An influx of college financial aid applications this year means that money could run out for students who don’t file early. Due to financial strain caused by COVID-19, nearly 40% of families that didn’t previously plan to apply for federal financial aid now expect to do so, according to a recently released survey from Discover … Continued
The fall semester has only just started, but if you rely on financial aid to pay for college, you should get started on next year right now. Why the time crunch? Submitting the Free Application for Federal Student Aid as close to opening day as possible will increase your chances of getting first-come, first-served federal aid. … Continued
Roughly one-third of teenagers have summer jobs, according to the Pew Research Center. Some of these jobs may make you very familiar with the letters “SPF.” But every working student should know a different abbreviation to avoid getting burned: EFC. While you may be working to help pay for college, the money you earn could … Continued
Those who graduate college with student loans owe close to $30,000 on average, according to the most recent data from the Institute for College Access & Success. But they’ll likely repay thousands more than that because of interest. One key to limiting interest cost is choosing the right repayment plan. The bottom line? Opting for lower … Continued
Grants and scholarships are the best ways to pay for college because you don’t have to repay them. But if you chose a college because it offered you the most free money, your final bill may end up bigger than you thought. More than 72% of college students ages 18 and younger received scholarships, grants … Continued
Only a few weeks — or maybe even days — remain until college campuses reopen, but there may still be time to get a scholarship and reduce the amount of student loans you have to borrow. Here are four resources to find a scholarship to help pay for college before classes begin. 1. Your college’s financial … Continued
If you’re like most high schoolers, you probably think of the PSAT as a practice run for the SAT. But this test actually has some pretty high stakes of its own. In fact, its full name is the PSAT/NMSQT, or National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. If you get a top score on the test, you … Continued
Students in the 2016-17 school year received $125.4 billion in grants to help pay for higher education, according to College Board. If you want to get your hands on some free college funding, you might need to learn how to write a scholarship essay. To narrow down applicant pools, many scholarships require candidates to write an essay. … Continued
There’s nothing like your first-ever paycheck to teach you about the reality of taxes. And as we get older, the many ways our money goes to the government become even more apparent. But what about college scholarships? Surely the money you received to pay for your education can’t be taxed, right? The truth is, it could be. To find … Continued
It’s not hard to get caught up in the glamour and excitement of big-time college athletics. And when top athletes are being recruited as early as junior high, many parents see athletics as a way for their child to get college paid for. The reality, however, is that the odds of earning a fully-paid athletic … Continued