• Do These 5 Things NOW to Be Ready to File the FAFSA “Sometime in December”

    Do These 5 Things NOW to Be Ready to File the FAFSA “Sometime in December”

    “Sometime in December” Hard to believe, but that is the U.S. Department of Education’s official response when asked for the date that this year’s FAFSA will be available. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (“FAFSA”) is delayed this year because the U.S. Department of Education (“ED”) is simplifying the form and changing the output…

    Read more

  • The Student Aid Index: The New Way to Calculate College Aid

    The Student Aid Index: The New Way to Calculate College Aid

    The U.S. Department of Education (ED) is about to fundamentally change how eligibility for college financial aid is calculated. Here’s what you need to know and a link to a free calculator to estimate eligibility for college aid using the new methodology.

    Read more

  • Student Loans Can Help Build Strong Credit Scores

    Student Loans Can Help Build Strong Credit Scores

    College students and graduates can use student loans to build a great credit score. These three steps will help you understand the credit scoring process and how student loans can help young consumers build a high credit score and open opportunities for future borrowing.

    Read more

  • Federal Student Loans – Still the Best Deal for Undergrads

    Federal Student Loans – Still the Best Deal for Undergrads

    Interest rates have increased noticeably over the past year, which means that Federal student loan interest rates will climb as well. When? By how much? Will the rate on this loan increase more in the future? Is there a better option for undergraduate students to borrow for college? These are all questions into which potential…

    Read more

  • 529 Plans: A Bad Name for a Great Way to Save for College … and More

    529 Plans: A Bad Name for a Great Way to Save for College … and More

    In the 1990s, Congress started 529 college savings programs to help families create a nest egg for college. Although marketers would surely advise against naming a program after a section of the tax code, Section 529 in this case, “529s” grew into a preferred way of saving for college. And now the 529s can be…

    Read more

  • Understanding and appealing financial aid award letters

    Understanding and appealing financial aid award letters

    For gardeners, April showers bring May flowers. For high school seniors, the bloom may already be off the rose. The joy of getting college acceptance letters often quickly fades as the reality of comparing colleges and determining “the one” comes into focus.

    Read more

  • Left on the Table: The Saga of Unclaimed Pell Grant and Scholarship Money

    Left on the Table: The Saga of Unclaimed Pell Grant and Scholarship Money

    Consider the tried-and-true axiom for the lottery: “You need to be in it to win it”. Well, when it comes to applying for federal financial aid, nearly two million high school students annually are deciding not to play the game whatsoever, a decision that is costing almost half of them the chance for some much-needed…

    Read more

  • Help Me Understand Financial Aid

    Help Me Understand Financial Aid

    Paying for college can be overwhelming. Knowing the options and identifying sources of money for your family to pay the college bill is half the battle and there’s no time like the new year to get a handle on the details, especially with financial aid season on the horizon.

    Read more

  • Saving for Higher Education is Better than Borrowing

    Saving for Higher Education is Better than Borrowing

    There is no magic, one-size fits all way to pay for college. The trick is finding what works best for your family.

    Read more