If i missed the deadline to the FAFSA forum is it still possible for me to get any state grants??

Question

If i missed the deadline to the FAFSA forum is it still possible for me to get any state grants or any financial aid?? I'm a sophmore at penn state and i need help paying for college, i got financial aid last year..and i dont want to take out $20,000 in loans this year, but im not getting any grants from the state ...Is there any possible way to pay for college??

Answer 1

If your state deadline has passed, it is unlikely you will get anything from the state.  You will still be able to get federal aid, however so you still need to fill it out asap and wait and see.  Unfortunately, as an undergrad, you can't borrow 20K in federal student loans.  The max amount is much less.  Perhaps you will qualify for a scholarship or a school sponsored loan.... of course, even those have deadlines.

Answer 2

It is still possible to get grant aid depending on your state and school rules. For the most part the deadlines are there to insure that you get the full amount of aid. So apply to FAFSA anyway for the year because you might be able to get some. The least you will get is the Stafford Loans (which aren't all that bad but the max is $3500 - $10500 a year depending on your situation and whether or not you and your parents qualify for a Parents PLUS loan) and I know that you don't want any student loans but with tuition as high as it is, it is near impossible to get out of school without at least a little. So if you HAVE to get a student loan (which I think is more likely this late in the game) I suggest getting a Student Signature Loan (which is a privite student loan) from Sallie Mae. You will be able to borrow the $20k you need (I did this for my undergrad for the last four years) for the year and a cosigner is optional depending on your credit. You need $20k for the year, right? Not just for a semester?