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 before I made my decision on where I ended up. But if it had happened I'm pretty sure I would have based my decision on which school was going to cost the least.

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.

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 early as possible. Money for college is not infinite and the early bird does get the worm!

Remember there are plenty of college graduates that earned their degree without the financial support of their parents so you know it is possible. Please use our website to do some important research on how to get your financial aid for college.

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 Primerica.

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 scholarships that may be closed to may others.

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 24, 2006

The Coverdell Education Savings:

This type of college savings plan can be applied to more than college. A Coverdell Education Savings Account can be used as savings for elementary through high school education as well as college.

Parents or students may contribute up to $2,000 a year tax-free. A few stipulations are that single parents may not earn more than $110,000 and parents filing joint taxes cannot have their adjusted income be more than $220,000.

Any balance unused can be transferred to a sibling or another family member without penalty. As long as the money is used for education purposes (tuition, books, fees etc.) the money will not be taxed. The Hope and Lifetime Earning Credits can be used in the same year by the beneficiary of the Coverdell account as long as the same expenses are used for both benefits.

The Coverdell is typically considered the parents asset which is a good thing. Remember a child is expected to pay 35% of their assests when financial aid is evaluated as opposed to the 5.64% that is required of parents.
For more information on this type of savings please click here.

The 529 College Savings Plan:

In my research there is a lot of conflicting reports on 529 Savings Plans. People either rave about them or think they are a terrible idea.

Basically a 529 Savings Plan allows parents to put money into a state sponsored savings account. Single parents may contribute up to $11,000 a year and couples may contribute up to $22,000 a year.

Not every state offers these types of saving plans. If your state does not offer one you can find a financial advisor who can set up one for you in another state. Hidden financial fees and set up fees can make people oppose this type of plan so don't rule it out but be aware that it can exist.

The 529 Plan like the Coverdell is tax free when used for educational purposes. Friends and families can also contribute to the plan, making great gifts!

There are many other college savings plans out there. Make sure you do your homework and find one that is perfect for you and your family.

January 20, 2006

The National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA) sent out a press release today calling for their members to act! Simply put the Budget Reconciliation Act of 2005 takes too much money away from student loans causing a substantial financial increase on students and families.

Luckily Senators that opposed this legislation were able to call for parliamentary procedures that made it necessary for the House to vote again on S. Bill 1932. That is why it is imperative to call or email your State's Representatives before the House votes on Feb. 1, 2006.

You can find contact information for your representative by visiting the U.S. House of Representatives website. If you would like to know how your representative voted on the Budget Reconciliation Act of 2005, S. Bill 1932 the first time please click here.

January 19, 2006

If you've searched the mainstream college scholarships and come up with nothing, don't lose hope. There are plenty of alternative or just plain weird scholarships out there.

For instance, there's the Zolp Scholarship. To be eligible for this scholarship you need to be 1.) Catholic 2.) Attending the Loyola University in Chicago and 3.) Have a last name of Zolp. Okay, this scholarship is a little more specific than most but someone out there fits the criteria and it could be you!

Look at all the many diverse attributes that you may have in your background or evaluate the special talents you may have. There is a way to find these scholarships. One important tip to remember if you use are doing a search with Google is remember to be as detailed as possible when you enter your search criteria. For example, if you simply enter "scholarship" or "financial aid" you are going to get a gargantuan amount of results which should and will overwhelm you. A better way to search for these alternative scholarships is to enter: scholarship, female, zolp, etc.

Make sure and check out our scholarship section, there is a ton of good free scholarship information to search through!