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Too Broke to go Home: How College Debt Hinders The Holidays
I moved my husband and son to Oklahoma so I could pursue a PhD in English, but now I can’t afford to see my family for Christmas. Is all this worth it? ‘Debt usually feels so isolating.’ Photograph: Blanchi Costela/Getty Images As the heartache sank in, I stared out the back window at mounds of […]
Coming Home From College for the Holidays? Here’s How Things Might Be Different
You did it—you survived the first semester of college. Or, better yet, you probably crushed it. Now, after the endless all-nighters (studying, or otherwise), stressful exams, and goodbyes to your new college friends, you’re headed home for the holidays. The funny thing is, after coming back from being away for so long, home might not […]
What to Do If You Missed the FAFSA Deadline for Financial Aid
Financial aid can go a long way toward helping you pay for college. The average full-time undergraduate received $14,790 in federal financial aid in the 2017-18 year, according to College Board. Plus, states, colleges and scholarship organizations dole out additional awards. But if you missed the FAFSA deadline for financial aid, you could lose out […]
As Financial Aid Confusion Grows, Parents Consider Drastic Measures
If there’s one thing more frustrating than trying to get into the right college, it might be paying for the degree. That’s what thousands of parents discover daily while discussing how to foot the bill. In online communities like Facebook and Reddit, some parents share standard suggestions like saving more money or choosing a less-expensive […]
Are You Making These 4 Big College Savings Mistakes?
College costs too much, which is why millions of families are saving well before the dorm move-in day. While diligent college saving is generally a great idea, many families are doing it the wrong way. You can easily be saving in the wrong vehicles, which will lower the net amount to pay for college. Here’s […]
Why Is College So Incredibly Expensive?
Experts say reduced state funding and how colleges spend tuition dollars contribute to the high costs. Tuition and fees at Columbia University in New York total more than $61,000 for the 2019-2020 academic year. While its tuition makes it the most expensive private university in the nation, according to U.S. News data, Columbia is just […]
Why The Best Time to Apply For College Financial Aid is Now
Students need to file a Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, to get in the running for federal and state aid. The average cost of tuition, fees, and room and board reached $21,370 for in-state pupils a public college during the 2018-2019 school year, according to the College Board. Costs were more than […]
Avoid These 3 Mistakes When Applying for FAFSA College Financial Aid
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid – also known as the FAFSA – rolls out Oct. 1 for students who plan on attending college in fall 2020. While college application deadlines may be months away, experts stress that students and their families should file their FAFSAs as soon after Oct. 1 as possible. FAFSA […]
5 Ways To Lower Your Student Loan Interest Rate
Are you paying too much for your student loans? Here are 5 ways to lower your student loan interest rate. 1. Refinance student loans Student loan refinancing is the most effective way to lower your student loan interest rate. When you refinance student loans, you combine your existing federal student loans, private student loans or […]
Most Americans go to College in The Hopes of a Secure Financial Future. Many Don’t Get It
A secure financial future is what most Americans hope to get with their college degree. Yet half of the country’s colleges in 2018 left the majority of their former students earning less than $28,000 a year, according to a new report. A secure financial future is what most Americans hope to get with their college […]