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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

College Financial Planning
October 31, 2019

Parental Advice on College Admissions and Financing College

Thank you to all the parents who have shared tips, tricks and information about financing college. I joined the Paying For College 101 Facebook group about a year ago, at the beginning of my daughter’s 11th grade of high school and I have learned so much. I can’t imagine trying to navigate the college process…
College List Building
October 28, 2019

How to Prepare & What to Wear to a College Interview

For many students, a college interview is part of the admission process. An interview can be a great way for your child to make a great first impression and show their real personality, beyond the words in an essay. Here’s what you need to know to help your child prepare and know what to wear…
College List Building
October 28, 2019

How to Ace Your College Interview

Is your student nervous about facing a college interview? That’s certainly understandable. The good news is that there are a lot of college interview tips they can use to prepare in advance. Keep in mind that although many interviews at prestigious schools are part of the evaluation, the reality is that the interview is a…
College Life
October 28, 2019

Working as a Resident Assistant in College: What You Need to Know

In looking up ways to save money on room and board in college, chances are you’ve seen someone mention being a resident assistant (RA) as an option. But how does one become an RA? And what exactly does a resident assistant in college do? Read on to find out. What Does a Resident Assistant Do?…
Financial aid
October 27, 2019

How I Bypassed a Dream College and Graduated Debt Free

In 2006, I was accepted to my dream school, New York University. When I saw the financial aid package, I figured I would do what everyone else did and take out loans. I thought that was just the way things were done. So when I visited the campus for the second time, knowing this trip…
Applications
October 27, 2019

10 Tips for Avoiding Common App Technical Glitches

Sometimes the Common App experiences technical issues that can add stress to an already stressful process. Here are some that have been reported over the last few years, and how to avoid and/or work through them. 1. Be Aware of Admissions Deadline “Traffic Jams” After-school and Sunday afternoons are the Common App equivalent of rush…
Finance
October 25, 2019

Does Saving for College Hurt Financial Aid Eligibility?

Sometimes the best source of advice and information comes from readers’ comments, which are always so valuable to review. Saving for College…Yay or Nay? In his article titled Why It Makes Sense To Save For College Now., Ron Lieber, a personal finance writer for the New York Times, attempts to debunk the myth that if…
College Financial Planning
October 25, 2019

Buy a Condo, Establish Residency, Get In-State Tuition? It’s Possible!

“Congrats! You’re going to go college. Let’s buy you a condo.” Have you ever thought of saying that to your student while they are applying for college? Chances are you probably haven’t since you are worried about the money you are already purging for college. But maybe you should if your student plans to attend…
Applications
October 21, 2019

Applying to College Isn’t Like When Mom & Dad Applied

From a member of our Paying For College 101 group: I’m a former Director of Admission with college-aged kids of my own. Everyone needs to put aside what they think they know about how to select a college and do deep research into what is actually the playing field for your particular child. Different Admissions…
Merit Scholarships
October 17, 2019

Scholarships with November Deadlines

Buy-Rites Beauty Scholarship Amount: $1,000 Apply by: November 1, 2026 Description: All participants must have applied to or be enrolled as full-time beauticians, estheticians, or cosmetology students. Sponsor: Buy-Rites Beauty Products Hispanic Heritage Youth Awards Amount: $15,000 Apply by: November 15, 2026 Description: Open to high school freshmen to high school graduates of Hispanic heritage…
College List Building
October 16, 2019

How to Avoid Student Loans: One Mother’s Advice

Many of us see no choice other than to take the Parent PLUS loans, cash-out or borrow from 401(k)s, remortgage our homes, pull from IRAs, decimate savings, squeeze our monthly budget, or take a second job to pay for our children’s college education. But parent to parent, I’d like to tell you, there are some…
Applications
October 15, 2019

Avoid These Common College Application Mistakes

One of the most exciting times in a teenager’s life is when they decide to start applying for college. It also can be one of the most terrifying. College applications are complicated beasts in which a student must tell their high school experience in a very succinct manner while following guidelines set by colleges. Some…
Essays
October 15, 2019

Help Your Student Improve Their College Admissions Essay

Watch our webinar with Brad Schiller, CEO of Prompt. Brad critiques 4 different college admissions essays and supplements. Learn the 5 most important traits colleges are looking for and ways you can use this information to help improve your student’s essay. To receive a personal review of your own student’s essay by Prompt’s writing professionals,…
Student & Parent Loans
October 14, 2019

8 Huge Mistakes I Made with My Student Loans

If someone offered me a time machine to go back and fix my student loan mistakes I would. I now have six figures of debt because of those mistakes. I took out $57,000 for my undergraduate degree and $40,000 for my master’s, which I graduated with ten years ago. You probably noticed that those don’t…
Essays
October 14, 2019

How to Help Your Student with Their College Application Essays

Supporting your student on their college application essays can be a daunting task. You might be wondering: What are colleges looking for? What should my student write about? Does it need to be creative? How important are these essays anyways? Will my student even listen to me? We’ve got you. In this article and the…
Financial aid
October 12, 2019

Avoid These Common FAFSA Mistakes

Filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is one of the most important things you do as you pursue funding for your child’s college education. The FAFSA helps the government and the schools your student is applying to determine your Student Aid Index (formerly called the Expected Family Contribution), financial need, and…
Merit Scholarships
October 12, 2019

How to Apply for Scholarships: Tips From a Mom in the Know

Sometimes the best way to learn is to go through the process yourself and then share your learnings with others. That’s exactly what Dawn Wotton did in our Paying For College 101 Facebook group. Her suggestions on how to apply for scholarships were so good, we’re sharing them here for all to read. Tips for…
Applications
October 11, 2019

How to Get Your Student on Board With the College Application Process

It’s time to apply for colleges, scholarships, financing and more…why does it seem like you’re the only one who cares? Your senior is facing their future, but getting them to participate is like pulling teeth. It’s infuriating! As a parent, you may wonder what to do. Should you just take over? Keep nagging your student?…