Get College Funds

Start saving money early for your child’s educational expenses.
Encourage your child to be academically prepared for college. Make sure enough opportunities are available for your child to get involved.
Communicate with your child about his or her interests, skills, and career goals. Find out what types of classes your child can be taking in high school.
Encourage your child to volunteer and keep track of activities with the activities chart.
Help your child keep a list of schools of interest. Talk with your student’s high school counselor about the best matches for your child.
Gather information about the school’s cost, programs, financial aid options, location, and atmosphere.
Apply for college admission as well as financial aid with your child. Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Financial Aid (FAFSA). Use the Oregon Unified Electronic Scholarship Application (eApp) to apply for OSAC-Administered scholarships from January 1st to March 1st. Make sure your child applies for financial aid every year he or she is in school.
Research scholarships and grants with your child. Look into work study options.
After you have exhausted all sources of free financial aid, find out about the different student loans that are available.
Help your child establish a budget to manage debt before taking out student loans. Realistically, figure out how much to borrow and how the loans will be paid back.