The mere thought of how to pay for college can be so overwhelming to students that they may just give up on the whole process.

But who can they go to for help? How can it be all figured out and organized?

To make things easier for seniors out there having trouble finding money for college or juggling paperwork, tune in to these 5 tips from Dallastown Area High School Counselor Alison Wabnik and 2019 Dallastown graduate, Autumn Cunningham.

Tip #1: You Have Options

When thinking about the options for paying for college oftentimes the right places are hard to find but always remember, you have options.

“The most important thing to do is research resources that are out there that can help fund the college experience,”  Wabnik said.

But looking up resources can be tricky because some websites aren’t as real as they seem to be, so Wabnik cautions to always check with a parent or a counselor to make sure it’s the right direction.

Tip #2: You Have Resources

Counselors are here to help, guide, and make things easier for students. They have resources, can figure out how to help, and will  connect students with people who  can guide them in the direction.

“Definitely reach out to your counselor first, come and see us and we can connect you to resources. We also have a representative from PHEAA Her name is Diona Brown she is the FASFA expert and we can connect you with her.” Wabnik says

Many scholarships are also available and awarded based upon various criteria, Scholarships have all kinds have different requirements, and it can be hard to plan out how to make time, organize, and fully submit them on time.

“For scholarships, we can be a little more helpful with that. It’s more looking through the eligibility requirements, what supporting materials you need, and keeping track of deadlines. We can help you search, organize them, and a plan to get them submitted on time.” Wabnik says

Cunningham says, “Don’t wait, don’t hesitate. There is no point in holding off on getting free money for college it will benefit you in the long run.”

Tip #3: Scholarships Start Here

“A lot of times students feel so overwhelmed just with the college application process and applying to colleges that by the time it comes for them to focus on scholarships either they’re just exhausted and not motivated to do it, or they just don’t take the time to find opportunities out there for themselves,” Wabnik said.

Dallastown helps to make at least one upcoming scholarship opportunity a little easier to navigate.

The Dallastown Foundations Committee that all DHS students can apply for online. One application makes a student eligible for many individual scholarships.

“These scholarships are only offered to Dallastown students, and some Dallastown students don’t know about this. I would encourage all Dallastown seniors to apply for it because it doesn’t hurt to see which scholarships you can get because again, it’s just for Dallastown students,” Wabnik says

The Dallastown Foundations Committee is now open to be applied for and the deadline for this event is Feb. 3rd.

Tip #4: You Have to Apply; There’s Something for Everyone

There are so many options to get scholarships, grants, loans, and FASFA money to use when paying for college, but they don’t help if you don’t apply.

There are many scholarship opportunities every year that go unused because of lack of applicants.

Scholarships can be very specific. Seniors often miss out on ones that can give money just for being interested in a major, playing a sport, being a certain ethnicity, and lots more.

“When applying for scholarships, I wish I chose more specific ones that were about people of my major rather than very broad scholarships that could appeal to anyone,” Cunningham said.

Tip #5: Have a Back-up Plan

Always have a backup plan just in case things don’t exactly the way you want. Always remember that there are always other options if the first one falls apart.

“I felt moderately prepared because I always had a plan in my mind if things were to go south. This is why it’s best to apply for scholarships and loans BEFORE summer vacation so you allow yourself time to find backup plans if it doesn’t turn out as plan initially,” Cunningham says.

For example, apply for extra scholarships or research student loans in case financial aid does not offer as much money as you need.

Paying for college might not always go as planned,. It may be difficult, frustrating and tiresome. Students shouldn’t forget that they have options, resources, and help to navigate the piles of paperwork and options available.