Most families know that there are many ways to pay for college: savings, loans, grants, scholarships, financial aid, gifts from friends and family, income from a job, etc. Sometimes overlooked is a hidden gem that could reduce student borrowing and the total cost of paying for college: tuition payment plans. 

This recent article “Dos and Don’ts For College Scholarships” talked about free money for college such as grants and scholarships, and offered general tips on how to search for free money.

That sounds odd, doesn’t it, “to win the financial aid game.”  You don’t have to stretch very far to see that the financial aid process has characteristics of a game: there is a rulebook, a referee (the U.S. Department of Education), a defined time period and rewards at the end for the winners.  Unfortunately, as we’ve recently learned, there are cheaters too.