Why Should You File a FAFSA If You Know You Won’t Qualify?

The FAFSA forms for the 2013-2014 school year came out a few weeks ago and all across America great cries of protest were heard as students and parents alike started coming up with excuses for why they shouldn’t have to complete these dastardly forms. Everyone already “knows” that they won’t qualify so it hardly seems worth the effort to submit a form that just confirms that knowledge. With all these people thinking they don’t qualify, it’s surprising the government is able to find students who are eligible for the over... Read The Rest →

Ways to Side-Step the Shortage of Financial Aid

Although nearly every college student wants a scholarship to help pay tuition, only about 50 percent of college students are expected to receive free money each year.  But there are some steps students can take right now to improve their odds of being in the lucky 50 percent: Apply Early for Financial Aid:   It’s wise to start applying for financial aid (both private and college/university grants) at least a year in advance. This gives you enough time to understand the terms and apply accordingly. In addition, due to the economy,... Read The Rest →

Paying Back Your College Financial Aid

Your loan servicer will provide you with information about repayment and your repayment start date. It is very important that you make your full loan payment on time either monthly (which is usually when you’ll pay) or according to your repayment schedule.  Following are some things you need to know when paying your financial aid bills. If you made payments on your federal student loans during 2011, you may be eligible to deduct a portion of the interest you paid on your federal tax return. You’ll need Form 1098-E to... Read The Rest →

Comparing Multiple Financial Aid Packages

If you’ve been accepted at multiple colleges and were awarded competitive financial aid packages, congratulations! You’re in a great position to find the perfect school and have a great college experience. While you’re comparing colleges and universities that have accepted you, be sure you look at the big picture. Remember, you’ll be studying and living at the school for a few years, two or three if you’re applying to a community college, and four or five if you’re applying to a traditional college or university. While being awarded enough college... Read The Rest →

6 Tips to Determining if Your Financial Aid is a Good Offer

Evaluating financial aid packages can be tricky because they are not standardized. Schools use different formats when presenting awards to families and the terminology in these packages can be bewildering. There are ways, however, to determine which offers are the best. The bottom line is the extent to which the financial aid award lowers your actual out-of-pocket cost to attend the college. Here are six tips to help you evaluate financial aid awards. 1.  Don’t assume that the cost of attendance is correct. Financial aid letters should include the school’s... Read The Rest →

College Cash Seminar October 6, 2011

This seminar marks the one month anniversary of #CollegeCash and many of the people participating have been there each week to share and learn about Financial Aid and the complicated process with helpful tips and links from Jodi Okun. This week Jodi had the honor of guest posting on the popular and well-respected website 12 Most to discuss her area of expertise: Financial Aid. If you haven’t been to this site before, experts from many different industries and backgrounds share their wisdom and experience to create resources. You may read... Read The Rest →