When I went to college, I never saw a tuition bill. Not once in four years. Never filled out a FAFSA, never had any idea how my college costs were paid. In fact, as far as I knew, college was free.
Until after I graduated, when I got my first student loan payment notice in the mail. Admittedly, going to a SUNY school and having a small scholarship meant I only owed about $9,000, but as a recent college graduate making $7.00 an hour working for a radio station, I sure as hell wasn’t ready for an $80/month loan payment.
PLEASE be aware of your tuition payments. College isn’t free; sure, we all wish it was, but the reality is quite different. If your parents fill out all the paperwork, that’s okay; your aid is going to be based on their financial picture anyway. Just make sure you’re involved in the process. When you look at a student loan coming your way down the pike, all of a sudden, you’re going to want to make sure to fill out that application for that scholarship.