Pay for College

This site is geared toward guidance counselors and teachers, and is a huge resource for financial aid—so you might as well take advantage of it. It’s likely you’ll be filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), and this site will give you lots of help, as well as steer you in the direction of other valuable ways to get money for college.

Under Programs on the Texas Comptroller’s page is this list of government-driven initiatives to help users explore financial aid opportunities for Texas colleges. The main focus is on starting early and putting away funds (and growing them) for tuition and expenses—both the College Savings Plans and Texas ABLE Program (for individuals with disabilities) sections provide a wealth of knowledge in this area. 

Essentially, this is a one-page portal launching exploration of three college tuition savings programs. The Texas Tuition Promise Fund helps families pay for some or all college tuition fees upfront by purchasing Tuition Units—unit prices are locked in, equating to semester hours, and don’t change with fluctuations in the market. The Texas College Savings Plan is a qualified 529 plan offered through the state—there are 20 different investment portfolios (mutual funds, money market accounts, etc.) to choose from, with tax-free growth and no withdrawal penalties. And the Texas Guaranteed Tuition Plan allows up to 160 credit hours to be purchased in advance for any public university or college.