Why Every Parent Needs to Have the College Money Talk – Before It’s Too Late
A Cautionary Tale: Megan’s Story Megan did everything right—she had an outstanding GPA, high test scores, rigorous coursework, impressive extracurricular activities, and strong leadership skills. Her parents encouraged her to apply to any school she wanted, assuring her that they would “figure out” how to pay for it. With her stellar academic profile, Megan applied […]
Why Parents of 11th Graders Should Start Planning College Funding Now
For parents of high school juniors, junior year marks a turning point. College applications, senior year milestones, and the big decisions about higher education are on the horizon. But before students dive into building their college lists or taking summer tours, there’s one critical step that parents need to take: developing a college funding plan. […]
You’ve Submitted the College Admissions and Financial Aid Applications: What’s Next?
Your student has submitted their college admissions applications or are almost at the finish line. You’ve also submitted the CSS Profile (if required) and are likely working on completing the FAFSA now that it is available. Once you hit the submit button and wait to hear back from the colleges, there are several things you should be doing while […]
The FAFSA Tips: What to do Before and After you File the FAFSA
If you’ve started college planning at all you’ve likely heard about the FAFSA. Should you complete it? The answer is yes, for the vast majority of families. The FAFSA is your gateway to all federal aid. The application usually becomes available on October 1 of the student’s senior year. However, this summer, the Department of […]
The CSS Profile is Now Available! How is it Different from the FAFSA?
If you plan to apply for need-based financial aid, there are two aid applications that you need to know about: When families apply for federal financial aid, they will complete the FAFSA, which is required by colleges to determine eligibility for federal aid. However, some colleges use an institutional method for determining eligibility for non-federal aid. These institutions will […]
Borrowing for College: What You Need to Know
The cost of college continues to rise and many parents with college-bound students plan to borrow to pay for their child’s education. As a result, a new dilemma that we are seeing is that as college costs increase, parents are borrowing more, which can impact their retirement plans. In fact, the fastest-growing group of student […]
Seven Major FAFSA Changes: What Families Need to Know
This article was originally published on Kiplinger. As adjustments to the federal FAFSA form are phased in, they could affect the financial aid eligibility of current and prospective college students. Read the full article at Kiplinger
Student Loan Forgiveness: Navigating the Maze
This article was originally posted on Kiplinger Those saddled with student debt could have some help coming … if they understand how Public Service Loan Forgiveness and Income-Driven Repayment Plan Forgiveness works. Add in the deadlines, the waivers and tax implications, and it can be a lot. Let us break it down for you. Read […]
The Income-Driven Repayment (IDR) Plan Waiver: What Borrowers Need to Know
On April 19, 2022, the Department of Education announced a short-term opportunity for expanded loan forgiveness in an effort to address historical failures impacting borrowers on income-driven repayment plans. The changes are expected to bring millions of borrowers closer to student loan forgiveness. However, deciphering through the eligibility requirements can be very confusing for borrowers. […]
Rising College Rejection Rates: What Parents and Teens can do to Avoid the Heartbreak
Acceptance rates among the most elite colleges and universities have broken the hearts of many teens aiming to be admitted to them, as evidenced by the statistics trickling in for the 2022-23 school year. As you can see from a few examples below, acceptance rate drops have occurred across the board: 2020 2022 Amherst […]