When Not to File for College Financial Aid

When it comes to filling out financial aid forms there are some families that have high incomes or a lot of wealth that have every reason to question whether it is worth the effort.

First, check to see how you stand for aid eligibility by going to collegeboard.com and use the College Board’s Expected Financial Contribution, or

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College Loan and Financial Aid Basics

When seeking financial aid and a college loan look first to the federal government before you resort to borrow money from a private loan.

Federal student loans typically charge a lower interest rate and don’t have much in the way of add-on fees.

The big federal loan programs are Perkins, Stafford and PLUS. You can get a

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College Financial Planning: Options to Reduce the Need for Debt

As prospective college students, and their families, prepare financially for a college education there are options. Here are some tips for college borrowing to reduce the need for debt and total borrowing costs.

Cut College Costs

Before you take out a private loan, look at the big picture. Do you have any savings you can direct toward

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Tips for College-Bound Students - How to Get Into a Good College

Here are some tips that college counselors and experienced parents of college-bound students have provided on how to get into a good college:

Get a job, either part-time during school or full-time during the summer, and stick with it. It shows a good work ethic and reliability. Colleges are looking for students who will stick with school and graduate.
Take

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Tuition Discounts to Protect Cash Flow and Wealth

A college education is expensive. You only have to look at the published tuition rates to see that. And at those rates your cash flow and wealth can be put into jeopardy. However, it may be possible to secure substantial discounts from a school’s published tuition price.

Need-Based Aid

Maximize your need-based aid by

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Education Resources

Services
Financial Aid

Visit collegeboard.com and see how you stand for financial aid eligibility. Use the College Board’s Expected Financial Contribution, or EFC, calculator.

Scholarships

Visit College Board, Scholarships.com and Fastweb.com for scholarship opportunities. Many have grants with rolling deadlines and easy, online applications.

Loans

Visit SimpleTuition.com or StudentLoanMonkey.com to do comparison shopping for loans if you have already taken full advantage

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