Welcome to the part III of our series on ways to reduce the cost of college. If you are currently suffering from college sticker shock, this series if perfect for you! Check out past posts on how to reduce the cost of college, including graduating in three years rather than four, and attending community college for up to two years before transferring to a four-year university. This week’s idea for cutting college costs is to volunteer… specifically be an AmeriCorps volunteer. If you aren’t familiar with AmeriCorps, it is President Clinton’s public service initiative, similar to Peace Corps but for populations in need right here at home. A network of service programs across the country aims to meets critical needs in education, public safety, and health. If you wan...

September 15, 2008 by Mara Strom The news has been doom and gloom all year for would-be student borrowers.  From private loan companies folding to their insurers going under, it seemed that finding an affordable student loan for the ‘08-09 school year was going to be impossible. Well, lo and behold, according to recent articles in the Wall Street Journal, Chicago’s Daily Herald and a survey conducted by the New England Board of Higher Education, it turns out the bark of the financial aid crisis may have been worse than its bite. So what gives? Well, here are a few factors that may have eased the crisis: * Congress raised the cap on its unsubsidized Stafford loans by around $2,000 a year. Unsubsidized loans don’t require applicants to demonstrate financial need.  In ...