Comparing financial aid letters from different colleges can be confusing. It’s hard to know exactly what you’re paying for, what your final sticker price will be, and whether one offer is better than another. The College Abacus helps solve this problem, allowing you to compare the real cost of colleges after all aid has been applied.
Now that you’ve chosen a school and are ready to submit your seat deposit, it’s important to remember to take care of all your financial and loan obligations before you graduate. Check out this financial aid timeline from The College Board to make sure you’re staying on top of financial aid deadlines and forms.
When calculating college costs, most parents about the expenses associated with visiting potential colleges. Between the cost of airfare and/or transportation, hotel rooms, meals, gas, and tolls, the expenses can really add up–before you even send in a single application.
Most students don’t even start repaying their student loans until 6 to 9 months after graduating. But imagine if you could make your last payment to your student loan lender before even finishing your degree. Impossible, right?
How much is the average American spending on higher education? This infographic breaks down the real costs of college, from tuition to travel, and the realities of student loan debt.
Are humanities degrees worth the money? This great article from HechingerEd explores the role and value of a humanities degree in an increasingly tech-based society. Popular culture, too, often dismisses the value of humanities degrees. The science major asks why something works, goes an old joke; the engineering major asks how it works, the accounting major […]
Most wealthy, high-achieving students (those with SAT or ACT scores in the top 10 percentile) apply to several colleges with median SAT scores close to their own, along with reach and safety schools. This gives them the ability to choose from different schools, compare financial aid packages, and select the best college fit and value.
But the story is different for high-achieving, low-income students. According to Slate, 53% percent of these students apply to zero schools whose median SAT or ACT scores are similar to their own, and most apply only to a single unselective school. Only an estimated 8 percent mimic the behavior of wealthier high-achieving students by applying to several selective schools, including some reaches and safeties.
Did you know that Twitter can be a great resource for parents and students preparing for college? There are several weekly chats that allow you to get your questions answered about financial aid, college admissions, and other topics before heading off to school.
With college costs constantly rising, some students are scared off by the high cost of attendance of many colleges–sometimes $60,000 per year or more. But the majority of students don’t actually pay full price. This awesome infographic explains why you shouldn’t let a high sticker price stop you from applying to a school.