I’m thrilled to pass this article on to my clients. Many families I work with assume that they will not receive any financial aid, however, as the article points out many middle class families qualify for financial aid. This is very important in the college search as it is in a student’s best interest to have a variety of options- public schools and private schools. Continue reading »
I was thrilled with this article as it provides great advice to parents on the financial aid process. I especially like the counsel it provides in working with the financial aid office at a prospective school.
This is an interesting article about college’s offering 3 year degrees. Historically, some students have graduated in three years by entering college with credits from community colleges or AP courses. With the economic downturn this is another option for families to consider.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/25/education/25hartwick.html?_r=1&emc=eta1
This is an excellent article about the difficulty many families experience completing the much dreaded financial aid forms. Don’t let the complicated nature of the FAFSA keep you from completing the form. It is the entry point for most aid. Trust me on this- go complete the form if you haven’t already!
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/22/education/22fafsa.html?hp
For great resources and an online financial aid calculator, check out www.finaid.org .
Good news out of Rice University- they are raising the income threshold for families to receive financial aid. This is change will help middle income families. It is wonderful to see colleges and universities responding proactively to the financial crisis. Now more than ever, it is critical for families to research the financial aid policies of the schools their children are applying to. If you haven’t done so, go to www.finaid.com, and find out your Expected Family Contribution (how much you are expected to pay).
http://www.bizjournals.com/houston/stories/2008/12/15/daily24.html
I really enjoyed this article. It makes some critical points about paying for college in a recession or anytime. One point that is critical for families to consider is applying to a few generous colleges. Each college varies on how it awards aid- both merit and need based. It is critical to find out which colleges are going to be “generous” for your situation.