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FAFSA and CSS Profile: What Families Need to Know Before They Submit
Financial aid season is officially here! For high school seniors and their families, October can be a busy month. College...
Financial Aid Deadlines: Why Your College List Matters More Than You Think
When families build a college list, the focus is usually on admissions. However, many don’t realize the impact your college...
FAFSA and CSS Profile: What Families Need to Know Before Financial Aid Season Begins
When it comes to paying for college, financial aid season can arrive quickly. Before you know it, your student is...
Parents vs. Students: Who Does What During Financial Aid Season?
Applying for college and financial aid is a family project in many ways. While it is the student who ultimately...
The Ultimate August Financial Aid Checklist for High School Seniors
It's hard to believe that August has arrived. For rising high school seniors, that means that college application and financial...
Your August Financial Aid Checklist
With August just days away, many families are starting to think and plan ahead knowing the school year is just...
Smart Borrowing Strategies Before College Begins
By the time August arrives, most families have received their first tuition bill, and for some, there is still a...
Understanding Your First College Tuition Bill
Recent high school graduates have had a busy year between completing their high school course work, applying to schools, finalizing...
Summer Financial Aid Prep: Five Things Every Rising Senior Should Do Before School Starts
Summer before senior year is a unique season. It's a time to relax after a busy junior year, spend time...
FAFSA and CSS Profile: What Families Need to Know Before They Submit
Financial aid season is officially here! For high school seniors and their families, October can be a busy month. College...
Financial Aid Deadlines: Why Your College List Matters More Than You Think
When families build a college list, the focus is usually on admissions. However, many don’t realize the impact your college...
FAFSA and CSS Profile: What Families Need to Know Before Financial Aid Season Begins
When it comes to paying for college, financial aid season can arrive quickly. Before you know it, your student is...
Parents vs. Students: Who Does What During Financial Aid Season?
Applying for college and financial aid is a family project in many ways. While it is the student who ultimately...
The Ultimate August Financial Aid Checklist for High School Seniors
It's hard to believe that August has arrived. For rising high school seniors, that means that college application and financial...
Your August Financial Aid Checklist
With August just days away, many families are starting to think and plan ahead knowing the school year is just...
Understanding Your First College Tuition Bill
Recent high school graduates have had a busy year between completing their high school course work, applying to schools, finalizing...
Summer Financial Aid Prep: Five Things Every Rising Senior Should Do Before School Starts
Summer before senior year is a unique season. It's a time to relax after a busy junior year, spend time...
The Best Thing Families Can Do Before Senior Year Starts
Summer break might feel like a pause button for students: no school, no homework, and a bit more breathing room...
FAFSA and CSS Profile: What Families Need to Know Before They Submit
Financial aid season is officially here! For high school seniors and their families, October can be a busy month. College...
After You Submit: What Families Should Expect Next
You’ve submitted the FAFSA and completed the CSS Profile. Maybe you’ve uploaded tax forms, W-2s, or documents through IDOC, if...
FAFSA Submitted! Here’s What Happens Next
The FAFSA is done, finally! While you should take time to congratulate yourself on reaching this milestone, now isn't the...
Your Applications Are In — Here’s What Happens Behind the Scenes
Congratulations! Your applications are in and you can take a deep breath! Now that you’ve submitted your FAFSA, here’s a...
Verification Explained: What to Do If You’re Selected
When it comes to financial aid, the word “verification” can sound intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be. Request for...
The FAFSA and CSS Profile: What You Need Before You Submit
Fall is one of the busiest and most important times for high school seniors. Between college applications, essays, and scholarship...
Understanding the Student Aid Index (SAI)
When it comes to financial aid there are several terms and acronyms that can make the process difficult and overwhelming....
FAFSA and CSS Profile: What You Can Do Now to Prepare
When it comes to paying for college, fall can sneak up on you fast. When applying for financial aid, students...
FAFSA Prep: What to Gather Before October 1st
With summer coming to an end, everyone begins to shift their focus to school prep. The majority of students worry...
Your August Financial Aid Checklist
With August just days away, many families are starting to think and plan ahead knowing the school year is just...
Smart Borrowing Strategies Before College Begins
By the time August arrives, most families have received their first tuition bill, and for some, there is still a...
The Best Thing Families Can Do Before Senior Year Starts
Summer break might feel like a pause button for students: no school, no homework, and a bit more breathing room...
What Happens to Financial Aid After Freshman Year?
For many families, getting through freshman year of college feels like crossing the finish line. After navigating senior year of...
You’re In—Now What? The Financial Steps Families Should Take After College Acceptance
As a high school student preparing for college, one of the most exciting moments is getting acceptance letters. However, this...
When and How to Appeal a Financial Aid Offer
For many families, receiving a financial aid offer brings a mix of relief, and sometimes confusion. You finally have answers,...
