5 tips to maximize financial aid packages for college

For those scrambling to get up to speed, the FAFSA is used to determine how much applicants or their families should contribute toward education costs. Schools then use that figure — known as the expected family contribution — to determine how much financial aid should be awarded to bridge the cost of attendance.

By Candice Choi
(The Associated Press)

Seattle Times

NEW YORK — It's crunchtime for families counting on loans and grants to pay for college.