HELP....we have to pay for college! 

One area that parents tend to skip over during the college admissions process is the financial part. It is important for parents to educate themselves and their sons and daughters about this very important part of college VERY early in the college search process.

At Unity College, the admissions staff encourages families to apply for financial aid by the end of January.  The easiest way to accomplish this is to apply online at www.fafsa.ed.gov (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). A parent and the student must FIRST apply for a PIN (personal identification number) so they can submit an online application.  It is a great idea to print out the WORKSHEET (under Step 1) and fill that out as you gather your tax/financial information.  When you have completed the worksheet you'll be able to go online to complete the application in about an hour! You must remember to list Unity College as one of the institutions to receive your FAFSA results.

Those families who've applied for financial aid by February, can plan on receiving a financial aid award letter from Unity by mid-March.

It is VERY important to discuss college finances with your child. As a family, you must determine who is paying for what....i.e. is the student to earn money for books and spending money? Will the student finance part of their education in addition to their Stafford loan or are the parents going to cover that. If a student has a large financial need and their family is unable to co-sign for a loan, is there someone else they can use as a cosigner? Does the student understand the loan process and do they understand that they will be responsible for repayment of their student loans after college?

Also, if a family is experiences a special financial situation, it is important to write a letter to the Financial Aid Director at Unity College.  The admissions staff is happy to speak with you about your situation and send you in the right direction for guidance.