How to Read a Financial Aid Award Letter Without Panic
High school students are preparing for college and admission letters are finally rolling in. Now students and their families are...
How to Stay Organized While Waiting for Financial Aid Offers
February and really most of the winter months can feel quiet when it comes to Financial Aid. You’ve submitted all...
Why February Feels Quiet in the Financial Aid Process (and Why That’s Normal)
If you’ve submitted your FAFSA, CSS Profile, and supporting documents, February can feel… strangely quiet. After months of forms, deadlines,...
Understanding Your First College Tuition Bill
Recent high school graduates have had a busy year between completing their high school course work, applying to schools, finalizing...
How Families Should Prepare for the First College Bill
Sending your child off to college is a significant milestone! As you prepare your student to leave home and begin...
The College Bill Is Coming—Here’s How Families Actually Pay It
Navigating college finances can be daunting, and for many, receiving that college bill is when everything starts to feel real. ...
What Happens to Financial Aid After the First Year?
A lot of students and families breathe a sigh of relief after getting their first-year financial aid package. But don’t...
Deadlines May Be Months Away: Planning to Pay for College Starts Now
If you’re a high school or college student thinking about how you’re going to pay for college, here’s something you...
Summertime Financial Aid Prep for Busy Students and Families
Summer break might feel like a pause button for students: no school, no homework, and a bit more breathing room...
Stay Ahead This Summer: Smart Financial Aid Moves for Students and Families
Summer is such a wonderful time, especially for students who have graduated and are preparing to start college this fall....
Don’t Skip These 5 College Money Talks This Summer
Sending your child off to college is a significant milestone! As you prepare your student to leave home and begin...
Smart Families Plan Early: Financial Aid Prep You Can Start Today
If you're a high school student (or the parent of one), college might still feel far off—but when it comes...
Summer Scholarship Prep: A Guide for Busy Families
Summer is a great time to hit pause and relax, especially the summer between junior and senior year. But if...
Mastering Scholarship Deadlines: Your Guide to Organized Application Success
Navigating the world of scholarship applications can be daunting, especially when you're juggling multiple deadlines and requirements. Missing deadlines can...
It’s Never Too Early (or Too Late) to Apply to Scholarships: A Guide for College Students & Families
As college tuition costs continue to rise, the search for scholarships becomes increasingly crucial for students and their families. Whether...
When College Bound Students Should Begin Looking for Scholarships
As students embark on their educational journeys, the prospect of financing their studies often looms large. Scholarships can be a...
10 Creative Ways to Cover Your College Costs
Navigating the financial hurdles of college can be daunting, but there are numerous creative strategies to help ease the burden....
5 Topics for Your Family’s College Money Talk
Help Your Student Make an Educated Decision About How to Fund College For many families, the joy of college applications...
How the CSS Profile Can Help Your Student Find More Money for College
While the focus of financial aid applications is often the FAFSA, it’s important to understand that some schools require students...
What You Need to Know to File the CSS Profile This Fall
The fall is a wonderful and busy time of year - especially if you’re a student applying for college. All...
Demystifying Financial Aid: Key Terms Every High School Senior Should Know
For many high school seniors, the reality about balancing school, life, and even work may be settling in as the...
Smart Borrowing Strategies Before College Begins
By the time August arrives, most families have received their first tuition bill, and for some, there is still a...
What You Need to Know Before You Borrow Student Loans
Borrowing student loans is a significant financial decision that can have long-lasting implications on your student’s future. While loans can...
Your Guide to Filing the 2024-2025 FAFSA
Fall can be a challenging time for high school seniors with college applications, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid...
What You Need to Know to File the CSS Profile This Fall
The fall is a wonderful and busy time of year - especially if you’re a student applying for college. All...
Demystifying Financial Aid: Key Terms Every High School Senior Should Know
For many high school seniors, the reality about balancing school, life, and even work may be settling in as the...
Everything You Need to Complete Your 2024-2025 FAFSA
The FAFSA is coming. For the 2024-2025 application cycle, the FAFSA will be released in December. If you’re attending college...
What’s the Difference Between Federal and Private Student Loans?
Before we know it, classes will begin for the fall semester nationwide on college campuses. Rising freshman and returning college...
Researching Student Loan Options Can Save You Thousands of Dollars
Let’s be honest: in the summertime, no one wants to be reading up about interest rates or student loan options....
How Does Student Loan Interest Work?
College graduation season is here! Fresh graduates are heading out in the world to begin their careers and lives as...
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With my fifteen years of experience, tailoring financial aid strategies to your unique needs empowers you to plan for college success.
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I've simplified the intricate financial aid process, providing step-by-step guidance from FAFSA and CSS Profile to scholarships.
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