1. Home
  2. Business & Finance
  3. Saving for College

A Guide To Professional Designations in the College Planning Industry

By , About.com Guide

7 of 8

Scholarship or Financial Aid Expert

Again, this is one of the areas where no designation is required to call yourself an expert. Naturally, there are a lot of scams built on promises of huge scholarships and juicy financial aid packages.

You don’t need a paid professional to help you participate in Federal and state aid programs. In fact, the financial aid office at your college of choice is there to help you accomplish those exact tasks.

This isn’t to say there aren’t professionals out there who know the scholarship world like the back of their hand. If you can truly find one of these professionals, and you have a student that may qualify for more obscure scholarships, this may be a great person to have in your corner.

When it comes to choosing one of these professionals, the best method is going to be a solid referral from someone who has already used them. Ask other parents and financial professionals if they’ve worked with anyone worthy of your trust.

Explore Saving for College
About.com Special Features

10 Things You Can Do Today to Improve Your Credit

Easy steps to take control of your credit card debt. More >

Holiday Central

What to eat, where to go, fun things to do and how to save money on the perfect gifts. More >

  1. Home
  2. Business & Finance
  3. Saving for College
  4. Get Professional Help
  5. Using a Scholarship or Financial Aid Expert for College Planning

©2009 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company.

All rights reserved.