Category: College Planning

The financial aid award letter outlines the financial support available to a student and is provided by each school a student has been accepted to, as long as they filled out the FAFSA in the fall. While each award letter contains the same basic information, the formatting may be different. You’ll need to compare the terms, conditions and details of each letter to get the whole picture. In this article, we’ll help crack the code to find the best college fit.

Entering the real world can be overwhelming and confusing, and it’s easy to get behind on expenses if you’re not planning properly. In this article, we’ll show you the warning signs that you’re living above your means and what you can do about it.

College isn’t getting cheaper. Unless you graduated recently, your child’s education will likely cost much more than yours did. In fact, tuition alone has tripled in the past 20 years. Room and board are rising even faster – at a higher rate than the cost of inflation. That’s why roughly 70% of students rely on education loans to pay for college. Here’s how you can help.

Although there is much uncertainty still surrounding Covid-19, it looks like most colleges intend to welcome students back to their campuses this fall in some way, shape or form. As everyone awaits final guidance, it’s best to be prepared to move quickly once final approval is given as college move-in day is approaching fast. If you haven’t experienced it before, plan for a long afternoon of organized chaos. Along with the usual stressors of moving, you’ll also be dealing with crowds, navigating campus and trying to make a tiny, white box of a room feel homey. Did we mention you’ll be doing all of this in just 1 day? Here are some simple tips to help keep you calm in the storm of boxes, bags and new beginnings.

If you’ve already applied for grants, scholarships and federal student loans, but you still have a college financing gap, your next logical step is to apply for a private student loan. To help you, we’ve compiled a few tips to help you avoid the most common pitfalls when choosing a private student loan.

A big part of growing up is learning to be financially responsible. Most students still rely on their parents financially while in college, but they’ll likely be faced with many opportunities to make their own financial decisions, that could impact them for years to come. Be sure they’re leaving the nest with a solid foundation in basic money management skills so they don’t rack up unnecessary student loan or credit card debt. Read on for our list of financial topics to discuss with your student, if you haven’t already.

Most people aren’t in a position to provide an expensive college degree to each of their children. After setting aside money for an emergency fund, life insurance, mortgage payments and the cost of living, that’s okay! As a parent, you’ve got a responsibility to take care of your child – and yourself – financially. After all, you can’t take out a loan for retirement. Fortunately, you don’t have to pick up the tuition tab to help make college more affordable. In this article, we’ll show you 5 other options.

College decision letters are on their way to a home near you. Maybe someone in your household is expecting one soon. What you might not be expecting is the lean financial aid award package that accompanies many college acceptance notifications.