FAQ

What are independent college counselors?

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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

Should I apply to colleges I don’t think I can afford?

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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

What are private education loans?

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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

What is a PLUS loan?

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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

Should I avoid Liberal Arts Colleges if I’m interested in science?

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ShareTweetFlipEmailPin0 SharesNo. Many people believe that only universities can provide the facilities and classes for undergraduates to complete a strong undergraduate major in the sciences. Like most sweeping assumptions, it isn’t true. Liberal Arts Colleges have long been known to prepare students for graduate studies in the sciences. The National Science Foundation did a study … Read more

What is superscoring?

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ShareTweetFlipEmailPin0 SharesSuperscoring is the practice of taking the best sub scores from multiple test dates to create the highest superscore possible. For example, if a student took the SAT twice with the following results, the superscore would be the third set of numbers Subtest Test Date 1 Test Date 2 Superscore Critical Reading 640 680 … Read more

What is the PSAT?

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ShareTweetFlipEmailPin0 SharesThe PSAT is the Preliminary SAT and National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. Basically, the PSAT is a practice test for the SAT that is given in high schools in October. The PSAT takes only about half the time of the actual SAT and at $14 costs much less than the SAT. Students register for … Read more

What are the federal student loan programs?

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ShareTweetFlipEmailPin0 SharesThere are four types of federal loans. Three are loans to students and one is a loan to parents. The most common loan is the Direct Loan, formally known as the Stafford loan. These are direct loans to the student from the federal government. There are two types of Direct loans, subsidized and unsubsidized. … Read more

FAQ: I won’t qualify for financial aid, why should I fill out the FAFSA?

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A person stands on the path in front of a college campus building, reading a note that says, "College FAQ: I won't qualify for financial aid, why should I fill out the FAFSA?
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Post it note FAQ: I won't qualify for financial aid, why should I fill out the FAFSA?Even if you think your family makes too much money to qualify for financial aid, you should still fill out the FAFSA. You need to complete the FAFSA to be eligible for certain loans that don’t rely on income such as the unsubsidized Direct Student Loan the PLUS loans for parents.  The FAFSA is also required for many state-based college financial aid programs.

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