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The best sources for researching information on financial aid for college is through the U.S. Department of Education, the Connecticut Department of Higher Education, various websites, and your high school counselor. But to get you started, here are some questions to ask yourself: 

What does "College" mean?
• Public and private four-year colleges and universities
• Two-year community colleges or junior colleges; and
• Vocational-technical schools 

What will be the cost to attend a college or university?
• The cost to attend a college or a university varies depending on the length of the program, whether it is public or private, and whether you choose to attend part time or fulltime.
• The cost to attend a college or university includes some of the following items:

• basic tuition
• room and board (housing and food), athletic fees, social activities, and health care costs
• books, supplies, and lab fees
• transportation 

How can I pay for my education?
The methods most used are listed below:

• Savings
• Federal income tax credits
• Student financial aid (i.e., grant, work study, loans)
• Serving the country (i.e., AmeriCorps, military academies, Reserve Officer
Training Corp [ROTC])
• Other financial aid (foundations, businesses, employers, faith institutions, community organizations, and civic groups)

What does "financial aid" mean?
Colleges determine a student's financial situation in order to decide how much financial support to award. The the total amount that the college awards is called a Financial Aid Package, and may include aid from the following sources:

• grants or scholarships
• income tax credits
• work study opportunities
• educational loans

Consider each of these sources when searching for financial aid.  Remember that Financial Aid Packages are negotiable - you can contact the Financial Aid Department to request that they consider increasing the amount awarded to you.