What, you say you’ve never seen a tuition coupon? Just because nobody has ever actually held one in her hands doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. You know how you start getting coupons for movers and home stores when you change your address? Or after you visit a website online, you start getting discount offers from them in your Facebook feed? Well, it’s possible to get a coupon for $10,000 or $15,000 off your college tuition if you pick the right college.
Creating College Lists
What if it didn’t matter what college you went to?
It’s the new year and I’m in a sort of philosophical mood. I just finished reviewing the most popular posts on my Facebook page and it got me thinking–what if it didn’t matter what college you went to? Because it seems to me that the posts that get the most traction have to do with making sure your kid is successful but it doesn’t necessarily mean going to the most prestigious college. So try it as a thought experiment, how would your student’s (and your family’s) life be different if it didn’t matter which college your student went to?
Looking for a list of colleges that…?
If you’re planning to create a college list, take a look at some existing lists before starting. It’s possible that you’ll find a couple that can save you a lot of time. If nothing else, a quick perusal might generate some new ideas or bring up some issues you hadn’t considered. Best of all-most of the lists are free.
This is will be an on-going project so be sure to check back for updates.
Free Lists for Newsletter Subscribers
- Colleges that Meet 100% of Need
- Colleges Sponsoring National Merit Scholarships
- State Flagship Listing
- Colleges with Free Application Fees
- Listing of Public Ivies
- 50-50 Colleges Cheatsheet
- Colleges with a 20% Acceptance Rate or Lower
DIY College Rankings College Lists for Sale
- Colleges by ACT Scores
- Colleges by SAT Scores
- Colleges with Baseball Programs
- Colleges with Softball Program
- Colleges with Soccer Programs
- All 4 year colleges with detailed financial aid information
See more free lists
50-50 Highlights: Best Financial Bets for Public Universities
A few years ago I did a post on Best Financial Bets for 50-50 Public Universities. The idea is to create a list of public schools that accept at least 50% of students and have at least a 50% graduation rate and are likely to be affordable through either merit or need-based financial aid. I’ve decide to update the list using simpler criteria which increased the number of colleges on the list. Ultimately, I ended up with 66 50-50 public colleges as best financial bets. If you aren’t interested in the gory details of how I came up with the list, just skip to the end to see the entire list.
Must Read Book on Paying for College: The Financial Aid Handbook
With the availability of more free information on the internet than we know what to do with, the suggestion of reading a book to understand a topic may seem, well, old-fashion. But it’s precisely because of the information overload spawned by the internet that books can be a great investment. A good book will present you with the information you need to know in a meaningful way without any distractions. That has value. And for those looking for such value, I want to recommend The Financial Aid Handbook by Carol Stack and Ruth Vedvik.
If you only read one book to understand the intersection of finding and paying for a college, this is it. Carol Stack and Ruth Vedvik have taken their experience as college admission directors and created an essential guide that will take families through a cost based college search. And best of all, it’s written for students.
What You Need to Know About Studying Medicine and Law in Europe
The following is a guest post by Kevin Newton who specializes in helping students apply to college in Europe.
For many people, the chance to get a degree in three years by studying in Europe is already a considerable savings of time and money. However, for those students interested in a career in law or medicine, a European degree can mean even greater savings. This is because, unlike in the United States, there isn’t any separate undergraduate degree requirement.
Why You Should Consider Going to College Abroad to Get Your Degree
The following is a guest post by Kevin Newton who specializes in helping students apply to college in Europe.
When it comes time to apply to colleges, casting a wide net can often be beneficial. The opportunity to move away from home allows students to grow in remarkable ways. Yet for the overwhelming majority of American college applicants, that net often reaches no further than the Atlantic and Pacific shores. This is limiting for a number of reasons. For many students, the opportunity to study for a degree in Europe is a life-changing event.
How to Create a Smarter College List for Data Geeks
There are a lot of ways to create a college list. You can use any of the readily available college rankings and just start pulling out the highest ranked colleges you think you can get into. You can use one of the different college search websites to find colleges with specific majors or located in your preferred states. Or you can just pick from those that send you the best view books or has the best YouTube channel.
50-50 Highlights: Why Not Create Your Own 50-50 List?
If you have ever taken a look at my explanation of 50-50 college, you know that they’re not actually 50-50. They’re really 49-49 with the second 49 depending on the type of school. Nonetheless, I justify calling it a 50-50 list and I’ve never had anyone complain.