-
College List BuildingUC Berkeley Common Data Set
Sifting through a college’s Common Data Set can take a lot of time. Instead, we’ve gathered the most important information from UC Berkeley’s most recent Common Data Set to provide you with the information you need at a quick glance. This guide contains key information from UC Berkeley Common Data Set 2025-2026. Berkeley Common Data…
- ACT
- Advice
- Apply
- Careers
- College Admissions
- College Financial Planning
- College List Building
- College prep
- College Sports
- Community College
- COVID-19
- Curated Articles
- Family Journeys
- Federal Loans
- Finance
- Financial Aid Appeals
- Find Scholarships
- Gift Ideas
- High School Academics & Activities
- ICYMI
- Learn
- Merit Scholarships
- Military
- News
- Paying Off Loans
- Plan
- SAT
- SAT Prep
- Season
- Standardized Testing
- Student & Parent Loans
- Student Athletes
- Survive
- Test Taking
- Uncategorized
- Vocational schools
- What You Need to Know
-
College AdmissionsMom Offers “Public Service Announcement” to Stressed Out College Admissions Parents
This story was first published in our Paying for College 101 Facebook community. It’s been edited for clarity and flow. This is my public service announcement for all the parents stressing along with their kids about Early Decision, Early Action, deferrals, and all the rest. It’s a tough blow when your child isn’t accepted where…
-
College AdmissionsPay It Forward: Our Road2College Community Members Share What They’ve Learned From Each Other
The stories shared here were first published in our Paying for College 101 Facebook community. They’ve been edited for clarity and flow. The college admissions process is overwhelming for many parents. And while there are lots of helpful resources offering information and advice, it’s difficult to know where to start. Our Paying for College 101…
-
CareersHow to Become a Nurse: Degrees in Nursing
Nurses are in high demand. A career in nursing offers multiple career paths, flexibility, a good salary, and the opportunity to help others. What Is Nursing? Nursing is a profession in the healthcare industry. Nurses often care for ill patients and assist with certain medical procedures. They can also help promote healthy behaviors and offer…
-
College AdmissionsAre Ivy League Schools Worth It? A Father Shares His Advice
This story was first published in our Paying for College 101 Facebook community. It’s been edited for clarity and flow. I went through the college admissions process last year with my son. He was looking at Ivy League schools, but in the end he chose a small Christian liberal arts college on Boston’s North Shore,…
-
College prepTeacher Tips: How to Ask for a Letter of Recommendation for College
Two of our community members offer their advice. This story was first published in our Paying for College 101 Facebook community. It’s been edited for clarity and flow. Tips from Valerie: I’m a high school teacher, teaching and residing on Long Island in New York. I’m also a parent to a 15-year-old and a 10-year-old.…
-
FinanceWhat Is FAFSA and How Does It Work?
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is one of the most important components of the college application. This document is what schools use to determine how much financial aid they will offer to your child. It’s essential to complete and submit the FAFSA when your child is applying for college, even if you…
-
College AdmissionsThe Four Most Common Myths Families Hear on the Road to College
Excerpted from Game On: Why College Admission is Rigged and How to Beat the System by Susan F. Paterno by Susan Paterno. Copyright © 2021 by the author and reprinted by permission of St. Martin’s Publishing Group. Until lawmakers make low-cost or free college available to all eligible students, parents must navigate the world of…
-
College AdmissionsA Guide to Preparing for College Admissions Testing
Many high school students find college admissions testing stressful, but the right preparation can ensure a positive test day experience and good scores. There are several different tools and resources out there to help students prepare for standardized tests like the SAT and ACT. With this guide, you can help your child feel more confident…
-
ApplicationsTips for How to Fill Out the FAFSA, the CSS Profile, and Other Aid Forms
Editor’s Note: This article applies to the 2023-24 FAFSA and earlier. The 2024-25 FAFSA has been revamped and uses a metric called Student Aid Index (SAI) instead of EFC. by Kalman A. Chany, author, The Princeton Review’s Paying for College, and President, Campus Consultants Inc. Applying for financial aid can be a confusing and stressful process. Hopefully,…
-
Financial aidHow to Apply for Financial Aid for College
by Kalman A. Chany, author, The Princeton Review’s Paying for College. The financial aid application process can seem overwhelming. There is all this new and confusing jargon to absorb. Unfortunately, there is little or no prior experience that will prepare you for how to apply for financial aid for college. But there is no need…
-
Financial aidHow Does Financial Aid Work? Understanding the System
By Kalman A. Chany, author of The Princeton Review’s Paying for College. Applying for financial aid has never been more difficult and competitive given the high cost of college and the increasing number of students seeking such assistance. Indeed, articles in national publications have reported that a majority of private colleges and many state schools are…
-
ScholarshipsTrue Stories of Private Scholarship Winners and How They Did It
Paying for college is one of the biggest financial concerns of families today. Finding private scholarships and merit scholarships from colleges–awards you don’t have to pay back–can help. According to a recent College Ave Student Loans survey of undergraduates, families rely on scholarships and grants more than any other way to cover college costs. To…
-
CostsHow College Tuition and Renters Insurance Help Families Plan for the Unexpected
(Interviews are edited for clarity and flow.) Low-cost tuition expenses and comforting myths about “college as a protective bubble” belong to prior generations. The COVID crisis — not to mention rising mental health crises among young people — have brought new attention to the risks of college life. With the high total cost of college…
-
College Life10 Pieces of Advice for College Freshmen
This story first appeared as a post in our Paying for College 101 FB Group. It’s been edited for clarity and flow. I’m reading posts from parents of freshmen about how the transition to college may not be going as well as they hoped. Encourage your kids to hang in there. You too, parents! My…
-
UncategorizedPreparing Your Freshman for Life with a Roommate
A friend emailed me the other day worried about the fact that her soon-to-be college freshman appears to have nothing in common with the girl who will be her roommate. My friend is not alone. A normal concern among parents of resident college freshmen is whether their teen will get along with their roommate. For…
-
College AdmissionsDoes Applying Early Decision to College Increase the Odds of Being Accepted?
Excerpted from VALEDICTORIANS AT THE GATE: Standing Out, Getting In, and Staying Sane While Applying to College by Becky Munsterer Sabky. Published by Henry Holt and Company. Copyright © 2021 by Rebecca Sabky. All rights reserved. Students loved to tell me that they were applying early to Dartmouth. It was their badge of honor, a…
-
Find ScholarshipsHow My Daughter Got $53,000 a Year in Merit and Financial Aid Plus More in Private Scholarships
This story was originally published in our Paying for College 101 (PFC 101) group. It has been edited for clarity and flow. I’m hoping that the information included here helps other families save money for, and on, a college education. Backstory As a single mom and a teacher, we needed college to be affordable. I’m happy…
-
College LifeWhy Quality of Life in College Impacts Life After College
As founder of Road2College, much of my work centers on helping parents navigate two real concerns–how to get their students into college, and how to pay for it. Still, when I consider the important question of whether college is worth it, I know the answer can’t be calculated simply based on a “dream” school’s prestige,…
