Apply early and list state schools first when filling out the FAFSA: Those are two pieces of advice that University of Oregon financial aid director Jim Brooks provides in a recent article in Forbes.

Brooks’ quote highlights the value of state grants and how prospective and current college students can better their chances of receiving them. State grants are just one of the ways students who don’t qualify for federal Pell Grants can get financial aid.

The FAFSA, or Free Application for Federal Student Aid, is the basis for most state as well as federal grants and for other forms of financial aid.

The article also encourages students to research payment plans, endowment money, university grants, community scholarships and 529 Plan grants and scholarships.

For the full story, see “5 Types Of Financial Aid Every Family Should Know About.”