Michelle Kretzschmar ShareTweetFlipEmailPin0 SharesWhen applying to colleges, students are often encouraged to apply to reach, match, and safety schools. These categories describe the likelihood of students being admitted based on how closely their qualifications match those required by the colleges. A safety school is one where students qualifications would easily put them in the top quarter of … Read more
ShareTweetFlipEmailPin0 SharesTuition discounting refers to the scholarships and grants colleges and universities provide to students. The Association of Government Boards of Universities and Colleges defines it as “Tuition discounting is the process by which the institution offsets its published tuition price (sticker price) with institutional grant aid for enrolling students.” The students are not paying … Read more
ShareTweetFlipEmailPin0 SharesOften students do not have a choice of whether to live on or off campus. It’s simply a matter of finances-to be able to afford to attend college, they live at home and attend a local university. But for those who have the choice, research shows that students who live on campus do better … Read more
ShareTweetFlipEmailPin0 SharesThe conventional wisdom is that juniors should take the SAT or ACT sometime in the spring of their junior year. If need be, they retake it in the fall of their senior year. If you don’t have any reason not to such as playing a fall sport, my recommendation is to take the exam … Read more
ShareTweetFlipEmailPin0 Shares“Need blind” admissions refers to the process of a college evaluating an admission application without regard to the student’s financial status. In other words, the admissions office makes its decisions without knowing the student’s financial situation. To understand what this means it helps to know under what circumstances admissions might consider a student’s financial … Read more
ShareTweetFlipEmailPin0 SharesIndependent college counselors also known as independent educational consultants (IEC), are individuals other than high school guidance counselors who provide college counseling to students and families. They are hired to provide these services independent of the high school. A common depiction of independent counselors in the media are high-priced consultants who “package” students for … Read more
ShareTweetFlipEmailPin0 SharesNo–with a big assumption. The assumption is that you already know approximately how much you can afford and how much financial aid a college is likely to give you. That means that you have already used a calculator such as the College Board’s EFC Calculator to estimate your expected family contribution (EFC) and the … Read more
ShareTweetFlipEmailPin0 SharesPrivate education loans are loans to college students made by financial institutions such as banks and credit unions. The do not require students to complete the FAFSA and students receive the money directly from the lender. Many private loans appear to have lower interest rates than federal loans. However, these advertised rates are generally … Read more
ShareTweetFlipEmailPin0 SharesThe Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students (PLUS) is a federal program that allows parents of undergraduate students or graduate and professional students to borrow money not covered by student financial aid awards. Parents can borrow up to the full cost of attendance and there is no cumulative limit for borrowing. The lender is the … Read more