Posts by Chris Wills
Strategies for Maximizing Aid Eligibility
These strategies will have the largest impact on need-based aid eligibility. By implementing these strategies, you will be able to maximize your aid eligibility and therefore have a chance of receiving more financial aid. None of these strategies are guaranteed, but they do offer the best chance. Save money in the parent’s name, not the child’s name.…
Read MoreWelcome Back to School!
October deadline scholarships, Scholarship myth, Write out loud, Graduation rate, Campus safety data Welcome back to school! Below are our exclusive insider tips to give your family an advantage with the college admissions process. 10 scholarships with October deadlines Not all colleges give scholarships if your kid is smart A little-known fact is many colleges…
Read MoreScholarship Search Secrets
The Student Loan Network has delivered their Sixth Edition of Scholarship Search Secrets and it’s definitely worth a download and used as a fundamental resource. Topics include ones such as, “A Brief Overview of Financial Aid”; Basic Scholarship Tips; Avoiding Scholarship Scams; and fifteen Scholarship Search Secrets that covers a wealth of information.
Read MoreGraduation Rates
Knowing the graduation rates of the schools you are considering might mean the difference between paying 4 or 5 years worth of tuition. When combined with the lost opportunity of earning an income while your son or daughter is in school the extra year, that adds up to quite a bit of money. The Chronicle…
Read MoreScholarship Search Sites
There are plenty of good, free scholarship search sites on the web that you should never pay to search for scholarships. Most of these sites, however, require you to create a profile and provide an email, which usually means you end up getting hundreds of unwanted emails from colleges or other places trying to sell…
Read More11 Weird College Scholarships for Which You May Qualify
Are you a fan of the number 5 or are a natural redhead or a lefty? Do you love peanut butter or can you carve a pumpkin or maybe you are tall? Here is a list of 11 of the weirdest college scholarships that you might be interested in or at least find humorous. The…
Read MoreStudent Loan Debt and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB)
It is obvious to anyone who hears the news that student loan debt has reached a crisis level. The total student debt in this country now exceeds $1.2 TRILLION and is larger than credit card debt. At College Inside Track, we have saved families hundreds of thousands of dollars during our more than 10 years…
Read MoreAvoiding College Debt
Another segment from St. Paul-based KSTP TV and this one is about how to avoid college debt. College Inside Track’s founder, Jay Benanav, is featured in this segment.
Read MoreStudent Loan Option if You Need to Borrow
If you are still looking to fill the financial gap for your student’s college cost I suggest that you take a look at these options. Your first choice should be the Federal Direct loan. That program has low interest rates and flexible terms for repayment once your student graduates college. Some families find it necessary…
Read MoreIs Your College Essay Good Enough to Get You In?
The college essay is more important than ever and often makes the difference between getting into college or not, as well as a major factor in the size of the student’s financial aid. So how can you write an essay that will stand out? Everyone talks about voice when it comes to the essay. Yet…
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