Will the FAFSA Changes Affect You?

College students and their parents are accustomed to filling out the yearly Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). This is usually a pretty straightforward, if not drawn-out, process. But in today’s society students have many different types of home living arrangements which can cause problems when completing these forms. Trying to answer the seemingly-simple question of “who is my parent?” can become a matter of splitting regulatory hairs. Questions about stepparents, adoptive parents and parents in same sex marriages cloud the information students can supply and may affect their... 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 →

Admission Our Hot Topic on #CollegeCash

Tonight our #CollegeCash friends and families got together to share the stress and advice of the college admissions process. We had special guest Dr. Nancy Berk to help calm the nerves of many of our friends. [View the story "Admission Hot Topic on #CollegeCash" on Storify] Share → Tweet

Tips For Completing Missing Documents

Once your online Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is complete, your Student Aid Report (SAR) will go to the colleges indicated on your application. You must stay involved in this process because you may receive a Missing Information notice at the email address you provided. If you did not provide an email address, these requests will be sent by mail. Some of these requests might include: FAFSA: You could have forgotten to enter a school’s code or entered it incorrectly on your FAFSA. You can go to the... 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 →

#CollegeCash Chats About Demonstrated Interest in a College

#CollegeCash chat had guest Sia Knight talking about demonstrated interest in college admissions. Sia gave great insight into how demonstrated interest can effect your college admission. It’s true. When students are applying to more colleges than ever before, schools are looking to identify and admit students who will likely enroll if accepted. Colleges really like students who demonstrate an interest beyond simply applying. #CollegeCash is every Thursday night at 7pm PST. Join us to l earn about all topics related to the college process & much, much more! [View the... 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 →

Twitter Tips for College Visits and the College-bound

This week we welcomed Kelly Queijo (@collegevisit), founder of http://SmartCollegeVisit.com, to share her Twitter Tips for College Visits and the College-bound.  Following is a summary of the chat. Twitter is a great tool for teens to use for college searches, admissions information, networking, opinions, weather and alerts.  But they should choose a Twitter ID and avatar that is not offensive as colleges may want to engage in conversation with them.  For a quick wrap-up, check out:  6 Reasons College-Bound Teens Should Use Twitter at http://ow.ly/gUGD6. To locate colleges on Twitter,... 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 →

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