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It's time to start applying for financial aid for college. Which means, FAFSA season is here and can be overwhelming to many. So, let’s break this down into the basic need to know facts one-by-one.

Did you know that nationally unused grant and aid money averages $________ per year? (Answer at end of post)

A. Over $1 Million

B. Over $50 Million

C. Over $2 Billion

Applications, Essays, Financial Aid, OH MY!

How do you get started, you ask? The RISLA College Planning Center, a free service of the non-profit Rhode Island Student Loan Authority (RISLA) will host a series of events through the Fall to help you navigate through college planning and to help spread awareness for Rhode Island students and parents. These events are no cost and open to the public. See a complete list of dates and times throughout the state.

Great event for High School Seniors, Juniors, Sophomores, & their parents

• You need good credit to borrow
• You need to have borrowed to establish a credit history 
• You cannot borrow before age 18
• Your'e heading to college and need good credit to pay for tuition and other expenses

Which comes first, borrowing or good credit?

Having good credit is just as important to help ensure your stability and help you successfully do things such as rent an apartment, buy or lease a car, and even get a good job. Maintaining good credit is very important to your future and will afford you many opportunities that would otherwise be impossible. It can show stability, consistency, responsibility, and maturity – all of which are positive traits that can help you succeed in life. Below, are some helpful tips on building and managing a good credit profile.

Excuses, excuses. Preparing for college is a time-consuming task. Evidenced by the many online and other forms of checklists that have been published for this very purpose. I have prepared a different list. A list of excuses heard in my household that I thought might be helpful to share so you will be armed and ready for battle.

To increase the completion rate of critical college financial aid forms, particularly from high school seniors in historically underrepresented urban schools, the Rhode Island Student Loan Authority (RISLA) and its College Planning Center today launched a comprehensive grassroots campaign aimed at getting more financial aid to students interested in attending college.

Many college-bound students and their families have fallen for the dangerous myth: "I won't qualify for aid so I'm not going to apply." The reality is, everyone should file the FAFSA, even if they think they may not qualify. The FAFSA is absolutely free to fill out and it can give families money to help cover the rising cost of college. Below is a quick rundown of what you could be eligible for by filing the FAFSA.

Approximately 20 million students choose to attend a post-secondary institution every year.  Many students and their families struggle with where to start in the college planning process. Figuring out which schools might be a good fit, which career path to take, and how to pay for college are just a few of the many things that worry families. Rhode Island might be a small state, but it has a large amount of free resources available to help Rhode Islander's plan for college.

Students should be open-minded as they start their college searches and learn as much as possible about all types of colleges so they are making informed decisions about where to apply and what kind of schools are the best match for their personal goals. It's important for students to identify schools that are good matches both academically and financially. Colleges fairs are a great way to learn about a lot of campus cultures in a brief period of time, so they are definitely worth your time in the early stages of college planning.