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Helpful Links

Helpful Links

College Planning 
College Savings Iowa
This 529 plan helps parents, grandparents, family and friends put money away to help future students pay for college.

Mapping Your Future
Provides students and parents with information on college financial strategies, career options, and college planning.

Going2College
A source for connecting students to resources in Iowa to help plan and prepare for college.

Iowa College Access Network
A free Iowa service with information on college preparation, career planning, choosing a college, debt management, and financial aid.

KnowHow2Go
Find valuable resources to help plan for college.  This site breaks down the college planning process into four simple, easy to follow steps.

Upromise
A rewards program that turns everyday spending into college savings.

ACT
Visit this site to get information about ACT test sites and dates, prepare for the ACT or register on-line for the test.

Iowa College Student Aid Commission
The state of Iowa resource for planning, preparing and paying for college.

Savings Bond Calculator
Calculate the current value of bonds.

College is Possible
This site motivates students to attend college.

SAT
The official site for information on the ACT test.


Scholarship Sources
FastWeb
A free service which matches students to scholarships, internships, grants, and loans from various sources.

XAP
XAP offers tools to plan, explore, apply, and pay for college, including a scholarship search.

Dollars for Scholars
A community-based fund-raising effort that awards scholarships to local students.

College Board/ How to Pay for College
The College Board site offers a scholarship search tool as well as college planning and SAT information.

United Negro College Fund (UNCF)
UNCF raises funds and distributes scholarships and fellowships to help minorities attend college.

Hispanic College Fund
The Hispanic Scholarship Fund provides the Latino community with college scholarships and educational support.

Scholarships & Loans for International Students
A resource for financial aid, college scholarship, and grant information for U.S. and international students wishing to study abroad.

Proteus
Proteus offers programs to help cover training and educational costs to assist low-income individuals, primarily farm workers seeking permanent, self-supporting occupations.


U.S. Department of Education
Financial Aid Estimator
Use the FAFSA4caster to receive an early estimate of the financial aid you may be eligible to receive.  

Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
Complete a FAFSA to be considered for state and federal grants and other types of financial aid.  Apply early, making sure you meet all state and college deadlines.

Federal Student Aid PIN Web Site
Apply for your PIN (Personal Identification Number) in order to electronically sign your completed FAFSA on the Web.

National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS)
Access information about loan amounts, outstanding loan balances, statuses and disbursements.  A Federal Student Aid PIN is required to access the information.

Federal Student Aid
Information about federal aid programs and tips on how to plan and pay for college.  The site also includes a scholarship search and a student portal.  Create your own personal portfolio to save scholarship information, apply to colleges on-line, transfer your profile to FAFSA on the Web and more.

National Center for Educational Statistics
Lists the average financial aid award at each school, how many students receive aid and various other statistics.

Publications for Parents
Publications for parents to help children plan, prepare and succeed in education.


Career Planning
Iowa Choices
Choices is Iowa’s state-wide career information and decision making system,
designated by the Iowa Department of Education.

O*Net Online
Making occupational information interactive and accessible for all.

U.S. Department of Labor's Occupatiopnal Outlook Handbook

U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics


Tax Benefits
IRS Tax Information for Students

IRS Publication 970:  Tax Benefits of Higher Education

IRS Form 8863


Other Resources
Iowa Association of Community Colleges

Iowa Association of Independent Colleges & Universities

Iowa's Regent Universities


Money Management
MyMoney.gov
A U.S. government website that provides information on the basics of financial education.

Hands On Banking
Go to this fun, interactive site to get money skills you need for life- banking basics, budgeting, credit and more.

Free Credit Report
Obtain a free credit report from each of the three credit reporting companies once every 12 months.

Iowa College Student Aid Commission
Interactive calculators show financial realities.

It's Payback Time
Money management and borrowing tips.