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The FAFSA’s Student Aid Index gets a lot of attention, but net cost is what you should pay attention to.
Here's a suggestion: instead of focusing on which college your student should apply to or go to, think about why you want them to go to college. Why college opens doors.
UTMA accounts are great for a lot of things. Financial aid isn't one of them. Here's what you need to know if your student has a UTMA.
Highlights
What is and isn’t an asset on the FAFSA? Here’s a quick “is it or isn’t it?” for you.
We’re almost there: acceptance letters are arriving and the May 1 decision day is right around the corner. For most families, how much schools cost is part of the decision making process.
Happy 2023! Last year I made a New Year’s Resolution and kept it. That makes me a self-appointed expert on New Year’s resolutions. Here are some resolutions for parents planning for college— and my expert advice on how to keep your resolutions.
Parent assets seem to be the area that most families and planners focus on, despite the fact that they typically have the smallest impact on the formula of each of the components. Strategies and tactics to minimize parent assets abound, but for most families these result more in nibbling around the edges than actually making a significant dent in SAI.
The College Board’s annual Trends in College Pricing and Student Aid report was released recently. Among the headline findings: college tuition prices increased at extremely low rates for the second year in a row, reflecting both a combination of continued impacts of the pandemic and enrollment pressures from demographic trends.
Filing the FAFSA raises tons of questions for divorced parents. Here are some answers.
Happy FAFSA Day! Are you completing the FAFSA for the first time this year? While you’re waiting for the site to load, here are some resources that will help you get through it with a minimum of chaos and maximum of financial aid.
I think Oregon is one of the last places in the US that starts school after Labor Day so my apologies if you’re no longer in back-to-school mode. Here are some resolutions your family might make for the coming school year. And, here’s hoping they don’t get broken as quickly as the typical New Year’s diet-and-exercise resolutions!
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Saving for College
Student Loans
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State and Private Funding of Higher Ed Increase
State funding for higher education increased by over 8% in the current fiscal year, while charitable donations to US colleges and universities rose by 7%. What remains to be seen is how much benefit trickles down to students once inflation factors in.
Trends in College Pricing and Student Aid
The College Board’s annual Trends in College Pricing and Student Aid report was released recently. Among the headline findings: college tuition prices increased at extremely low rates for the second year in a row, reflecting both a combination of continued impacts of the pandemic and enrollment pressures from demographic trends.
Is College Tuition Going Up Next Year?
The COVID pandemic has had a significant impact on higher education both in terms of enrollment and budgets. With federal stimulus pumping almost $40 billion into higher ed, we’re in uncharted water when it comes to forecasting future tuition cost trends.
Trends in Education Borrowing
The Federal Reserve Board of Governor’s Report on the Economic Well-Being of US Households has a wealth of data on student loans, including a breakdown of borrowing by age range, forms of debt, and payment status by school type. Some interesting points:
Trends in College Pricing
The College Board’s annual Trends in College Pricing report came out recently and as always, includes some fascinating data.