<p>Hi everyone,</p>
<p>I want to apply for a Stafford loan; should I contact my school, or do I apply directly through a lender?</p>
<p>Thanks for the help.</p>
<p>It depends on whether your school is a direct lender or FFEL. Direct goes through the school, with FFEL you choose your lender.</p>
<p>philly - the procedure for applying for the stafford should be in your award letter. There is a tutorial and quiz that takes about a half an hour to complete. You will need your pin from the FAFSA to sign the master promissory note. You may have been offered both subsidized and unsubsidized stafford loans - I would suggest you read up on them and if your school is not a direct lender, try to choose a lender that does not have an origination fee if possible. Here is a helpful link: [FinAid</a>! Financial Aid, College Scholarships and Student Loans](<a href=“http://www.finaid.org/]FinAid”>http://www.finaid.org/)</p>
<p>Did I see from your other posts that you don’t expect to get much help from your parents for the college process? If so, there are many parents much more informed than I am who can walk you through these processes.</p>