Big Changes Coming to FAFSA

By |2023-03-07T21:08:13+00:00February, 28, 2023|FAFSA, Financial Aid, Paying for College|

In a previous blog post, I wrote about how the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, is going to change this year. Recently, the Department of Education announced the new form might not be ready by October 1, the date on which the application has opened since 2016. [...]

Why Is College So Expensive? Part 3

By |2023-01-09T19:17:51+00:00January, 11, 2023|College Costs, Financial Aid, Paying for College, Scholarships|

This is my third in a series of blog posts on the increasing cost of college in the United States.  In the first post, I offered several reasons why college is so expensive.  In the second, I explained that college may not actually be as costly as it seems, as [...]

Upcoming Changes in College Admissions

By |2023-01-08T23:05:57+00:00January, 4, 2023|College Admissions, College Admissions Tests, College Essays, FAFSA, Financial Aid|

As 2023 begins, there are several major changes that will impact the college admissions landscape this year and beyond. Below are descriptions of four of them, along with one wildcard. Pell Grant Increase For students and families relying on need-based financial aid, the Pell Grant increase is welcome news. The [...]

Why Is College So Expensive? Part 2

By |2023-01-09T19:10:18+00:00November, 2, 2022|College Costs, Financial Aid, Paying for College, Scholarships|

When President Biden announced in August that he would forgive student loan debt for millions of borrowers, many critics argued that his plan did not address the larger problem of the rising cost of college.  In response, I published a blog post entitled, "Why Is College So Expensive?"  A couple weeks [...]

Why Is College So Expensive?

By |2022-09-10T22:37:07+00:00August, 30, 2022|College Costs, Financial Aid, Paying for College|

Since President Biden announced on August 24 that he was canceling student loan debt for millions of borrowers, there has been a flurry of responses from a wide range of individuals.  One of the main criticisms of Biden's plan is that canceling student debt does nothing to address rising college [...]

TuitionFit: Shedding Light on Financial Aid Awards

By |2022-05-11T22:04:24+00:00March, 15, 2022|FAFSA, Financial Aid, Paying for College, Scholarships|

Guest blog post by Jay Murray, Certified College Planning Specialist One of the most perplexing parts of the college planning process is price transparency.  What will a college’s actual net price be after merit aid and financial aid awards?  What will a family actually pay for a student to attend [...]

Is Early Decision Binding? Maybe Not

By |2021-12-30T21:50:49+00:00January, 4, 2022|College Admissions, College Applications, Financial Aid, Paying for College, Scholarships|

As students decide what colleges to apply to, they often wonder whether to apply anywhere Early Decision (ED).  ED deadlines are typically in early November, and admissions decisions are usually released in mid- to late-December.  Unlike Early Action, Early Decision involves a binding commitment, meaning that if a student is [...]

Tuition-Free College? It’s Possible

By |2021-11-03T21:32:27+00:00September, 8, 2021|Financial Aid, Paying for College, Scholarships|

In a previous blog post, I explained that some colleges charge different amounts of tuition based on students' majors. But what if you could attend college without paying tuition at all? Large and small schools across the nation have a variety of programs (not loans) that allow students to do [...]

Congratulations to the Class of 2021!

By |2021-07-08T18:32:31+00:00May, 5, 2021|College Admissions, College Admissions and COVID-19, Financial Aid, Scholarships|

It's been a difficult year for high school seniors: going to school online, dealing with the cancellation of sports and activities, and not being able to see friends are just some of the challenges they have faced.  But, as the school year winds to a close and seniors prepare to [...]

What to Do if You’re Waitlisted

By |2021-03-09T15:53:01+00:00March, 9, 2021|College Admissions, Financial Aid|

It's the time of year when high school seniors who applied to college regular decision are starting to receive admissions decisions.  Of course, the outcome everyone hopes for -- especially when it comes to their first-choice school -- is an acceptance, and the one they dread is a denial.  But [...]

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