How to Choose a Private Student Loan: 7 Factors to Consider 

The average amount a college-bound student borrowed from private lenders increased over 40% from $6,630 in 2022 to $9,337 in 2023. As college students turn to private student loans at increasing rates, it’s important to understand how to choose a private student loan. Consider these seven factors to help…

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The Complete Guide to Filling Out the FAFSA® as a Parent  

Each year, billions of dollars in federal financial aid are left unclaimed by American families who don’t fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®). In 2022, 23% of families skipped the FAFSA® simply because they didn’t have enough information to complete it.  The FAFSA®…

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How to Apply For a Student Loan (Federal and Private)

For many college students, there’s a gap between how much a degree costs and what they can afford. In the 2021-2022 academic year, 41% of American families participated in some type of borrowing to close this gap. Once you’ve maxed out your other financial aid, you may need to…

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How to Financially Prepare Your Child for College

Financial planning and literacy are important skills for any adult to have in their toolkit – yet they’re ones that aren’t always taught in American schools. A recent study found that 32% of U.S. teens don’t understand basic financial concepts, like the difference between a debit and credit card.

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The Pros and Cons of a 529 Plan

Adjusted for inflation, a year of college cost $4,300 in 1963. Today, that same year will cost you over $14,000. The more tuition costs rise, the more necessary it becomes to start saving for college as early as possible. Opening a 529 college savings plan can be a great…

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HELOC vs. Student Loan: Which Should You Use to Pay for College?

Paying for college is a complex puzzle for most families. Over 40% use borrowed funds, and 70% report making lifestyle changes to tuck away extra cash for higher education. Regardless of your personal finances, a creative approach can help lower costly tuition bills. Chances are you’ve considered federal…

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Popular Work-Study Jobs and Where to Find Them

If you’ve been granted a federal work-study award, your part-time employment could earn you more than just a few extra dollars. For some college students, a part-time job can actually improve focus, lead to higher grades, and teach valuable life skills that can’t be learned in a classroom. Plus,…

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Why is My EFC So High?

If you finally received your Student Aid Report (SAR) after filing your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®), you should have a good idea of how much the government expects your family to contribute to your college education. And you’ll know this based on your Expected Family Contribution (EFC)…

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The Pros and Cons of Parent PLUS Loans

Due to the rising costs of higher education, more and more Americans are turning to student loans. In fact, student loan debt has tripled over the past fifteen years—climbing to almost $1.7 trillion dollars in 2023. This staggering number has sparked many philosophical and economic debates. But for…

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The 10-Step Guide to a Financial Aid Appeal

Now that you’ve completed your FAFSA® and received your financial aid offer, you might feel a little disappointed. Maybe the school you had your heart set on has only offered you a little bit of aid. Or maybe there’s a small but significant gap between your cost of attendance and…

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What Percentage of Parents Pay for College?

Even if you’re proud of your child for getting into college, you might not be thrilled about the idea of paying for it. Understandably, some parents feel guilty about not wanting to foot the bill for their kid’s bachelor’s degree. And while many parents help their child pay for school…

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How to Pay for College Without Student Loans: 22 Tips

If you’re not sure how to pay for college without going into debt, you’re not alone. Today, the average American takes on $37,574 in student loans in pursuit of an undergraduate degree. That’s a serious chunk of money, and it can take a long time to pay back. According…

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Making Sense of Your Financial Aid Award Letter: What do the numbers mean?

Receiving your financial aid award letter can be an exciting time when you’re prepping for college. You can see how much financial aid you’re eligible to receive per college you’re accepted to. But it can also be confusing – what do the numbers mean? What is the financial aid award…

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Completing the FAFSA® for self-employed or small business owners

Increasingly, the “9-to-5” doesn’t represent the landscape of American jobs. Over 10% of the American working population is self-employed, and 16% report working on some sort of freelance or online gig job. But these “unusual” job setups can make it complicated to…

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FAFSA® Made Easier: A simpler way to apply for financial aid

Filling out the FAFSA® is probably the single most important thing a college-bound student can do to pay for college. It opens up a whole slew of student financial aid, both governmental and institutional, worth $15,000 per year (on average). That’s $60,000 for a four-year degree! This is particularly…

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14 Most Common FAFSA® Errors

Our team knows the FAFSA®–and the common mistakes made on it. Over the last 3 years, we’ve helped thousands of students fill out the form (using our FAFSA® Made Easier), and walked countless confused parents through how to correctly report their complicated home/financial situation. Here are the…

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