Find out what your FAFSA letter really telling you

The average cost of a college education could finance a luxury trip around the world.

Tempted as we parents may be to choose the latter, love and practicality tend to win. So begins the journey into the world of college funding; coaching our kids through scholarship applications, filling out a government form demanding everything from tax return information to great-grandpa's grocery store receipts, applying for loans that could still be active in the year 2025.

If that isn't enough, many parents are besieged by requests to forego Illinois colleges for places like Collège du Moulin Blanc or our own nation's University of Honolulu, because of their amazing academic programs, of course. Certainly not for the beach scene.

Feeling overwhelmed? I'm right there with you, but a little help from the Schaumburg Township District Library can work wonders to relieve your anxiety and ease the process. Nearly every month, the library holds a program or two on college financing, applications, or searching for the "best fit" college. Two programs in February will focus specifically on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, affectionately known as the FAFSA.

Parents and students are invited to "Decoding the Financial Aid Letter" from 7-8:30 p.m., Monday, Feb. 9, in the Adult Classroom to understand what the FAFSA lingo really means. According to salliemae.com, "The financial aid award letter tells you how much financial support the school will give you for the coming year." Note the word "give," and take it with a grain of salt. Although the grant money listed is truly an award, the other listings are actually loans or the potential earnings from your student having a job while attending college.

Come to the program to figure out what your FAFSA award letter really means. Registration is required. To register for this free program, call (847) 923-3347.

The second program is a "FAFSA Drop-in" from 10:30 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Feb. 21, in the Adult Computer Lab on the library's second floor. Stop by anytime during the hours listed for one-on-one assistance with filling out your FAFSA application. Experts from the Illinois Student Assistance Commission will be on hand to answer questions and walk you through the lengthy form. To complete the form during this session, bring your W2s, account information for CDs, bonds/stock, money market accounts, social security numbers, and dates for birth, marriage, or divorce. No registration is required.

Why two programs on the FAFSA? Because nearly every article, book or website on college financing will tell you that everyone who would like free money for college should fill one out, no matter your income level. And here's a tip, if you haven't filled it out, do it today, or at least this week. Why? Here's what fafsa.ed.gov states about the Illinois FAFSA deadline: "As soon as possible after Jan. 1. Awards made until funds are depleted." So even though the federal deadline is officially June 30, the state may not have funds left if you wait that long.

Looking for scholarships? Teens are welcome to stop by the Teen Place on the second floor to check out scholarship books. If those are checked out, try the adult nonfiction area. You may be shocked at the number of scholarships available, though some searching is required to determine which scholarships are applicable. Teens that need assistance writing scholarship or college application essays should check the teen section of the Program Guide for helpful workshops, or check out "how-to" books from the Teen Place.

Paying for college may feel overwhelming, but free help from the library can ease the stress and help you and your student make smart financial decisions - decisions that could take years off the average length of a college loan. Use the library's resources, seminars and workshops to compare tuition costs, apply for scholarships and FAFSA, get tips for taking ACT and SAT tests, and much more.

To see what's coming up next, go to www.schaumburglibrary.org or see the latest issue of the library's Program Guide.