March 18, 2006 The University of Alaska is offering tuition breaks for out-of-state students for their 2006 Summer Session. The term last from May-August and offers more than 300 classes. Discount’s are in the range of $1,200! The other bonus is that classes are held in areas off the beaten path such as the Katmai National Park. For more information on this subject please click on the link below. UAF Summer Sessions Offer In State Tuition For All ...

There has been a lot of much needed attention given to “debt” these past few months. No doubt Oprah and her “debt diet” has sparked much of the spotlight but it is an especially important concept for prospective college students to grasp. There was a recent article on Yahoo News entitled “The Debt-for-Diploma Crunch” that outlined how those who are in their 20 and 30 somethings are finding it impossible to get ahead because of their student loans. Even worse, college tuition is on the rise and will continue to rise. Financial aid has never been more important! College loans can set you back long after you have earned your degree. This leaves young families with no extra money to set aside for a financial cushion. FinancialAidFinder is filled with fr...

A recent study conducted by an affiliate of the Pew Hispanic Center, showed that Latino students receive the least amount of federal aid among racial/ethnic groups. Latino students are often skeptical of the Free Application For Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) when it comes to answering questions about their legal status and that of their parents. However, it is still a good idea for all Latino students to fill out the FAFSA. The form is available in Spanish in both the print form and online. If you do not have a social security number or other required documents do not lose hope, federal aid may be difficult to obtain but state and private institutional aid may be more readily available. The rule to remember is to always fill out the FAFSA and apply early, you never know until you tr...

Februrary 20, 2006 The first thing to remember is that you are not alone. Students have been dealing with this reality for a long time. Do not assume that you won’t qualify for aid since your parents earn over the eligibility mark. Always fill out the FAFSA no matter what. You may qualify for a Stafford Loan. It will be more difficult to try to get a large loan as a student but federal loans like the Stafford will help. Try making your case to the financial aid office of your choice. This does not always help but it is worth a shot. At the very least they deal with students in your situation all the time and will have some helpful advice. Don’t forget to scour for scholarships and grants as they do not need to be paid back. Most importantly get your information in as...

February 18, 2006 A common question students have is how they can manage their debt and their financial aid. Unfortunately when you fill out the FAFSA form there is no place to put down the amount of debt you owe. The form basically wants to know about your income, your family’s income and assets. Non-traditional students may already have a substantial debt of some kind. It is wise to seek out a way to eliminate or lower this debt before you take on financial aid in the form of loans. Obviously scholarships and grants are still okay since they are gift money and do not need to be repaid. If you can not afford credit counseling there are a number of free resources that you can utilize. A couple you may want to try are the National Foundation for Credit Counseling and Primeric...

February 13, 2006 Many gay students in the past have tried to downplay their sexual orientation when trying to earn scholarships or grants. Today the number of scholarships for gay students are on the rise. Organizations such as the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association offers various student awards and scholarships for aspiring gay and lesbian journalists. With some dedicated research gay students can find a plethora of scholarship opportunities. Many private donors to organizations that offer the scholarship cite the lack of help and support they had when they were going through the process. It is always a good idea to be specific as possible when applying for scholarships and grants. Embracing and capitalizing on what makes you different will open up a whole new range of ...

February 9, 2006 At least 175,000 people are denied federal financial aid due to prior drug offenses according to a recent article in Yahoo News. However, the Budget Reconciliation Act that was just passed has provided a provision to allow students who have drug offenses a new chance at federal student financial aid. The provision is targeted at older non-traditional students. Federal Financial aid forms began requesting information on convictions in the year 2000. Individual states vary in how their policies for distributing aid to drug offenders. ...

February 6, 2006 Identity thieves have figured out yet another scam to cause turmoil in the lives of their victims. This time they are after students and their financial aid money. As if attending college and trying to secure financial aid isn’t enough of a headache without having to deal with credit clean up! One of the main reasons the identity thieves are able to make this happen is because more forms are readily filled out online. Some financial aid offices do not even require the student to pick up their money in person, making it all the more accessible to steal. How Identity Thieves Pull it Off: After securing a student’s identity the thieves will attend the minimum required amount of time in school only to drop out and cash in on the rest of the cash. Depending ...

January 30, 2006 If you are a student you may already be conscious of your grades for college entrance purposes. One more reason to keep those grades up is the correlation between grades and financial aid. Students don’t have to be the valedictorian or the next Rhodes Scholar but good grades will equal more money. A combination of good grades & early application for financial aid is a wonderful formula for gaining financial aid. Scholarships and grants also come more easily to students who have shown hard work through good grades. If you plan early enough and study hard to receive good grades there is no reason you should not be able to gain thousands of dollars in financial aid. ...

January 30, 2006 The sticker price of tuition is increasingly a scary prospect. How on earth do these schools expect people to pay more than the average median income of a U.S. family? And more importantly why must they charge these prices? There really is no simple answer to those questions. The main thing to remember is not to get discouraged because financial aid is available and will heavily lighten the financial load families and students must bear. Tuition sticker prices are not carved in stone and can be etched away by finding the right financial aid avenues to follow. Colleges and Universities are in a constant state of competition for top students. Therefore, they are always trying to “one up” the competition by offering bigger and better programs, buildings, ed...