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1. Scholarships: These are great because it's like a gift of money. You do not have to pay back scholarship money. There are plenty of academic and athletic scholarships available (based on current GPA and academic/athletic ability). Too many of them go unused because no one applies for them. The trick is to apply for all the scholarships you might be eligible for. This is

   Check out these sites:

   • Free scholarship information: http://www.college-scholarships.com/free_scholarship_searches.html
   • HOPE scholarship information: http://www.gsfc.org
   • Athletic scholarship information: http://www.gcic.peachnet.edu - The user ID is dadechs and the password is gcis1480. Look under the Financial Aid section.

   BEWARE! Signs that a scholarship search may be a scam:

   • "This scholarship is guaranteed or your money back."
   • "You can't get this information anywhere else."
   • "May I have your credit card or bank account number to hold this scholarship?"
   • "We'll do all the work."
   • "The scholarship will cost some money."
   • "You've been selected by a 'national foundation' to receive a scholarship." OR "You're a finalist in a contest." (that you never entered)

2. Grants: These are also considered 'free' because, again, you do not have to pay anyone back. You must apply for these as well. An example of a grant is the Fedral Pell Grant Award. This is based on family size and location. Ask the guidance counselors for more information.

   A good site for grant information that also leads to other sites is http://www.free-government-grant.com

3. Loans: It is very important to know that you must PAY BACK any loan you receive. There are many ways to set up your repayment system. You can repay the loan while you are in school or even wait until you graduate to begin repayment. Please note that it often takes years to repay a loan because you are not only repaying the original loan, but you are also repaying the interest on that loan. BE CAREFUL and read all the fine print.

4. Work Study: There is often a program set up by colleges where students can work on campus and earn money or work for a lesser fee on the college rate. Some job possibilities are working in the cafeteria, library or as an office assistant.

   Some other helpful sites:

   • To answer basic financial questions: http://www.finaid.org/
   • For anyone with any kind of disability, check http://vocrehabga.org

   There are additional funding sources available through your specific colleges and training institutions as well as from community sources.

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