When Should I Start Looking for College Scholarships?

With all the changes in government funding, the federal financial aid picture is still a bit unclear. It may be difficult to forecast how much money you will be eligible for in financial aid. One thing you can do to guarantee yourself some level of financial support is search for scholarships on your own. That will be money you can count on, no matter what changes are made at the federal and state levels. Scholarships.com says you can start as early as your sophomore year, but you and your parents... Read The Rest →

Should You Accept Admission to More Than One College?

It is really down to the wire now. Most colleges and universities need your final answer one way or the other about whether you are accepting their offer of admission. They need to start planning for the incoming freshman class in the fall and getting back to those prospective students they have waitlisted. But what if you still just can’t decide which college you want to attend for one reason or another? Maybe there are some scholarships you’re waiting for to determine your overall financial picture. Or you might still... Read The Rest →

Six Great Ways to Save on College Costs

Having a child in college might place a financial burden on the entire family, but careful planning and shrewd saving can alleviate some of the burden. April has been called the “month of tears” in financial aid offices when high school students finally begin to realize how much money affects the choice of where they attend college. U.S. News & World Report recently ran an article from a mother/daughter team who shared some ideas they learned which might help make the college experience more affordable: 1.     Going away doesn’t have... Read The Rest →

The Five Most Self-Defeating Things to Say to a Financial Aid Director

Most of the college aid application process can be cold and impersonal – from the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to your Student Aid Report (SAR) and your Financial Aid Award Letter. When it comes to figuring out the financial aid package for a favored school, though, it can be helpful to sit down in person with a financial aid officer for a face-to-face discussion. These interviews can be helpful in stating your case and understanding the financial aid process, but it is also possible to do more... Read The Rest →

Your Guide to Your Financial Aid Award Letter

You have been making great progress and now your college dreams are closer than ever. You have applied to and been accepted by several colleges, correctly completed your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), and received and carefully reviewed your Student Aid Report (SAR). Your SAR will have an Expected Family Contribution (EFC) listed, although this is not necessarily the amount of money your family will have to pay. It is a starting point for the colleges to begin the financial aid award process. The next step on your... Read The Rest →

You’ve Finished Your FAFSA – Now What?

Congratulations – you finally sat down, went online, and completed your FAFSA – Free Application for Federal Student Aid – to determine your eligibility for college financial aid. Now what? The Federal Student Aid website has a lot of information on what happens next, but here is a quick summary: Processing: The Department of Education will process your FAFSA and determine your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) based on their Need Analysis Methodology and review of your information. Once this processing is complete, you will receive an email notification. You can... Read The Rest →

Check Out the New Federal Student Aid Website

You and your parents should be working on your FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) now to make sure you have the maximum opportunity to receive all the financial aid that is available to you. The best place to learn about FAFSA is the Federal Student Aid (FSA) website. This site is a treasure trove of FAFSA tips and other useful information that will help you prepare for college in many ways. Get a brief overview with their Federal Student Aid at a Glance 2013-14 PDF and then use... Read The Rest →

The Trend of Students Applying to College is Higher Than Ever!

My new passion is about enrollment in college, otherwise known as Enrollment Management (or #EMchat).  There are staff members in colleges who crunch numbers and devise strategies and plans to help shape college admissions and meet established goals.  The numbers of universities and colleges instituting offices of Enrollment Management has increased in recent years. Enrollment Management offices provide help and coordination to offices such as admissions, financial aid, registration and other student services.  (Often these offices are part of an Enrollment Management division.) Enrollment Management is an organizational concept and... Read The Rest →

Common Application

This week we’re discussing the use of the Common Application, so we’ve invited Rod M. Bugarin, Jr., Former Ivy League Admissions & Financial Aid Counselor and College Admissions Consultant at Aristotle Circle. Rod is unique among independent college admissions consultants. Not only does he have extensive hands-on experience in selective admissions at several institutions, he is fluent in financial aid and enrollment management policies, particularly for international candidates. In fact, he is one of the few former Ivy League admissions officers who offer straightforward, honest advice about the inner-workings of... Read The Rest →

Need More College Financial Aid? Just Ask!

If you’re the parent of a high school senior, you’ve likely completed the FAFSA by now and are receiving college aid financial packages. And if your child has applied to any private colleges, you may have also completed a CSS/Profile.  So congratulations!  The most difficult part of the financial aid application process is over.  You can now sit back, relax, and let the money roll in, right?  Wrong! While most families take a passive approach to the financial aid process, accepting whatever aid colleges offer (or don’t offer), they may very well... Read The Rest →

« Older Entries