Tag: choosing a college


Minerva University: A Harvard education at half the cost?

Posted on May 15th, 2013

"“[Minerva University is] the single most important innovation in higher education in my lifetime.”" -- Sen. Bob Kerrey

Imagine getting an ivy-league caliber education–for half the cost of an elite private school. Online education has been touted as a way to minimize college costs and prevent students from taking out expensive loans for college. But critics argue that taking online classes can’t compare to interacting with other students, experiencing dorm life, and participating […]

Continue Reading »


Not all college degrees are created equal

Posted on May 13th, 2013

"When you come into Staples, you come out with office supplies; when you go into a car dealer, you come out with four wheels and a motor. It’s not clear what you come out with, with a college degree. It’s a different thing for everybody." -- Michael Hout, Professor at UC Berkeley

Not all college degrees are valued equally in the marketplace. When making your college decision and figuring out whether it’s worth the price, you need to consider how valuable your degree will be when you graduate. According to a recent Education Sector report titled “Degrees of Value: Evaluating the Return on the College Investment,” there are three […]

Continue Reading »


How to choose a college

Posted on May 9th, 2013

With the high cost of application fees and college visits, most high school students can’t afford to apply to every single college that interests them. Parents and students need to weigh many different factors, such as cost, location, size, and value. With so many options, the choice can seem overwhelming.

Continue Reading »


Colleges with the most bang for your buck

Posted on May 6th, 2013

"In a lot of ways, the choice of where to attend school has become a financial choice. [Students] need to understand what potential return they can get from that decision." -- Katie Bardaro, lead economist at Payscale

Determining a college’s return on investment is key when making your college decision. Check out CNN’s 2013 list of colleges with biggest bang for your buck. You may be surprised at some of the schools on the list–one of which includes a State University of New York college. In a lot of ways, the choice […]

Continue Reading »


How much will college cost me?

Posted on May 3rd, 2013

Students and families shopping around for the best college for their money might be initially turned off by most schools’ high costs of attendance. But most students and families don’t pay a school’s sticker price–in fact, many pay significantly less, or even nothing, for their college educations. Check out this video to learn about net price calculators and how they can help you determine the real cost of college.

Continue Reading »


Find and compare colleges easily using College Reality Check

Posted on April 30th, 2013

The Chronicle of Higher Education has come up with a great alternative to the federal government’s College Scorecard–the College Reality Check. This tool makes it easy for high school students and parents to find and choose the right college based on a school’s size, academic quality, location, and price, as well as your family’s income.

Continue Reading »


How to compare financial aid award letters

Posted on April 25th, 2013

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.

Continue Reading »