What federal grants are available for undergraduates?

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ShareTweetFlipEmailPin11 SharesThere are four major federal grant programs available for undergraduates: Federal Pell Grants Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (FSEOG) Teach Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grants Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grants All programs require students to complete the FAFSA. The Pell and FSEOG grants are need-based programs. The maximum amount you … Read more

What’s the difference between average net price and cost of attendance?

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ShareTweetFlipEmailPin0 SharesThe Cost of Attendance (COA) and Average Net Price (which for some reason never gets abbreviated) are actually defined by the government. Basically, the COA is the total cost to attend college for one year, Fall through Spring. This includes tuition, room and board, books and schools supplies, fees, equipment and room materials, and … Read more

What are articulation agreements?

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ShareTweetFlipEmailPin0 SharesArticulation agreements are agreements between community colleges and four-year institutions on how students’ credits will transfer. This is not the same thing as simply transferring to another school. These agreements state that students who have completed specific requirements will be admitted as a transfer student. The goal is to eliminate any questions as to … Read more

Do I have to major in the sciences to get into medical school?

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ShareTweetFlipEmailPin0 SharesNo. Medical schools do not require applicants to have a specific major. They require that students have completed specific courses. According to the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), the required courses vary from school to school but most include: One year of biology One year of physics One year of English Two years … Read more

What are 529 plans?

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ShareTweetFlipEmailPin0 Shares529 Plans are college savings plans operated by the state or educational institution. The main advantage of a 529 plan is that earnings are not subject to federal tax when used to pay for qualified education expenses. Contributions to the plan are not tax deductible. There are two kinds of 529 plans, pre-paid tuition … Read more

How do I get the most out of a college fair?

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ShareTweetFlipEmailPin0 SharesThere are multiple strategies for getting the most out of a college fair. Any strategy starts with the same premise: talk to the admissions representative. After all, given the amount of information available from the internet, the point of attending a college fair is talk to actual people. And if you are going to … Read more

My parents are divorced. Which parent do I use for my FAFSA?

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ShareTweetFlipEmailPin0 SharesFor students with divorced parents, the custodial parent is the one the parent they lived with the for the previous 12 months. This isn’t necessarily the parent who has legal custody or who provides the most financial support. If your lived with both parents for the same amount of time, then the custodial parent … Read more

What are the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant requirements?

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ShareTweetFlipEmailPin0 SharesThe Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (SEOG) program is a campus-based aid program. The school’s financial aid office receives a certain amount of SEOG funds each year and then distributes the money to its students based on financial need. The school sets the Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant requirements, the deadlines, and the award amounts … Read more

Is there a limit to the number of years I can get financial aid?

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ShareTweetFlipEmailPin0 SharesThere are specific limits for federal financial aid programs. Since July 1, 2013, first time borrowers of subsidized loans are limited to a maximum time of 150% of the length of the student’s program. This means that those in a four-year program are limited to six years of loans while those in two-year programs … Read more