College Options personnel offer a wide variety of financial aid services and are available to help you and your family determine how to maximize your potential for financial aid. All of our services are free of charge for North State families because of generous funding from local foundations. If you are looking for assistance please send us a message, give our office a call (530) 244-4022, or contact Brad Williams directly.
Services
- How need based financial aid works
- How to secure merit based aid
- An understanding of the 4 types of financial aid
- Grants Free Money
- Scholarships Free Money
- Work Study Earned Money
- Loans Borrowed Money
- An understanding of how to secure financial aid from the 3 primary sources
- Federal Government
- State Government
- Schools themselves
- Assistance in understanding and in filing a FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid)
- Help in understanding financial aid offers from schools
- What to do if you do not receive enough financial aid
- An understanding of the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) calculation
- How the Pell Grant works
- How the Cal Grant works
- What are the best loans to consider
- Where to look for scholarships
- What are considered “special circumstances”
- Financial aid options for foster youth
COVID-19 Latest Financial Aid News and Articles
Financial Assistance for DACA Recipients Amid the COVID-19 Crisis
Resources
AWARD OFFERS
BUDGET TOOLS
CAL GRANT
CALIFORNIA DREAM ACT
COLLEGE COMPARISONS
COLLEGE OPTIONS TOOLS
EXPECTED FAMILY CONTRIBUTION (EFC) CALCULATION
FAFSA
FEDERAL STUDENT AID 1-800-4-FED-AID (1-800-433-3243)
FINANCIAL AID APPOINTMENTS WITH COLLEGE OPTIONS STAFF
FINANCIAL AID OVERVIEW
FINANCIAL AID POWERPOINT PRESENTATION - College OPTIONS
- 2021-2022 College OPTIONS FA Presentation 10-16-20
- How Need Based Financial Aid Works 07-23-20
- Cal Grant Income and Asset Ceilings 2021-2022
- 2020-2021 Cal Grant Award Amounts
- Cal Grant 2020-2021 Programs – CSAC document
- Student Loans Overview – July 1, 2020 – June 30, 2021
- Senior Year College-Financial Aid Checklist 7-24-20
FINANCIAL AID SCAM INFO
FINANCIAL LITERACY
GRADUATE OR PROFESSIONAL STUDENTS
GUIDE TO 529 SAVINGS PLANS
HOMELESS INFORMATION
IRS TAX BENEFITS FOR EDUCATION
LOANS
- Federal Student Aid Loan Simulator (on-line tool)
- Federal Student Loan Programs (2 pages)
- Federal Student Loan Basics (6 pages)
- Federal Student Loans: Direct PLUS Loan Basics for Parents (12 pages)
- How do I get a Federal Student Loan? (web link)
- How to Use Student Loans for Living Expenses (web link)
- LendEDU Resources (web link)
- Private Student Loans (web link)
- Sallie Mae – Private Student Loans (web link)
- SimpleTuition.com – Understanding and Comparing Private Student Loans (web link)
- Student Loans Overview – July 1, 2020 – June 30, 2021 (2 pages)
- Wells Fargo – Private Student Loans (web link)
LOAN CALCULATORS AND REPAYMENT ESTIMATOR
MIDDLE CLASS SCHOLARSHIP - CALIFORNIA
MONEY MANAGEMENT
SCHOLARSHIP SOURCES
SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES – FINANCIAL AID APPEAL LETTER TEMPLATES
