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 can share, the more people may get to go to college. Who's with me?

Student Aid Update >>>

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, fees, room & board etc.

For more detailed information, read the article by author John Wasik on Bloomberg.com.

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 you to fill the thing out.

The WTOP article brought up another good point: don't wait until the deadline has passed. This may seem like common sense but there are a lot of people that wait until the deadline has passed and then apply. When their bill comes around they are surprised at the amount but since the deadline passed they really never applied, pay attention to those due dates!

Don't let the sticker price scare you off and if your reading this article your on the right path to find money for school. But make sure you apply for aid at every kind of school, whether it be private, public, community or trade get your application for aid in and try to do it as early in the game as you can.

Student Financial Aid >>>

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.

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 comes at a hefty price. Enough research and time can accomplish the same thing for any student or parent who really does their homework but many parents and student s claim that paying someone else to do this time consuming research is worth the large sum the consultants charge.

Contact your local high school college counselor for information on where to find a college consultant or perform a search on google or your favorite search engine.

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.

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, educators etc. And although any given university or college may seem very well off the reality is they don't have the money to spend that they are spending. The result is extremely high tuition and fees.