://www.lsac.org/LSAC.asp?url=lsac/financial-aid-introduction.asp]
Covers federal and private loans, scholarships and grants from individual law schools
and private sources, and loan repayment options.
Need a Lift? To Educational Opportunities, Careers, Loans, Scholarships, and
Employment. Indianapolis: American Legion, 2004.
Focuses on federal, state, and private aid for veterans and their dependents.
Sports Scholarships and College Athletic Programs. Princeton, NJ: Peterson’s, 2004.
Details on athletic programs at more than 1,300 four-year colleges and universities.
Covers all NCAA-sanctioned sports for both male and female athletes.
Tanabe, Gen S., and Kelly Y. Tanabe. 501 Ways for Adult Students to Pay for College.
Los Altos, CA: SuperCollege, LLC, 2004.
Scholarships geared specifically to adult students, along with information on employer
assistance programs, retraining programs, academic credit for life experiences, tax
benefits, military education benefits, and loan forgiveness programs.
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
[http://www.gibill.va.gov/education/benefits.htm]
Education benefits available to honorably discharged veterans, members of reserve
elements of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard, and
members of the Army and the Air National Guard. Also covers educational assistance
for survivors and dependents.
U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration, Division of Student Assistance.
[http://bhpr.hrsa.gov/dsa/]
Loan, scholarship, and faculty loan repayment programs for students in the health
professions.
U.S. Office of Personnel Management. e-Scholar.
[http://www.studentjobs.gov/e-scholar.asp]
Provides information on educational opportunities offered by federal departments and
agencies, including scholarships, grants, fellowships, internships, and cooperative
education programs.