Wondering What #CollegeCash is all about?

#CollegeCash weekly chat Thursdays at 10 pm EST/7pm PST.

I have started a weekly live Twitter chat for parents of students heading to or enrolled in college to help them receive the best possible guidance for Financial Aid planning. Learning the ropes from an experienced professional ensures that your family will get the maximum financial package for your student and allow them to attend the school of their choice.

Deadlines, new terminology and just plain no extra time can make financial planning for your child's education a challenge but procrastinating in this case can mean loss of funding which can seriously change the whole plan. Don't let these obstacles change your family's dream of higher education. This weekly opportunity will give you the chance to ask questions and plan!

Each week, I will host #CollegeCash with a new topic that will help parents and students learn what they need to in order to be successful in their pre-college planning. By bringing in guests with varied backgrounds and sharing with others in the live Twitter stream, you will have the opportunity to learn and have fun at the same time.

Here is what happened on week #2 of #CollegeCash on September 8, 2011. This informative chat was about Financial Aid Timeline Tips and Questions.

Want more information? Please check out  College Financial Aid Advisors on the web or tweet @JodiOkun with any questions that you might have about #CollegeCash. Hope to see you each week on Thursday nights at 10 pm EST/7pm PST!

Sources of Financial Aid for Students

Financial aid is a combination of grants, scholarships, work-study and loans. While most colleges expect you and your family to contribute toward your education, financial aid can help narrow the gap between your resources and your costs. Almost all-financial aid award letters combine grants, scholarships, work-study and loans to families who qualify for financial aid. Financial aid is available from the federal government, states, colleges and private sources.

• Grants are money you don't have to repay and are typically based on financial need.
• Scholarships are also free money, usually based on your area of study or merit, such as good grades, high test scores, athletic, musical or other special talents, community service and sometimes financial need.
• Work-study or student employment programs - federal and college - let you earn money in certain jobs on or off campus to help pay for your education.
• Loans are borrowed money that you must pay back usually with interest.

Financial aid offered by your state or college requires you submit information and applications. It is critical to apply on time and meet all deadlines because financial aid funds are limited. College Financial Aid Advisors is the place to start. Apply for financial aid even before finding out if you've been accepted to college. Otherwise you may miss out on scholarship, grants and other free money for education.

Ten Things College Students Waste Money On

When we made the decision to pay for my son's college education many years ago, we never expected the price of tuition to almost double just as he entered the University of California. To top it all off, the timing of his freshman year followed a decade of lackluster growth in his college fund.  We are not alone, as parents everywhere are struggling to help their children walk across the stage in a cap and gown to gain a coveted college diploma.  Parents may have socked away funds to pay for tuition and books, but with costs rising there is simply less money to spend on all the other expenses associated with being a student..more.

The Net Price Calculator: Financial Aid 'Game-Changer'?

The term "net price calculator" will soon be ubiquitous, at least in college admissions circles (and around more than a few kitchen tables).

The Choice has written about this tool, but here's a definition for the uninitiated: it is an online device that offers customized approximations of college costs based on standardized inputs − family size and savings, for example. The calculator estimates a prospective student's financial aid; subtracts that amount from a college's "list price," or full cost; and spits out a "net price," the amount a particular student must pay or borrow to enroll..more..

What Can A Financial Aid Consultant Do For You?

• Save you time and money by helping you complete countless and sometimes confusing financial aid forms.

• Protect you from missing a deadline and making costly mistakes.

• Guide you through the entire financial aid process.

• Provide peace of mind knowing you've received the financial aid you're entitled to, while minimizing your time, effort and energy.

If you are starting the college application process and have questions about navigating the financial aid system, I can offer you individualized, accurate and personal assistance.

It is never too early to get the support and expertise to fund your student's education. Call me, your personal college financial aid advisor, at 562.598.1162 or email me at jodiokun@gmail.com for your complimentary one on one consultation.

All the best, 

Jodi Okun 

Financial Aid Consultant 

College Financial Aid Advisors