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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…
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College Financial Aid Costs and StatsFAFSA: Middle-Class Financial Aid Cuts Coming in 2023
Changes to the FAFSA, coming in late 2023, will impact the financial aid middle class families receive.
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College Credits in High SchoolWhich Is Better: AP or IB?
For high school students who are interested in exploring a given topic at the college level, a number of different options are available. Dual enrollment may at first appear to be the most attractive, but due to differences in grading scales across colleges, many top-tier universities do not always regard it highly. Instead, for students…
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College SearchThe Difference Between CUNY and SUNY in the New York State University System
There are two large public school systems in the state of New York, both of which provide high-quality undergraduate options. You’ve likely heard the acronyms: SUNY and CUNY, but what does each of them actually stand for? SUNY is an acronym for the State University of New York schools, whereas CUNY stands for the City…
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College LifeMentors in College—What They Are and Why They Matter
Mentors in college can help your student develop interests, talents, support systems, even their life path once they leave your “nest.” Ron Lieber, New York Times columnist and author of The Price You Pay For College asserts that college mentors for students go a long way towards fostering happiness and success both in college and…
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CareersThe Best Way College Students Can Use LinkedIn
If you have any professional experience, you probably also have some familiarity with LinkedIn, the social media platform designed to facilitate networking. But what use is LinkedIn for college students, or even prospective ones? At first glance, the platform might seem ill-suited to those without work history. However, a student can make excellent use of…
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ACT PrepIs Test Prep Necessary in a Test-Optional World?
Chances are that few letters strike more fear into your child’s heart than ACT or SAT. For decades, these standardized tests have played the role of gatekeeper in college admissions, leading to an increase in the role of the test prep industry. The pandemic has been largely blamed for the shift to test-optional by many…
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College SearchWhy You Should Research a College’s Career Service Center Before Enrolling
There’s a lot to consider when helping your child make the best possible decision on where to go to college. From majors, athletics, and Greek life to how far a campus is from home, students and their families have a lot of factors to consider. However, one perk offered by colleges—that some may overlook in the excitement…
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College prepTop Ten Books About College Admissions
There are many college admissions books that families can turn to as they search for good, solid advice on the process. These books can be comprehensive or touch upon specific aspects of the college admissions process and paying for college. They can also provide families with a glimpse into how colleges “think” and “work”: insight…
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College SportsDivision 3 Athletic Scholarships: Student-Athletes Need to Know Where to Look
If you are the parent of a serious student-athlete, then chances are you’re becoming familiar with the scholarship policies of schools at various levels of competition. Division 1 schools offer the most scholarship money, but also put the highest demands on student time and are incredibly competitive. Meanwhile, you may have heard that there are…
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FinanceThe Different Ways Families Pay for College
How to pay for college is one of the biggest financial concerns of families today. And although students assume some of the responsibility for the cost, the majority of it often falls to the parents. There are several ways to plan and pay for your child’s college education, including 529 plans, regular savings, inheritance, income,…
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College LifeDiscounts for College Students
College isn’t cheap. College students know that, parents know that, and thankfully, so do many businesses. There are many discounts for college students that your child can take advantage of. Here is a list of student deals, student discounts, and free things for college students. Food Arby’s Students can receive 10 percent off their meal.…
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ScholarshipsQuestBridge Scholarship—The Ultimate Need-Based Aid
For families with low incomes, the stress of paying for college can be intimidating. This is even more true for families whose children may be looking at elite colleges. While they may be eligible for Pell Grants, those don’t always cut it when faced with a cost of attendance that exceeds your annual income. Luckily,…
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College SearchHow to Make Sense of College Graduation Rates
Of the many statistics you are likely to encounter as you help your child choose a school, graduation rates for college are among the most straightforward. These simple percentages, like any statistic, still require careful interpretation. How Do You Calculate Graduation Rates for College? Put simply, a college’s graduation rate refers to the percentage of…
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COVID-19Parent Responses to College COVID-19 Vaccine Policies
Disclaimer: In the hopes of restoring in-person learning and going to some semblance of a pre-COVID-19 atmosphere, some colleges are requiring students to be vaccinated in order to enroll for fall 2021. We recently asked the parents in our Paying For College 101 Facebook group how they felt about these mandates and are reporting back…
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College AdmissionsCollege Admissions Numbers in 2021: Looking to 2022
No other years in recent history have been as seismic in their impact on college admissions, and indeed education as a whole, as 2020 and 2021. While the pandemic may have spurred changes, debates over the role of test scores and equity for students of all socio-economic backgrounds will continue. While it will take some…
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College LifeFinding Summer Jobs for College Students
For many students, the sunny months of summer break are an important time to work between semesters. Some extra money from a summer job can help pay off tuition or student loans, and summer work experience can load a resume with great skills. Whether it’s the first time your student is applying for work, or…
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FinanceHow Chasing Merit Helps Middle Class Families Pay for College
This story was first published in our Paying for College 101 Facebook community. It’s been edited for clarity and flow. Our family doesn’t have any financial need so we knew going in that paying for college was all on us, and we acted accordingly. For background, my daughter just got her final acceptance. She’s 13 for…
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Gift IdeasCreative Graduation Gifts for the Class of 2025
High school graduations ceremonies can vary as much as the students they are honoring. One aspect that remains constant and sends the message that you care about the grad, you acknowledge their achievement, and you celebrate their success is the graduation gift. So, whether your grad-to-be is heading off to college or trade school, entering…
