Additional Resources
On this page you'll find information about and links to resources on the topics of: FAFSA, Financial Aid and Scholarships, Choosing a College/Career, and More.
If you find an error on this page or if you have an additional resource which you believe should be added, Contact Us!
2022 Counselors Meeting Presentation
2021 COMMUNITY SCHOLARSHIP FAIR PRESENTATIONS
The presentations below were given during the 2021 Community Scholarship Fair.
FAFSA
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly known as FAFSA, is a form that students should fill out before every year of college in order to apply for federal grants, work-study, and loans. Colleges use FAFSA data to determine a student's federal aid eligibility and many states and colleges use FAFSA data to award their own aid. The main website for FAFSA information is www.FAFSA.gov.
Upon completing your FAFSA, you will be able to view your Student Aid Report (SAR). Some scholarships or colleges will require you to download and submit your SAR as a PDF. View directions about how to download and save your SAR here.
ILLINOIS-SPECIFIC FAFSA DETAILS:
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In Illinois, the FAFSA opens every year on October 1. Starting with the 2020-2021 school year, state law now requires all Illinois public high school seniors to complete either the FAFSA or the Alternative Application as a prerequisite for earning a high school diploma. Students who choose not to file an application must submit a waiver completed by their parent/guardian.
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In Illinois, students who are ineligible to apply for federal aid, specifically undocumented and transgender students, may apply for Illinois state aid by using the Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid. Completing the Alternative Application provides a pathway for these students to apply for MAP grants, Illinois' largest need-based grant program for low-income college students.
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Depending on application volume and the funds available in a given academic year, MAP grant funding is likely to be depleted before all eligible applicants are awarded. Students in Illinois are encourage to complete and submit the FAFSA or Alternative Application as soon as possible after October 1 each year.
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Illinois Student Assistance Commission: Illinois-specific agency that provides Illinois students with information and assistance to help make education beyond high school accessible and affordable.
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FinAid.org: Information on financial aid for college and tips on how to ease the burden of college expenses.
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MyinTuition.org: provides a personalized estimate of what it would cost an individual to attend college, including financial aid estimates.
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Scholarships.com: Expansive database of scholarships (3.7 million and counting) searchable by school, geography, major, interests, demographics, and more.
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FastWeb.com: Find scholarships, financial aid and FAFSA information, college and job search, and more.
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Cappex.com: Research schools, get scholarships, and understand where you fit at any stage of your college journey.
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Edvisors.com: A complete guide to private student loans. Compare lenders, determine which lenders will make loans to the school you plan to attend, make plans to repay or refinance existing loans, and more.
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CollegeBoard.org: Comprehensive source for college planning, including SAT/AP/CLEP info and prep, college search, scholarship search, career finder, and more.
FINANCIAL AID & SCHOLARSHIPS
CHOOSING A COLLEGE/CAREER
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College Navigator: Use a series of filters/options to refine a college search; make side-by-side comparisons of schools; build a map of the colleges in your search; and much more.
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CollegeBoard: Comprehensive source for college planning, including SAT/AP/CLEP info and prep, college search, scholarship search, career finder, and more.
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EducationQuest Foundation: Specifically designed for students in Nebraska but with many resources applicable to ALL students. Includes resources to help students as young as 6th grade prepare for attending college, including career exploration and planning, steps to take throughout high school to prepare for college, FAFSA tools, and more.
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College Rank: Customized search considering "the whole package" of a college, matching a degree program to specific student interests or characteristics related to the culture/experience provided by a particular institution.
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Cappex.com: Research schools, get scholarships, and understand where you fit at any stage of your college journey.
MORE RESOURCES
Presentation from the 2021 Counselors Meeting:
Print Resources available from the Rockford Public Library:
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Peterson’s How to Get Money for College 2021 - Reference copy - at Hart Interim Library
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Peterson's How to Get money for College 2020 - Circulating
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Peterson’s Scholarships, Grants & Prizes 2021 - Reference (at Hart Interim Library) and circulating copies
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Peterson's Scholarships, Grants & Prizes 2020 - Circulating
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Paying for College (Princeton Review 2020 ed.) - Circulating
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The Ultimate Scholarship Book 2020 and 2021 (by Gen Tanabe) - Circulating
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SavingForCollege.com: Free tools to help you start, track, and grow your child's college savings.
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Scholarship Tax Calculator: Determine if your scholarship/financial aid may be taxed and if so, how much it will be taxed.
Please Note: This page is updated frequently to add new resources and to update existing resources in order to ensure the accuracy of the information that is provided. However, the nature of online/digital resources and the financial aid landscape in general means that information changes rapidly. Links and dates may change, and available scholarships and aid may vary from year to year depending on a variety of factors. Users are encouraged to use caution when accessing information via third-party sources and in particular to never enter personal information without verifying the validity of the site in question. The inclusion of a resource on this page does not indicate endorsement of the source by Scholarships Northern Illinois.
If you find an error on this page or if you have an additional resource which you believe should be added, Contact Us!