As of October 1, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is now available for families and students applying for financial aid for the 2018-19 academic year.
Current high school seniors as well as college freshmen, sophomores and juniors will need to fill out the FAFSA to receive federal financial aid for next year.
With college as expensive as it is now, public colleges have been touted as a good alternative for students looking to limit college costs.
But, like private colleges, tuition at public colleges across the country has risen rapidly over the past ten years.
Between 2008 and 2017, the average cost of attending a four-year public college went up in every state, even adjusting for inflation, according to a recent report by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, as reported by MarketWatch.
Living off-campus and commuting to college can be a great way to save on college costs.
But it’s not always the most ideal for making new friends. One of the downsides of commuting is missing out on the college dorm experience, which facilitates many friendships.
Commuting also comes with some expenses and inconveniences, such as dealing with traffic, extra time spent in the car and transportation costs.
Luckily, there are still plenty of ways to make friends even if you’re not living on campus and reduce the hassle and expense of commuting to college. We’ve put together a list of tips on making commuting to college easier.
It seems there’s a light at the end of the college cost tunnel.
While college costs are higher than they’ve ever been (and continuing to rise), the yearly increases are, finally, slowing down, according to new data from the Labor Department.
The department found that over the past 12 months, tuition rose by just 1.9 percent–the lowest rate since before 2007, StudentLoanHero notes.
If you want to have a chance at receiving free tuition at a SUNY or CUNY college this fall through New York’s free college program, you’d better get moving.
The deadline to apply for the Excelsior Scholarship is July 21, 2017, so you must apply by then in order to be eligible.
There’s been plenty of talk (and controversy) over the Excelsior Scholarship program, which will provide students in New York from families under specific income levels with free tuition at state public colleges.
One new aspect of the new free college initiative that’s been overlooked by many is the Enhanced Tuition Awards Program, which provides up to $6,000 for students who choose to attend private colleges instead of one of the state’s SUNY or CUNY colleges.
But it hasn’t been all smooth-sailing for this program, either. In fact, a majority of the state’s private colleges are choosing not to participate, The Journal News reports.
Student debt continues to be a major issue for college students and graduates in the U.S.
U.S. total student debt is now over $1.4 trillion, and the average debt for a college graduate in 2016 was $37,000. And 44 million Americans now have student debt to their name.
The video below gives tips on how student loan borrowers can avoid falling behind on their payments. It also explains why millennials should be saving for retirement even if they have student debt.
When the Excelsior Scholarship Program was announced, many believed it meant that the majority of students in New York state would now be able to attend college for free.
That’s not entirely the case, as we explain in our recent post about the program. And more details have emerged that should give pause to students and families depending on this program.
Many of our clients have been asking about the new Excelsior Scholarship program, which will provide free tuition at in-state public colleges for New York state students if their family meets certain income requirements.
While it may sound too good to be true, there are a lot of important details and things you need to keep in mind when considering the program. Read these important FAQs about the program, and contact us if you want personalized help figuring out whether it is a good option for your family.