Sallie Mae
For more than a quarter-century, Sallie Mae has been helping students achieve their dreams of higher education by providing funds for educational loans, primarily federally guaranteed student loans originated under the Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP). The company currently owns or manages student loans for more than seven million borrowers and is the nation's leading provider of education loans.

College
Thinking About College
Choosing a College
Applying to College
Financial Aid
Miscellaneous

Finding Out About Financial Aid
Provides general information about the major federal student aid programs (who is eligible and how to apply), tax credits for education expenses, and other federal, state, and private sources of information. Includes a downloadable poster informing students that financial aid information and applications are free.

Paying Back Your Student Loan
Describes the deferments and cancellations for teaching in low-income schools or shortage areas, gives direction on consolidating your existing loans, and includes information about the recently implemented Stafford Loan Forgiveness Program for teachers. Also, if your loan is in default, our Guide to Defaulted Student Loans can tell you how to get out of default.

Applying For Federal Student Aid ...

• Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
  Applying for financial aid has never been easier! Select the electronic version right for you from this site.
• Federal School Code Search Page
  If you are filing a paper application, you can use the Federal School Code Search to look up codes for the colleges you are considering so that you can list them on the FAFSA. Schools equipped for electronic communication with the Department of Education will receive your FAFSA information automatically.
• Completing the FAFSA
  If you wonder, "Why do they ask that?" or you say, "My family situation is different, now what do I do?," see Completing the FAFSA. It explores the purpose of FAFSA questions and discusses how information should be reported in some unusual cases.

FAFSA on the Web
Check out FAFSA on the Web-- the fastest way to apply on-line for student financial aid! Students who applied for aid last year may also be able to complete a Renewal FAFSA application on-line. Renewal FAFSA filers will need to obtain a PIN first.

PIN
The PIN is your identifier to let you access personal information in various U.S. Department of Education systems. You must have a PIN to file an on-line Renewal FAFSA or to make on-line corrections to your FAFSA. Request one at the PIN site.

FAFSA Express
Another way to send your FAFSA electronically is by downloading FAFSA Express software to your computer. You'll need a PC equipped with Windows® and a modem to complete this electronic form and send your completed FAFSA to the Department. FAFSA Express instructions are provided to help walk you through the application process.

  Completing the FAFSA
If you're wondering, "Why do they ask that?," or saying, "MY family situation is different, now what do I do?," see Completing the FAFSA. It explores the purpose of FAFSA questions and discusses how information should be reported in some unusual cases.

• Call 1-800-801-0576/TDD 1-800-511-5806 if you have technical questions about submitting an electronic FAFSA.
• Call 1-800-4-FED-AID (1-800-433-3243)/ TDD 1-800-730-8913 if you have general questions about what information you need to report on the FAFSA or to check on the status of your application. If you are unable to dial the toll-free number from your area, an alternate number is 1-319-337-5665.
• For more information, visit the homepage for the Student Financial Assistance Programs.

Sallie Mae makes planning for college fast, simple and convenient. All the information you need to successfully plan for college.

Preparing helps you assess your career interests and educational needs.

CollegeView Search  Your computer can't help you write the entrance essay (yet), but it can help you pick a college for you or your offspring. Big or small, urban or rural, CollegeView Search will find the right college for you, even if you are only interested in colleges in Alaska with a student body of 500 or less. Search on colleges by field of study, state, student body size, city size, and other criteria like sports programs or special programs and disabled services. You'll get back a list of all matching colleges in the U.S., with the key facts on each school. Find a school you like and you can request even more info with the InfoZap! email feature.

College Times at the New York Times  College isn't just about pizza, beer, and late-night cram sessions. If you want to know what's happening on- or off-campus, check in with the College Times at the New York Times, a section of the Times especially for college students. Pick your major from the category list to find recent news related to your field of study. You can also get free e-mail alerts when an article is published on a topic you're interested in and find general college-related stories.