OSPIRG offers financial aid info

As students and parents are right now making decisions about how to pay for college, OSPIRG on Monday released a resource that highlights options for how to pay for college whether you are applying for the first time, currently in school or have already graduated.

OSPIRG’s resource, “Student Aid 101: How to Pay for College“ provides students and parents alike with information on what kind of aid is available, how to know if they may be eligible to receive it and how to apply for it.

Included in the resource is information on programs that can represent thousands of dollars in aid for students through programs such as Pell Grants, the Oregon Opportunity Grant and grants for Oregonians needing child-care.

In addition to the federal and state grant and scholarship information, “Student Aid 101″ details the differences between the types of student loans that are available, with information on interest rates and the terms of loans available from public and private lenders. For graduates, OSPIRG explains options for repayment of loans, including often-overlooked options that can help graduates in keeping up with their payments.

“Our resource helps parents, students and graduates to navigate the different options they have for paying for college,” said OSPIRG’s Evan Preston. “With families across Oregon deciding how to pay for college, Student Aid 101 is one tool that can help in the process.”

OSPIRG’s resource can be found at OSPIRG.org.