A new study sheds light on how the complicated design of student-aid programs affects borrowing decisions As the student-loan debt bubble grows, lawmakers and consumer advocates are pushing for better counseling to help students make better-informed borrowing decisions. But as a new working paper circulated Monday by the National Bureau of Economic Research shows, counseling Read More

For students seeking federal financial aid to pay for college, the deadline to submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, is on June 30 each year. But to maximize their chances of getting aid, every prospective and current college student would ideally promptly submit the FAFSA shortly after the application opens on Read More

What’s happening: The rising cost of education and the increasing necessity of a college degree in many professions have led to an explosion in student loan debt in the U.S. Americans now owe $1.56 trillion — a figure some experts have called a “crisis” for the economy. Many 2020 Democratic presidential candidates have proposed measures to alleviate the financial burdens that Read More

Parent PLUS Loans have always been an expensive option for financing a child’s college education. They come with an interest rate that is higher that many private loans and an origination fee of over 4 percent for every new loan. But thanks to rules that went into effect more than 10 years ago, they also Read More

Discover Student Loans recently conducted a national online survey of 2,015 students, former students and parents in the United States. Almost one-third (31 percent) of parents with students currently in school or recently graduated say they may have to work longer or retire later due to helping pay for their child’s college education. The survey Read More

How do you appeal a financial aid letter? Should you appeal a financial aid award? What kind of college awards can you appeal? I directed these financial aid questions to Mark Kantrowitz, a nationally recognized financial aid expert, who has just published a book entitled, How to Appeal for More Financial Aid Awards. Mark is Read More

It is estimated that 70% of college students are stressed about their personal finances. OneClass has created a free and intuitive college budget template that gives real-time advice based on spending habits. It’s very easy to use. Here is a link to the Excel template: College Student Budget Template Students just need to add in basic Read More

If college tuition bills are looming and you don’t have nearly enough saved, you have plenty of company. But you also have options for making it more affordable. Four out of 10 families who hope to send kids to college aren’t saving for that goal, according to student loan company Sallie Mae. Among those who Read More

If your students plan to get a degree includes running up a bunch of debt, chances are there’s a better path forward. Here are some tips for their parents. A higher education can cost a small fortune, even in-state at a publicly funded school.  If you’re worried about helping your kids get through college or Read More

Lets face it financial aid/student loan information can be intimidating and very complicated for your students. A lot of information is available on the web but it can be hard to decipher what is good advice and what is not. There are a few resources available your students can seek out if they have specific Read More