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ApplyThe New Ivies in 2026: Academics, Admissions and Affordability
If you’re considering colleges, the “New Ivies” present strong options. Use this guide to explore and compare them by academics, admissions, and affordability. In This Article: What Are the New […]
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AdviceParents Share The Ugly Truth of College Waitlists—And How To Handle It
Ugh, the dreaded waitlist. If there’s one thing that drives students and parents crazy, it’s ending up on a college’s waitlist. Sure, there’s still a chance that you may get […]
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FinanceColleges Offering Merit Aid to 95%+ of Students Without Need
If you’re a family that won’t qualify for need-based aid, it’s time to start looking for merit scholarships. What Are Merit Scholarships? Merit-based aid is money that colleges award that […]
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FinanceSix Key Strategies to Lower Your SAI
Families often look for ways to qualify for more need-based financial aid. The number that determines this is the Student Aid Index (SAI) — the figure colleges use to estimate […]
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AdviceHow To Survive Senior Year, From Parents Who’ve Been There
Senior year of high school is stressful for everyone — parents, students, and even the admin high school staff. It’s a year full of ups and downs, surprises, and confirmations, […]
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AdviceComplete Guide to Paying for College: Strategies & Tips
Many families use student loans as the primary way to pay for college. Fortunately, students have various funding options that don’t require taking out loans. To help, we explore funding […]
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Advice10 Ways to Win A Full-Ride College Scholarship
Less than 1 percent of students applying to college are offered a full ride, which usually covers tuition, plus room and board. But while it’s extremely rare, it’s certainly doable. […]
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AdviceHow To Find Schools For Less Than $20,000 Per Year
If you ever want honest-to-goodness advice about paying for college, ask a parent who’s already been through it. They are full of valuable information that can significantly impact your student’s […]
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Advice5 Questions About Paying for College Every Parent Should Ask Their Child — Before It’s Too Late
It’s one thing to talk to your child about going to college and perhaps even which colleges they may want to apply to, but too few parents get into the […]
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College List BuildingComplete Guide to the Western Undergraduate Exchange
If you live in a western state, you may qualify for a tuition discount at participating out-of-state colleges. Here is your guide to the Western Undergraduate Exchange. What Is the […]
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AdviceWhich Is Better, AP or Dual Enrollment?
Over the past few years, there’s been a significant increase in the number of high school students who take college-level courses, whether via AP classes or dual enrollment (DE). Both […]
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FinanceCSS Profile vs. FAFSA: How They Differ and Why You Might Need Both
There are two main financial aid forms: the FAFSA, which stands for Free Application for Federal Student Aid, and the CSS Profile, which stands for College Scholarship Service Profile. Understanding […]
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AdviceThe Most Common College Application Mistakes to Avoid
If you could avoid the biggest mistake that most parents and students make when applying to college, would you? We asked parents in our Paying for College 101 Facebook Group […]
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AdviceFun, Clever, and Smart Ways to Handle College Rejections
Celebrating college acceptances is great, but how do you mark the other significant moment, rejection? We asked parents in our Paying for College 101 Facebook Group to share how college […]
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College Financial PlanningShould Parents Foot The Bill Based on GPA?
Should decent grades be a requirement for you to help your child pay for college? We asked parents in our Paying for College 101 Facebook Group if they require their […]
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Advice6 Ways This High School Counselor Says You Can Best Help Your Student
When a high school counselor begins with, “Let me be real frank with some of you,” you know you’re about to get an honest dose of reality. That’s just what […]
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College Financial Planning“Help! My College Freshman Wants To Transfer But She Has A Scholarship”
Recently a mom in our Paying for College 101 Facebook Group, Christine, shared the following quandary about her daughter who wants to switch schools midway through freshmen year at a […]
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Student & Parent LoansParent Plus Student Loan Guide: How They Work, How to Get Them
Parent PLUS loans can help families cover financial aid gaps. However, a new law will take effect in 2026 that caps these previously uncapped loans. This Road2College guide explains how […]
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Family JourneysWhat If Your Child Doesn’t Want To Go To College?
You’ve scrimped, you’ve saved, and for years you’ve promoted the benefits of attending college during car rides and at the dinner table, but your child announces they have zero interest […]
