May 24, 2006 Okay so the rumors are true, ‘06-’07 tuition has been announced and the news isn’t great. Tuition for both public and private universities have gone up anywhere from 3-8 percent and that’s just the start. Universities are citing a plethora of reasons which can include anything from facility updates to an increase in gas prices. Does anyone else have a problem with this? An increase in gas prices is causing tuition to rise! I get that utilities will increase but does that really relay into an additional $300 bucks per student? If you are a prospective student or parent of a prospective student now is the time to really cozy up with the financial aid process. Study this website, and ask a question or post a comment. The more free information we ...

May 23, Before you gamble the ranch on your child’s college education, do a little research to make sure it’s worth it. There are several reasons that a Home-Equity Loan may not be a good idea. In a recent article on Bloomberg.Com, these types of student loans can get you into trouble. Home-Equity Loans can make an impact on your financial situation in a big way such as: on your tax return. A Home-Equity loan interest is not tax deductible unlike other loans used for higher education. If your real estate market is on the downward spiral it might be a good idea to cash in on an interest only loan. By refinancing in this way you can save on monthly payments and apply that extra money to the extra expenses associated with your child’s college education such as books...

May 14, 2006 The low interest rate on Stafford Loans and other federal loans is about to change. Due to the Budget Reconciliation Act of 2005 the interest on federal loans will rise 2.0 percentage points in July. That means that if you have not done so already it is in your best interest to consolidate your student loans now! Financial Aid advisors say that it is best to consolidate your loans now as paperwork could take up to a month to process. ...

May 14, 2006 The First Rule of Financial Aid is to apply! It should be rule number two and three as well, it’s that important. Why is it so important? Because you will never know how much money you can receive until you apply, if you don’t apply you are guaranteed nothing. This may seem quite obvious but a recent article in the WTOP (Capital News) has shown that lower income earning families are not applying for federal aid. The FAFSA can be a pain to fill out but think of how much more of a pain trying to juggle all your debt will be down the road. Federal aid comprises the bulk of financial aid so filling out the FAFSA is a good idea. The form is now online and the FAFSA website can be read in both Spanish and English. In addition there is information that will help ...

May 4, 2006 Throughout most of the application process the potential student is courting the college but as a recent article in the New York Times points out, when decision making time approaches the roles are reversed. Some schools will lay on the charm extra thick to entice students to choose their acceptance. Personal e-mails, letters, phone calls from Professors, small receptions are all just a few examples of how the college will court their acceptees. According to some college admission staff high quality students have more options to choose from because they are applying to more schools, therefore to them it is increasingly important to lay it on thick. I don’t know about you but I missed the boat when it came to personal invites to sail on the dean of admissions yacht b...

April 26, 2006 It’s a tough time to be applying for college these days. Not only are college tuition rising but the number of applicants are increasing in droves while the number of spots for admittance are staying the same. This translates into lower admission rates and a sharp increase in competition. Enter the new college counselor or the Independent College Consultants. College Consultants are offering their services to parents and their high school students to help these kids get an edge over the competition. The consultants look at scores, admission rates, geographic representation, extra curriculum and diversity factors to determine which colleges need the kind of students their clients represent. The college consultants spend quality time with their clients but it come...

By now you have heard of “Ivy League” schools. Some people are not clear on which schools are actually considered “Ivy.” The Ivy League was created in 1954 and includes the eight most prestigious and selective universities in the United States. The eight Ivy League schools are: Brown University Columbia University Cornell University Dartmouth University Harvard University Princeton University University of Pennsylvania Yale University Don’t automatically rule these schools out by presuming they are out of your league. Many of these schools offer a great multitude of scholarships and are often very good at offering financial aid as a means to “diversify” their students. The rule of thumb is you never know until you apply! ...

The Alaska Travel Industry Association or ATIA Foundation is currently offering fourteen academic scholarships to individuals who wish to pursue a career in tourism. The awards total $25,000 for the selected students. The applications are due at the ATIA Foundation office by April 17th, 2006. You may contact David Lee (907) 646-3303, for more information or go the ATIA website by clicking here. ...

An expert from Kaplan was featured on the Today show discussing various ways to prepare for college costs. He highlighted some issues that we have discussed in previous “news” articles on FinancialAidFinder. This is a very tumultuous time for financial aid as budget cuts have reduced federal aid by $41 billion dollars while the cost of tuition continues to rise. We have compiled some of the important tips and issues that we have discussed over the past couple of months that are pertinent to the issues that the Today show highlighted. Start a College Savings Account for Your Child ASAP: If you have just had a baby or plan to have one very soon here are a few thoughts you might want to consider. Even if your child is older these ideas should help you plan for your childR...

March 26, 2006 What will they think of next? Now there is a way to gurantee a college education. The policy uses the same tried and true concept of establishing an estate or insurance policy. The financial product is designed for kids five and under and like insurance policies varies in price on the age and health condition of the grantors. The end result is that your child will receive the whole enchilada college experience. Tuition, fees, room and board, book allowance are all covered after you pay your policy off of course. For more information go to Secured Educational Funding website. ...