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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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Paying Off LoansWhat I Wish I Knew About Taking Out Student Loans Before College
A personal finance blogger who usually discusses making, saving, and growing money, has some regrets about how uninformed he was about just those things while in college . . . I remember laying restlessly in my bed the night before freshman move-in day, dreaming about what the next chapter in my life would bring. I…
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High School Academics & ActivitiesCommon Misconceptions About the College Athletic Recruiting Process
We asked a veteran college coach for her opinion on college athletic recruiting. Here, she blows the lid off three common misconceptions families have about the process. FULL-RIDE ATHLETIC SCHOLARSHIP! As little Johnny or Suzie first steps onto the field or court and makes their first “great” play as a pee-wee athlete, many parents start…
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High School Academics & Activities3-2 Programs: Liberal Arts Schools with Engineering
Do you have a student who’s interested in engineering? If so, you may be worried about college costs. Colleges with excellent engineering schools are often more expensive than liberal arts colleges, and you may wonder how you’ll afford four years of tuition. You may also wonder how well your student will fare when thrown straight…
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College LifeCollege Parents and Separation Anxiety
This article was written by Barbara Greenberg, PhD. So here it is again. I’m referring to that sinking feeling that you get when your adult children leave your home after a lovely visit. Or maybe you’ve been on a vacation with your young adult kids and just when everyone was starting to relax and get…
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College Financial PlanningWhat to Know About Your Financial Aid Awards
If it’s past the deadlines for submitting college applications, your student is either waiting to hear about all their admissions and financial aid awards, or you have them all and you’re deciding how to compare them. At this point in the process, don’t overlook the following. Understanding Your Financial Aid Award Letter Parents shouldn’t need a…
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SurviveSaying Goodbye to 2019 and Hello To 2020
The New Year is coming up fast. I just wanted to let you know how much I appreciate you. Thank you for being part of our community. Thank you for reading, watching, commenting, sharing, and spreading all of our information around the web so other families can learn about admissions and paying for college. My…
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ApplicationsWhen the Grass Looks Greener: The Ins and Outs of Being a Transfer Student
The process of applying to college as a transfer student is both similar to and very different from applying as a first-year student. As with freshman admission, grades and the rigor of your curriculum at your original college are the most important piece of your record, and you often need teacher recommendations and a written…
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College Financial PlanningWhat Grandparents Should Know About Paying for College
Grandparents are often there for the big events in their grandchildren’s lives—birthdays, holidays, awards assemblies, and sports events. Of course, they also want to be involved in a really big one—going to college. Many grandparents have saved wisely over the years for retirement and their families, and they want to help put their grandchildren through…
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FinanceEvaluating College as an Investment: What Is the ROI?
No matter how you look at it, college is an investment of both time and money. So as tuition costs and outstanding student loan balances have increased, it’s not surprising that attention has shifted to evaluate the Return On Investment of a college education – in fact, it’s become so common that you’ll often just…
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College Financial PlanningHow to Determine College ROI
The cost of college continues to rise, and a debate continues over how much is too much to spend on a college degree. The answer isn’t a straightforward “yes” or “no.” Factors including the school itself, as well as the major you choose to pursue, can impact whether college is worth it. Before committing to…
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ICYMIICYMI Paying for College Discussions: From State Schools to Alumni Interviews
Here are some of the top discussions in our Paying For College 101 Facebook group during the past year. (And if you want to read more about these discussions, you’ll have to join the Paying For College 101 group.) Paying for College Discussions Does Your Family Have a Plan B? Attending college next fall may…
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College Financial PlanningScholarships with January Deadlines
Employment BOOST College Scholarship Amount: $1,000 Apply by: Year-round Description: Open to both high school and college students. One scholarship is open to students studying any major and is also eligible for students who are currently undecided about their course of study. The second scholarship is available to students who will major or are majoring…
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High School Academics & ActivitiesA Different Approach to Getting Into College
It’s no secret. The college admission process stresses out parents and students for years. What if there was another way? One that doesn’t include hours of filling out financial aid forms, researching websites, making lists, visiting schools, asking for teacher recommendation letters, and every other complicated aspect of the road to college. There is, and…
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ApplicationsThe Ups and Downs of Dealing With Early Admissions Results
Dear Parents of High School Seniors, We urge you to read this note about your children’s college decisions. It is long, but it is important. For many students and families in the coming months, college decisions will cause many emotions. They are the culmination of years of hard work, commitment, and energy. Here are a…
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College List BuildingPrinceton 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 Princeton’s most recent Common Data Set to provide you with the information you need, at a quick glance. This guide contains key information from Princeton University Common Data Set 2024-2025. Princeton Common Data Set Quick…
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Merit Scholarships5 Scholarship Tips for High School Seniors
When our children are growing up, we read fairy tales to engage them in a story that can teach them about the real world. That’s great when they are young, but by the time they are in high school and applying to college, we need to be honest with ourselves and them about reality. Applying…
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College LifeTips to Help Save Merit Scholarships in Jeopardy
Your student worked hard in high school to earn a merit scholarship in college, but sometimes keeping up the grades once in college, isn’t as easy. Is your college student on the verge of losing their academic merit scholarships due to their GPA not meeting the threshold? Or do you have a current high school…
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College List BuildingYale 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 Yale’s most recent Common Data Set to provide you with the information you need, at a quick glance. This guide contains key information from Yale University Common Data Set 2023-2024. Yale Common Data Set Quick…
