Choosing a college is one of the biggest decisions your student will make, but as a parent, you play a crucial role in guiding them through the financial and logistical challenges that come with it. What happens when your child’s college plans don’t match your budget or comfort level? Let’s tackle some common concerns and explore ways to navigate these tough college decisions with your student.
Continue reading Navigating Tough College Decisions: A Parent’s Guide
Navigating the financial aid process can feel like wading through a maze of forms, deadlines, and unfamiliar terms. It can seem overwhelming for many parents, especially first-time or first-generation college families. But with a little guidance, you can make a significant difference in your student’s ability to afford college. Let’s break it down step by step to help you confidently tackle the process.
The first step in applying for financial aid is understanding the forms you must complete. The most common ones include:
Make sure to check the requirements for each college your child is applying to and note whether they require just the FAFSA, or both forms.
Continue reading Understanding the Nuances of Applying for Financial Aid
For many students across the country, taking out a student loan is the only way they can afford to get the education they want and need.
While other options, like scholarships or financial aid, are available for students meeting the criteria for others whose parents can help them or can’t cover the entire four-year tuition, student loans can bridge the gap and are a necessary evil.
However, not all student loans are the same. Understanding the financial agreement you’re signing up for and knowing how to find the best student loans can empower you, giving you the control to avoid some of the common pitfalls of student loans and make more informed decisions. So here goes.
Continue reading Tips for Finding the Best Student Loan
As a parent, I would say paying for college was on my top 10 lists of worries as my children entered high school. We were caring for my elderly father and great aunt, along with battling with breast cancer. It was all we could do to stay afloat with medical and elder care expenses breathing down our necks every month.
My son was looking at a military career, but I knew he wanted to go to college. He also knew that we could not afford to contribute. My daughter was two years behind him, and I knew she had her heart set on Boston University, an expensive private college in the northeast. I worried day and night that her dreams would not materialize, and my son would have few options other than joining the military out of high school.
My children were not first generation students. However, I did not attend college, and my spouse attended a local college that basically accepted anyone who applied. I was lost. My circle of friends were not college graduates and were not encouraging their kids to apply to college. My parents did not encourage me to attend college, so I was clueless about the process. I had no idea where to turn for help and the school counselor was responsible for hundreds of students at a large public high school. She had little time to advise students about colleges and even less time to help with figuring out how to pay.
Dealing with all the family drama and concerned about finances, my son made the decision during his junior year to join the Marines. I was supportive but worried the decision was forced on him because he felt he had no other option. The day he signed a letter of intent, I decided to focus the next few years on my daughter’s dream—attending college.
I knew I had to research colleges, look at finances, and make sure she had a stellar academic and extracurricular record to back up her applications. When she entered her senior year, we had a plan. Here’s what we did:
Continue reading Are You Worried About Paying for College?
Navigating the financial aspects of sending a child to college can be daunting for many parents. From scholarships and loans to budgeting and saving, there are numerous considerations. Here, we address the top 10 questions parents commonly ask about paying for college, along with comprehensive answers.
Continue reading Top 10 Questions Parents Ask About Paying for College
A college education is one of the biggest investments you could ever make. College costs money, and it’s not often as cheap as you think it could be. The good news is that it doesn’t have to cost you everything you have, and you do not need to live on ramen the entire time you’re studying.
Your education is important, and you have to look at it as the investment that it is. If you’re planning on studying a useful degree, then you’re going to know that whatever you put into it now is going to pay you back later.
Low interest student loans are out there for those who want to use them, but you must also consider other ways to contribute toward affording college. You get to crunch the numbers now and plan for your future to make it as bright as possible.
Continue reading Top Tips for Affording College
As parents, we often have high hopes and expectations for our children’s education, and financial aid plays a crucial role in making those aspirations a reality. However, what should you do when your student’s financial aid award isn’t what you anticipated?
In this guide, we’ll explore steps you can take to address the situation and ensure your child receives the support they need for their academic journey.
Continue reading When Your Financial Aid Award Isn’t What You Expected
Are you looking for ways to support your child’s academic journey without breaking the bank? Creating a scholarship strategy could be the answer! Encouraging your students to apply for scholarships can not only alleviate financial burdens but also open doors to incredible opportunities.
Here are some tips to help guide your child through the scholarship application process:
Continue reading A Scholarship Strategy
Government student loans play a significant role in providing financial assistance to students who aspire to achieve their academic goals.
Education is a key investment in one’s future, and for many students, financing their education becomes a crucial aspect of pursuing higher studies. With so much confusion these days over which government loans are best and what the difference is, I felt it was time to simplify it for you and create a list along with the specifics on each.
Following are the various types of government student loans available to students in the United States.
Continue reading Exploring the Various Types of Government Student Loans
UVM is excited to announce the Vermont Pitch Challenge, a new entrepreneurial-focused competition that gives high school students in grades 10-12 from across the world a chance to pitch innovative and impactful business plans–all while competing for cash prizes and full-tuition scholarships to UVM. The new program is free to enter and offers young students a unique opportunity to learn from UVM faculty and alumni as well as top entrepreneurial experts about how to write a business plan, create a compelling pitch, and achieve their ultimate career goals.
The Vermont Pitch Challenge gives high school entrepreneurs from across the globe the chance to pitch innovative businesses that make a difference in their communities. Along the way, participants will learn from top experts during monthly webinars about how to write a business plan, create a compelling pitch, and achieve their goals–all while competing for cash prizes and scholarships to the University of Vermont. Learn More.
Continue reading UVM to Offer Scholarships and Cash Prizes in New Pitch Challenge for High School Students