Whether you are a student in high school or a parent, you may wonder, "Where are all the colleges that offer free...
Paying for College
How to Pay for College Without Loans
Does paying for college without loans sound like a dream? But you may wonder… How? After all, everyone seems to take...
How to Make Money in College
As a parent, you may be wondering how your child might be able to earn some extra money in college to either...
How to Apply for Multiple Scholarships at Once
Does this sound familiar? "Hey, I think this is a great time to apply for scholarships!" "Uh, Mom, when will I have time to do that?" If you barely have time to eat breakfast in the morning or are always late to soccer practice with your younger children, I hear you....
Top Financial Planning for College Tips
Not surprisingly, a lot of parents ask me, "How do we afford college?” Parents who attended college twenty years ago usually find themselves in shock over the number of changes in the college landscape — from tuition costs to the fact that they must fund most of it...
I Wish That I Had Applied…
I have never encountered a college graduate who wishes they had won less scholarships. Almost always, they candidly acknowledge having missed out on applying for scholarships and in hindsight, they would definitely have dedicated more time to applying for them in...
College Affordability Before Applications
Apply first and hopefully the affordability works out. Each year many students use this approach when applying to colleges. Sadly, they often apply to multiple colleges that are out of their family’s affordability range. An additional affordability component that is...
College Funding Beyond the FAFSA
Financing a college education requires more than completing a FAFSA each year. If a student qualifies, federal grant and loan programs only provide limited funding amounts which often leave a significant affordability gap. I believe families need to consider the...
Financing College Beyond the FAFSA: Personal Banking Relationships
Parents of college bound students frequently ask me about prudent ways to finance a college education. Many financially savvy parents are looking for other safe, comparable options beyond the Federal Direct PLUS Loan, also known as the Parent PLUS Loan, due to its...
Avoiding the Scholarship Black Hole
Students and their families seem excited about scholarships in the fall of the senior year, but by the spring of that year, many have not yet applied for even one scholarship. This scenario almost sounds paradoxical as the potential to win free money should be a top...
Financial Aid beyond the FAFSA: A Closer Look at the Direct PLUS Loan
Many families falsely perceive or simply do not realize that college financing options do not end with the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form. I believe it is more important than ever for families to be aware of college financing options in the...
Financial Aid before the FAFSA: What is the Prior-Prior Year?
The thought of filing a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form can be intimidating and confusing to many families. What I often find to be the first point of confusion for many families is understanding the correct base tax year that the FAFSA will use...