Posts Tagged ‘financial aid’
Scholarship reduction – The dirty little college secret
Would you ever consider a scenario where the scholarships your student won actually resulted in a scholarship reduction elsewhere? One of the students we work with, whom we’ll call Caitlyn, was a dream that every parent (and counselor) hopes for: kind, bright, studious and incredibly engaged in the college process. In addition to having nearly…
Read MoreInsider tips for the week of Dec. 9, 2019
Need-to-know financial aid info – Mycollegeguide.org has a handy summary of everything your family needs to know about financial aid. Insightful questions for an admission officer – It’s hard to make the decision of what college to attend. Use this helpful list of questions from Road2College to ask the admission office at each of the…
Read MoreTips on the 6 trickiest FAFSA questions
The FAFSA is a quintessential government form, meaning it isn’t always as easy to understand as it should be. And with over 100 questions to navigate, far too many families make mistakes that are unnecessarily costing them money. Money Magazine compiled the following tips on how to tackle the 6 trickiest questions: Questions 24 and…
Read MoreTop strategies to help grandchildren with college
With the holiday season approaching, there is a terrific way grandparents may want to consider spoiling their grandchildren. Today’s retirees have accumulated wealth at unprecedented levels and combined with the rising cost of college, many now are taking advantage of an opportunity to provide a legacy of education to their grandchildren. However, without understanding the proper…
Read MoreInsider tips for the week of April 30, 2018
10 ways for parents to get on top of the college process – A must-read for parents of college-bound students from the Washington Post. My favorites: 1) Become a mentor as much as a parent and 2) Expect your student to take advice from others that he or she won’t take from you. 23…
Read More3 things to consider before making your college decision
By Chris Wills May 1 is National College Decision Day, the deadline for students to make deposits to attend the college of their choice. But before you send in that check, here are three important things to consider: 1. Affordability is part of fit Many students choose their college based on academic…
Read MoreInsider tips for the week of December 4, 2017
15 things every parent needs to know – A thought-provoking list from DIY College Rankings. My two favorites are 1) You set the expectation for acceptable colleges — not the rankings, your peers or your child’s peers and 2) You shouldn’t base your expectations on another family’s experiences. Take a few minutes to scan the…
Read More4 last-chance financial aid strategies for parents of juniors
With last year’s big change to the FAFSA, families of current HS juniors (2019 grads) will now use tax information from 2 years prior to their year of HS graduation when they complete their first FAFSA in the 2018-2019 school year. This is a huge deal because whatever those families are doing (or not doing)…
Read MoreInsider tips for the week of October 16, 2017
10 tips to get the most financial aid – Time magazine has 10 practical tips to help families get the most out of the FAFSA. Take-aways include moving money out of your child’s bank and brokerage accounts and appealing disappointing aid packages. College fair do’s and don’ts – Check out this goofy 3 min…
Read MoreInsider tips for the week of June 5, 2017
What you don’t know about financial aid (but should) – An important 8 min. read from the NY Times. Takeaways include colleges are free to come up with their own ways of defining a family’s ability to pay, don’t check the box on the Common Application if you intend to apply for financial aid b/c…
Read More