Posts by Chris Wills
Insider tips for the week of October 4, 2021
10 things to know about getting into your dream college – Eric Hoover shares 10 takeaways from his hundreds of interviews with admission deans. Our favorites: Express your authentic self, don’t take rejection personally because admissions officers aren’t looking for students that just fit one description, and colleges want to be your first choice.…
Read MoreInsider tips for the week of September 6, 2021
Mission drives admission – Rick Clark writes a wonderful piece explaining why certain students get admitted when others don’t, and encourages students to consider what their mission in admission is before applying anywhere. An important read to share and discuss with your student. Why undecided is a great college major – Dr. Deborah…
Read MoreInsider tips for the week of August 2, 2021
3 college statistics to know if you want to pay less – Many families only look at college statistics in terms of getting into college, when they are just as important in determining how much they pay for college. DIY College Rankings covers three big ones to understand. 5 best essays – The…
Read MoreCollege Inside Track Alumni Newsletter – Summer 2021
6 things you should never do as the parent of a college student – Check out Lori Smith’s advice on how to let go of the bicycle seat and allow your college student to be independent. Moving off campus – how to help your student do this well – Deborah Porter shares 5…
Read MoreInsider tips for the week of June 28, 2021
FAFSA changes delayed – The significant FAFSA changes recently approved by Congress will be delayed by year, due to the complexity of overhauling the entire system. Federal Student Aid (FSA), the agency in charge of implementing the changes, said they will now be rolled out for the 2024-25 school year. The earliest families can…
Read MoreFAFSA changes
The COVID relief bill passed at the end of 2020 also included some significant changes to the FAFSA. While the changes do not go into effect until the 2024-25 school year, that year’s FAFSA will use tax information from 2022, so there are nearer-term considerations. And because the FAFSA is completed each year a…
Read MoreCollege Planning Changes for Grandparents
The stimulus bill passed at the end of 2020 also included some significant changes to how grandparent contributions are treated on the FAFSA. According to financial aid expert Mark Kantrowitz, cash contributions from grandparents, including distributions from grandparent-owned 529 plans and direct tuition payments to colleges, will no longer hurt a student’s eligibility for…
Read MoreFAFSA change for families with multiple students
At first glance, the recent changes to the FAFSA appear to be a good thing: A simpler form with far fewer questions, increased financial aid eligibility for low income families, and a formula change reducing any penalty for grandparents who contribute to college. But another formula change could prove to be extremely painful to…
Read MoreFilling out the FAFSA when there are divorced parents
Completing the FAFSA when parents are divorced is one of the most confusing scenarios for families, because custodial terms and who claims the child on the tax return do not necessarily apply. Further complicating things is that the rules for divorced parents are changing along with a number of other key FAFSA changes starting with…
Read MorePodcast: Navigating Student Loans
College Inside Track’s Cozy Wittman was a guest on the “Your Life, Simplified” podcast sharing her wisdom on navigating student loans. Getting accepted into the school of your dreams can be stressful enough, but then you have to think about how — and who — is going to pay for it. Cozy shares best practices…
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