Paying for College
Budgeting for Those Pesky Additional Expenses in College With CIT Consultant Anne Weber
Budgeting for college isn’t just a hot topic, it can also be a can of worms. It’s slippery, filled with surprises, and somewhat disturbing. Most families are prepared for the basics of tuition, room, board, books and “fees”. In fact, this basic list is what college websites use to publish their Cost of Attendance. Understandably,…
Read MoreNew FAFSA live
The updated FAFSA form for students attending college in Fall 2024 is now live, although this is during a “soft launch” period where the website may intermittently be down for updates. If families submit the form during this time, their information will be saved and provided to colleges in late January. If the new…
Read MoreStudent Aid Index (SAI) – 5 things to know
You fill out the FAFSA, which gives you your Student Aid Index (SAI), which is how much your family will pay for college. Seems simple right? Ah, but like most things with the college process, that is unfortunately not the case. Here are 5 things every family should know about that SAI. 1…
Read MoreFAFSA error means less financial aid for families
The new, redesigned FAFSA that will launch by the end of 2023 has a calculation error that will result in most families qualifying for less financial aid than lawmakers intended. The legislation that drove the FAFSA overhaul called for an increase to the amount of income that was shielded from the FAFSA calculation, otherwise…
Read MoreFull pay as a college strategy
While many families are looking for ways to reduce the cost of college, a new strategy has emerged that actually seeks to pay the full amount for college. The ability to pay the full sticker price can make families more attractive to schools, and thus increase their chances of getting accepted. According to…
Read MoreFinancial Strategies to Pay for College
Financial Strategies to Pay for College– In this webinar, CIT Education and Partnerships pro Cozy Wittman discusses how to create a strategy for paying for college and effectively surface the topic of the college budget with your child. aid. A must-see webinar!
Read MoreCozy Wittman Q and A: The College Search Junior Year: Strategies Related to Debt
Do you have a high school junior in the house? Now is the time to nail down a concrete strategy related to college debt and the college search. CIT’s Cozy Wittman lays out the steps to an effective debt strategy and suggests a strong benchmark for debt. Why is junior year especially vital for families…
Read MoreFAFSA delayed
The FAFSA form for students entering or attending college in Fall 2024 would normally open on Oct. 1, but has been delayed until sometime in December due to the significant new changes being implemented. The Department of Education needs more time to update the application and the various calculations related to the updates. This also…
Read MoreJay Benanav Q&A: Imminent Financial Aid Tasks & the 2023-2024 FA Landscape
Q: Jay, what is new and reportable in the 2023-2024 financial aid landscape? What have we learned in the last application cycle? The later you complete and submit your forms, the longer you wait to get your financial aid award. Schools are expecting them much earlier than they used to. If a school requires the…
Read More5 things most families don’t know about before taking out student loans, but should
1 $31,000 is the maximum amount dependent undergrad students can borrow in federal direct student loans. Annual limits are: $5,500 in year 1 $6,500 in year 2 and $7,500 each subsequent year until the $31,000 overall limit is reached 2 You must complete the FAFSA to access the Federal Direct Student Loans and the Parent…
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