Beware of The Student Financial Resource Center

If you have a child in college or planning to go to college this fall, chances are you recently received an official-looking letter from an organization called the Student Financial Resource Center. It's a convincing document, down to the Department of Education-like symbol on its logo. The Student Financial Resource Center says it can help find "free" money that is "not student loans and do not have to be repaid later". The Student Financial Resource Center urges you to fill out a student aid profile form providing personal information and send it back ... along with a refundable processing fee of $65. For $65, you get a "guidebook" with financial aid information, a list of free merit- and need-based financial aid programs and instructions on how to apply to some of them. In other words, you get information you could have gotten for free. And you will still have to fill out the application forms yourself. The Student Financial Resource Center is not affiliated with any educational institutions or government agencies. The Student Financial Resource Center admits it, but you have to look hard for that disclaimer that states, "SFRC is an independent organization and is not affiliated with any educational institutions, government agencies, or funding sources". The Student Financial Resource Center also states it "can't guarantee results and has no input into the decision to which applicants will be selected to receive financial aid funds." The fee is "refundable," but you won't get answers by calling the Student Financial Resource Center. Answering the phone was a representative named Ray who said he couldn't answer any questions because he was "just an operator at the message center" and those who could answer questions "were not available." The important thing to remember is that students can get information about, and apply for, financial aid and scholarships without spending a dime. - John Garcia, Arizona College Access Network

Beware of websites charging you money for free information. Filling out a FASFA or Free Application for Student Financial Aid is free of charge. Go here to the official website: http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/