College admission pressure is getting more intense, and both students and parents are feeling the heat. Many, seeing SAT or ACT scores as an area for improvement, are shelling out big bucks for prep courses. An SAT course can cost $1,000. An SAT tutor can cost (hold onto your hat) as much as $6,600. … [Read more...] about Free or cheap SAT and ACT test prep
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Top 10 sites for college financial aid
If you have college-bound children, you probably spend a lot of your day worrying about how you could possibly afford to help them pay for their degree. We won't lie — it is a huge investment, considering student loan debt reached $1.75 trillion in this country last year. The good news is there any … [Read more...] about Top 10 sites for college financial aid
10 things to know before you fill out the FAFSA
Filling out the FAFSA, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, is the single most important thing you can do to pay for college. However, if you don’t list schools that will give you a good financial aid package, the FAFSA form won’t help you. (See our story about understanding financial … [Read more...] about 10 things to know before you fill out the FAFSA
College financial aid: A timeline for high-school students and families
For the six years that our daughters were in college, my husband dreaded filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid more than doing our income tax return. Like students in most families, though, our girls were going to need some combination of loans and scholarships to pay for college. … [Read more...] about College financial aid: A timeline for high-school students and families
Good jobs that don’t require a college degree
There are a lot of ways to handle the high cost of a college education. Most experts agree that the cost will be made up over the life of a career by higher-paying jobs that require that college degree. But maybe you aren’t sure it’s worth it. Or maybe you just can’t afford college right now and … [Read more...] about Good jobs that don’t require a college degree
12 great free educational websites
Education doesn't end at the school building's doors. In fact, with the aid of these free websites, students of all ages can get extra practice, learn subjects in different ways and explore their own interests independently. These websites are just a few of the many that help kids (and adults) … [Read more...] about 12 great free educational websites
10 things college students should learn about money
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Heading off to college? Congratulations. You’ll be surprised that much of the learning you’ll do over the next four years has less to do with the classroom than with life. If you’re like many young adults, college is the first time you’ll keep your own schedule, plan your own meals, manage your … [Read more...] about 10 things college students should learn about money
It’s never too late: Free tuition for seniors
One of my favorite public radio shows features an audience quiz, “Things You Should Have Learned in School Had You Been Paying Attention.” I love listening to the show, but that quiz stumps me every week. Truth be told, I didn’t pay much attention in school because I was eager to get on with … [Read more...] about It’s never too late: Free tuition for seniors
10 ways to save on college textbooks
College students, as well as their parents, can experience sticker shock when they shop for textbooks. Books for a full schedule can easily add up more than $1,000 or more a year. I asked my daughter, who is the most resourceful and thrifty textbook shopper I know, for some tips. What follows is her … [Read more...] about 10 ways to save on college textbooks
Send your new college student out shopping with these tips
It's finally time to send your first child off to college. The stores are starting to bombard you with tons of off-to-college sales, and you find yourself getting sidetracked and sucked in by all of the offers. You can't help thinking that your best bet is to buy her everything she might … [Read more...] about Send your new college student out shopping with these tips
Help for college students who have moved back home (and their parents)
Congratulations! You graduated!And now you are moving back home.The reason is probably financial. Tuition isn’t cheap and you may have tackled that bill on your own. Although some colleges and universities froze or lowered tuition during the pandemic, many cite lower enrollment numbers … [Read more...] about Help for college students who have moved back home (and their parents)
Money management strategies for new grads
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Looking to impart some financial wisdom on the soon-to-be college grads in your life? We turned to Scott Gamm, author of More Money, Please: The Financial Secrets You Never Learned in School, to help you do just that.As someone who wrote a book on finances when he was in his twenties, … [Read more...] about Money management strategies for new grads
12 money tips for new college graduates
It’s college graduation time. That means those of us who have been around the block a few times can’t resist sharing some of our sage advice with the young people who are preparing to start their professional lives.While every decision you make when you’re 21 or 22 won’t irrevocably change the … [Read more...] about 12 money tips for new college graduates
How to navigate college financial aid offers
Congratulations to your son or daughter on his or her acceptance to college. Typically, chools let applicants know whether they have been accepted by April 1. Most times, they require your child to reply with an answer by May 1.Along with those acceptance letters come offers of financial aid, if … [Read more...] about How to navigate college financial aid offers
What to know about student loans before you borrow
Considering borrowing student loans for your education or your children’s? Here’s the basic information you need to know: Federal Student Loans aren’t always superior Long ago, private student loans were awarded in ridiculously high amounts and interest rates varied, meaning over a 10-year … [Read more...] about What to know about student loans before you borrow
