Road2College Blog

College List Building
UC 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…

September 13, 2026

Finance
February 6, 2019

Scholarships For Hispanic Students

AMS Minority Scholarships Amount: $6000 Apply By: Feb 8, 2019 Description: The AMS Minority Scholarships will award funding to minority students who have been traditionally underrepresented in the sciences, especially Hispanic, Native American, and Black/African American students. The two-year scholarship is distributed once per year during freshman and sophomore years (second-year funding depends on successful completion…
Financial Aid Appeals
February 3, 2019

Comparing Your Financial Aid Offers

The following questions, along with our Compare College Offers tool, will help you decipher your financial aid award offers to compare the net cost of each college in an apples-to-apples comparison. With this information, you’ll be able to make a more informed decision about which college you can afford, how much each college will cost…
Finance
February 3, 2019

Why Does It Cost So Much To Go To College?

If you find that the cost of college is nearly giving you a heart attack, you’re not alone. How Much Does College Cost? It’s not just the cost of tuition – there’s room and board, fees, and books as well, which add up surprisingly quickly. There are other costs to consider as well. Spending money, supplies,…
Federal Loans
February 2, 2019

Your Parent PLUS Loan Was Denied, Now What?

If you’re looking for options to help your student pay for college, you’ve probably looked at a Parent PLUS loan. They are generally easier to get approved for than private student loans, and they often have some additional repayment flexibility. However, not all applicants are approved for a Parent PLUS loan. Fortunately, being denied isn’t…
Survive
January 31, 2019

Would a Trade School Be a Better Option vs. College?

Going to college isn’t the only way to get ready for the real world… Trade School Can Be an Alternative to College Not every student is interested in a traditional four-year undergrad education. Vocational colleges, technical schools, and trade schools are potentially a perfect solution vs. going to college. The philosophy of these schools differs…
College Sports
January 29, 2019

Applying to College as a Student-Athlete

The college process can seem overwhelming at times. Though the college calendar is well-known and static, the way students navigate their journey differs. There are specific aspects, interests, and conditions each student takes under consideration as they go along their path. This is especially true if you are a student-athlete. If you want to be…
Finance
January 23, 2019

Finding and Applying for Private Scholarships

Pam Andrews is a College Admissions Coach and Scholarship Strategist. I recently spoke with her about the process of finding and applying for private scholarships. Pam is known for helping her son win over $700,000 in scholarship money that pays for his undergraduate and graduate school. More importantly, she has helped her clients win over $1,000,000 in…
Finance
January 18, 2019

How To Search and Apply For Private Scholarships

We’re excited to be hosting Pam Andrews, aka The Scholarship Shark. We’ve been following Pam for awhile and have admired her approach towards helping students through the private scholarship process. In addition to working with students on private scholarships, Pam is also a college admissions coach guiding students through the college admissions process. In this…
College Financial Aid Costs and Stats
January 13, 2019

Understanding the Financial Aid Appeal Process

What Is a Financial Aid Appeal? Second only to the all-important college decision letter is the financial aid award letter. For most families, this award letter dictates whether they will be able to afford the cost of college. It’s critical that families know their options once they receive their award letters, so it is best…
College Financial Planning
January 7, 2019

College Tax Guide (2019): What You Need to Know about Scholarships, Tuition, and Loans

With tax season underway, understanding what college expenses are tax-deductible for parents — or students — is a big part of long-term planning. From scholarships to 529s to student loans, there are tax considerations. This college tax guide answers some of the questions we get in the Paying for College 101 Facebook group. Here’s what…
Academics
January 7, 2019

Is It Really Worth Taking AP Classes in High School?

Students at highly competitive high schools sometimes collect Advanced Placement classes in their schedules like Halloween candy: “I’ve got 5 APs this year.” “Why don’t they offer AP Phys Ed?” The College Board, which administers the AP program, reports that 1.24 million students in the class of 2024 took at least one AP exam. But…
ICYMI
January 3, 2019

ICYMI Paying For College Discussions: 12/15 – 12/31

Top discussions in our for the weeks of 12/15 – 12/31/18… Dilemma of Daughter Accepted Early Decision But With No Financial Aid: One mom of a senior in high school fears she made a “huge financial mistake because she ‘assumed’ her daughter would get Merit Aid from her top choice school if she was accepted…
Plan
December 12, 2018

2019 Financial Aid & Merit Scholarship Survey

Share Your Information To Help Your Family and Others ATTENTION FAMILIES OF HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS! What if you had information about the financial aid and merit scholarship offers colleges gave other students? Would it help you make a more informed decision about the financial aid and scholarship package your student was offered? Would you…
Student & Parent Loans
December 5, 2018

4 Options to Refinance Your Parent PLUS Loans

Many parents feel the need to help their children pay for college. With the high cost of college, it’s not uncommon for parents to consider PLUS loans to cover their children’s costs. However helpful Parent PLUS loans can be to cover tuition, repaying them can be costly. The current rate for PLUS loans is 8.05%…
College Financial Planning
December 4, 2018

Common College Admissions and Financing Abbreviations You Should Know

The college admissions process can be confusing enough in its own right, but the conglomeration of acronyms and FAQs that parents and students are expected to master can further complicate the process and addle the brain. To lighten your load, we have compiled a collection of the most often-used admissions and financial terms and acronyms.…
Applications
November 28, 2018

How to Get In-State Tuition at Out-Of-State Colleges

The items on the checklists of students looking at colleges and universities vary from student to student. Things like school size and location are very often at the top of the list and while many students choose to stay relatively close by, for others, going to college is an opportunity to spread their wings and…
Academics
November 19, 2018

What Are Honors Colleges vs. Honors Programs?

As a high school senior, it can be tough choosing between a small college and a large university, and knowing which school can be the right fit. For those who have never been away from home, a small school with more interaction between the student body and the teaching staff might provide a more nurturing…
College List Building
November 17, 2018

What Is the New England Tuition Break?

If your student wants a specific major that isn’t offered by an in-state school, you may feel stuck. Many families struggle to pay out-of-state tuition, but you don’t want to stunt your child’s career either. The good news is that there is another option. New England Tuition Break is a program that helps students enroll…