When it comes to applying for financial aid and scholarships, here are two golden rules:
1. Never pay to fill out the FAFSA (the first “F” stands for “Free”). The best way to avoid that mistake is to go straight to the source and complete your FAFSA here, at the office of Federal Student Aid.
2. When applying for outside scholarships, expert Mark Kantrowitz says it both bluntly and best in this article: “If you have to pay money to get money, it’s probably a scam.”