I am initiating a new series of posts here at FinancialAidFinder on how to reduce the cost of college. According to the College Board, the average in-state Bachelor’s degree will run you $50,000 today. That figure covers tuition, room and board. The average American family earns $50,000 a year, so cash flowing that kind of money is absolutely impossible. That’s why I’m launching this new series. I’ll be looking at creative or non-traditional ways to reduce the cost of college and make it more affordable for more Americans. This week I am looking at a new trend among some colleges: the 3-year degree. The topic of three-year degrees has recently come into vogue, causing a great deal of debate among college administrators and educators. Setting aside the potential ac...

I can’t believe it’s the last day of July. The start of school is right around the corner. Are you ready? Are your finances? If you are still trying to scrounge up cash to pay for college, look no further. I’ve got three great scholarships to help you fund your higher education. There is a $5,000 scholarship for doctoral students of physical therapy; a $750 photo essay competition entitle “Who’s Got You Covered?”; and a $10,000 essay competition about poverty, called “In the River They Swim.” You can learn more about college scholarships by visiting our scholarship section , which has helpful articles on everything from the scholarship application process to scholarship essays. 1. Florence P Kendall Doctoral Scholarship: $5,000 It’s...

The National Center for Education Statistics recently released a report describing the characteristics of college graduates who have received Pell Grants and comparing them to non-Pell Grant graduates.  Here are some of the findings from their study: 36 percent of 1999-2000 bachelor’s degree recipients received at least one Pell Grant while in college. Pell Grant recipients had greater undergraduate “risk characteristics,” including delaying post-secondary enrollment or failing to graduate from high school than non-recipients Pell Grant recipients whose parents did not attend college took longer to finish their Bachelor’s degree than recipients whose parents held a least a bachelor’s degree. They also enrolled in graduate school at a lower rate. When con...

Did you know that the average college student spends $1,000 a year on textbooks? With a whopping bill like that, it’s definitely worth it to try to save as much as you can on books — however you can. So before you hit the campus bookstore, be sure to read these six tips for saving cash on your textbooks. Buy online. But be sure to choose a vendor that offers free expedited shipping. Choosing ground can cost you a few weeks at the beginning of the semester without your books! Some of the most reputable online vendors include textbooksRus.com, Alibris.com and AbeBooks.com. Buy used. But be sure to check that the textbook is in good to excellent condition. You can save 30-50% of the cost by buying used, but a book that is missing key pages is obviously not much of a savings! Ch...

Happy weekend, all you scholarship seekers! It’s another record hot day here — but hey, all the better to stay inside, in the cool air conditioning, applying for scholarships, right?! As you know, every weekend at FinancialAidFinder, I try to make your search a little bit easier by posting about hot scholarship opportunities with upcoming deadlines.  With the summer dwindling down and back-to-school sales taking off, the scholarship world is a little quieter than usual. So this week, I have two great scholarship leads for minorities: one for Asian American women studying business and one for students attending a Historically Black College or University. I also have a piece of advice for all your scholarship seekers: While the application market is a bit slower, now is a grea...

Happy Friday! My goodness, it’s a scorcher out there. All I want to do is sit in the pool! But don’t get out the sunscreen just yet if you still need to figure out how you are going to foot the bill for next year’s tuition. One of the best solutions to your financial aid woes is to hit the scholarship search trail. Each Friday at the Financial Aid Finder, I make your search a little bit easier by posting about three hot scholarship opportunities with upcoming deadlines. This week, I have a $2,000 scholarship for scuba diving students, a $5,000 scholarship for business aviation management students, and a $1,000 essay competition about the legacy of President Lincoln for President Obama. If you want to find more scholarships you might be eligible for, try using a free sch...

Earlier this week we talked about whether or not distance learning is a good fit for you. Even if you passed our five-question “quiz” with flying colors, there’s another factor that any would-be student needs to consider: Cost. The viability of financial aid is a major factor for many students in selecting a school, and online schools are no different. In fact, a new study recently revealed that at least one in five college students in America is facing a shortfall in parental support due to job loss. Until 2006, U.S. law denied federal financial aid to any student who attended a college that enrolled more than 50 percent of its students at a distance. Fortunately, Congress saw fit to change that law and now online students at accredited schools are eligible for all fo...

Thanks in large part to the recession, the distance learning world is booming. Many job seekers are deciding to wait out the recession in the classroom — virtual classroom, that is. And even those with secure jobs are buttressing their resumes with advanced degrees or certifications that they can earn online. The number of distance learners has climbed 20% since 2002, with more than 3.5 million Americans currently estimated to be taking at least one online class. Are you thinking about pursuing a degree online? Distance learning is increasingly viewed as equally reputable with studying at a brick-and-mortar school. (Here are two recent articles from HR professionals and job recruiters that verify this.) Even still, studying online still isn’t for everyone. How do you know if ...

Happy Friday, Scholarship Seekers! I hope you had a productive week following that long 4th of July weekend. The weather is hot, hot, hot, and so are the scholarship offerings this week! As you know, each Friday at FinancialAidFinder, I list three scholarship opportunities with upcoming deadlines. This week, I have a $1,000 scholarship for non-traditional students, a full tuition scholarship for students of national security, and a $500 scholarship from OP Loft Bed. If you want to search for more scholarships that you might be eligible for, your best bet is to use a free scholarship search engine. But first, check out our article on scholarship searches so you don’t get scammed! Our section on college scholarships is also a great source of information on navigating the scholarship ...

President Obama has promised to improve this nation’s student financial aid system, and that includes overhauling the process of applying for assistance. Top on the President’s list is the Free Application for Student Aid, AKA the FAFSA, which is currently a long and rather complex document that needs to be filled out on line or on paper in order to qualify for federal aid. The document asks students questions about their family’s income, savings and other resources in order to determine how much assistance one is eligible for. The President Education Secretary, Arne Duncan, has recently announced that the Administration plans to completely eliminate the FAFSA and rely instead on an individual’s tax returns to figure financial aid. Secretary Duncan plans to launch...