- College Links
- College Opportunity Fund (COF)
- Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
- Common Application
- What can I do with this major?
- How to Choose a College Major
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
  |
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
Attention all Colorado High School Students: Did you know the state has money put aside for your education? The College Opportunity Fund (COF) provides a tuition stipend for both new and continuing in-state students, completing undergraduate course work either full– or part-time, at a public or participating private college or university in Colorado. The stipend replaces direct state funding of higher education by allocating funds to institutions on behalf of individual students. |
The tuition stipend is deducted from total in-state tuition. Students who do not apply for the stipend will be responsible for the full amount of their tuition bill.
Apply early, apply once, apply now!
How to Apply?
- Students can apply for the stipend online at www.CollegeInColorado.org. Information and applications are available in both English & Spanish.
- Students must be at least 13 years of age to apply for the College Opportunity fund.
- Students are not required to know which college or university they plan to attend before applying for the stipend.
- Students need only apply once; students then authorize use of the tuition stipend each semester as they register for courses.
- NO INCOME QUALIFICATIONS.
How much is the stipend?
The amount of the tuition stipend varies each year. For 2005-06, the stipend equals $80 per credit hour, estimated at $2,400 per year for a full-time student at public institutions. Pell-eligible students may direct the College Opportunity Fund to participating private institutions at half the amount, or $40 per credit hour for the current school year.
For more information:
- Visit www.CollegeInColorado.org.
- Call (303) 305-3394.
 |
U.S. Department of Education FREE Application for |
Senior parents please click to view information about
submitting a FAFSA after Jan 1, 2009. 
WHAT IS THE FAFSA?
(FREE APPLICATION FOR FEDERAL STUDENT AID)
The FAFSA is the first step in the financial aid process. You use it to apply for the federal student financial aid, such as grants, loans, and work study. In addition, most states and colleges use information from the FAFSA to award nonfederal aid. Apply after the first of the year. Watch for College Goal Sunday in February for help in filling out the FAFSA.
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) window opens at the start of each calendar year. Although FAFSA forms can be submitted up until June, some available funds are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. This means that waiting to apply can translate to fewer aid dollars awarded. According to the US Department of Education, students who apply for FAFSA before March are nearly twice as likely to receive state and institutional aid as those who apply in June.
“Sending in the FAFSA application is a key first step in getting financial aid,” says Lynn Tindall, chief operating officer for student loans at CollegeInvest. “It’s used by the government and colleges for scholarships, grants, work-study programs and low-cost, federally backed student loans. Students must fill out FAFSA to qualify for federal aid no matter what type of institution they plan to attend.”
CollegeInvest has posted information on the FAFSA at www.collegeinvest.org/FAFSA. This website allows students and their families to:
- See answers to frequently asked FAFSA questions.
- Watch a web presentation on how to navigate the FAFSA application process.
- Download a worksheet that will help them assemble the necessary information.
Tindall says potential applicants often make the mistake of thinking they or their parents earn too much money to qualify, but aid is available for nearly every income bracket.
According to the National Center for Education Statistics’ most recent study, 57.9 percent of dependant students in the highest quarter of family income received an average of $8,278 in financial aid per year. As comparison, 86.8 percent of students in the lowest quarter of family income received an average of $8,633 for the same period.
“There is plenty of help out there and nearly everyone who applies will receive some sort of aid,” Tindall adds.
CollegeInvest is a division of the Colorado Department of Higher Education. Established in 1979, it has helped more than a half million Colorado families financially prepare for college through low-cost student loans, scholarships, college savings plans and information planning tools. For more information, call 1-800-COLLEGE or visit www.collegeinvest.org.
Unless you fill out a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), your college can’t award you the maximum available financial aid. Many people make the mistake of thinking, “we make too much money to qualify,” but that’s not always the case. Many families with high income levels also receive aid. Go to www.fafsa.ed.gov to apply on-line.
In order to successfully complete a FAFSA application, you will need records of income earned in the year prior to when you will start school. You may also need records of your parent's income information if you are a dependent student.
Make sure to meet the application preferential filing date of March 1!
 |
Fill out your application today! |
 |
Visit the Common Application website at: |
WHAT IS THE COMMON APPLICATION?
The Common Application is a non-profit organization that serves students and member institutions by providing an admission application on line and in print-that students may submit to nearly 300 members.
The Common Application is the recommended form of 276 selective colleges and universities for admission to their undergraduate programs. Many of these institutions use the form exclusively . All give equal consideration to the Common Application and the college's own form.
Experience with the Common Application over a period of 30 years has demonstrated its advantages to students, counselors, and teachers. The concept is simple: Students complete one Common Application form, photocopy it, and send the form to any of the participating colleges. The procedure simplifies the college application process and eliminates duplication of effort.
To further simplify the process, you can use Common App Online to complete your forms and submit them electronically or in hardcopy. Or download PDF forms to complete onscreen or manually, then print and mail hardcopy.
