For students applying to college, applying for financial aid can also be a complicated process. For some students in March, the process may have just become even more complicated. For the FAFSA, students used to have the IRS Data Retrieval Tool to help them easily fetch tax info to fill in required fields in the application. However, the IRS and Office of Federal Student Aid recently announced that the Data Retrieval
Are you a student in California? In addition to college applications, financial aid applications such as the FAFSA need to be finished and submitted before the deadlines. The FAFSA deadline for California is on March 2. Students in other states should also be careful of deadlines and can find tips that they need for the application from the official FAFSA site. (Source: FAFSA)
Currently applying for college? If so, you may be aware that the FAFSA has opened since the beginning of October this year. Don’t forget to watch out for these errors on the FAFSA! 1.Using the wrong website: The FAFSA website is fafsa.gov 2.Forgetting to get a FSA ID. A student and a student’s parent should each have an individual FSA ID. 3.Not listing more than 1 college on the FAFSA.
Applying to college this year? Students should also remember about applying for financial aid! For the FAFSA this year, there are 2 important facts every student should know to make sure their applications go smoothly: 1.The FAFSA will now open on October 1, 2016. 2.The FAFSA will accept earlier tax info from students and their families. 2015 tax info can be used for the 2017-18 FAFSA. More details on FAFSA
Besides changes to college application options, this year, some significant changes were also made to financial aid. For students applying for financial aid, they will be able to start on the FAFSA early in October. As a result, the U.S. Department of Education sent a letter to colleges to specifically request that schools not set earlier deadlines for financial aid. With all the news surrounding college applications and financial aid
For students who have a minute to spare, they can turn that time into cash by checking out these 10 recommended websites for scholarships. (Source: USA Today)
Are you a student who loves art, writing, or maybe both? You might just have a chance to win $5000 in The Atlantic & College Board Writing Prize. In addition to the $5000 prize, the winning essay is also published in The Atlantic. The deadline for the contest is on February 28; more information on essay requirements can be found on the College Board website. (Source: College Board)
For students who need financial aid for college, the FAFSA for 2016-17 is currently available. The U.S. Department of Education has released a useful list of steps on completing the FAFSA, along with reminders on any changes made to this year’s FAFSA application.
According to The Chronicle of Higher Education, the U.S. Senate may soon decide that the Perkins Loan Program could return for about 2 years, with some significant changes for the college students who are eligible for it.
For students looking ahead to their financial aid applications, they should go over these FAFSA tips from the Huffington Post.
According to The Chronicle of Higher Education, the CSS Profile has recently announced that it would allow students to use older tax information to complete the application. Like the FAFSA, the CSS Profile helps students find financial aid for colleges.
Will you be a college student soon? Need money for school? You can start your search for scholarships by looking through these sources suggested by the U.S. News.
The Institute for College Access and Success recently released a report on student loan debt in the U.S. The average student loan debt was reported at $29,000; the report also examined student debt by state and discussed factors involved for any changes in averages, such as the college’s cost of attendance and the available financial aid. New Mexico and Utah were reported as states with particularly low debt.
For students who are steadily checking off their list of college application materials, financial aid may be just one of the many boxes that provides a cause for worry. Even if I am accepted, how can I possibly pay for tuition and all my other costs? Luckily for students, the College Board has a summary available on financial aid listing out the basics on financial aid terms and options.
Besides keeping on track for their academic progress and browsing through major choices, students and their families also need to think about how they will pay for college. In that case, this article from the Huffington Post offers some tips to help families of future college-goers get started on saving up for higher education.
As students and families struggle with questions on college affordability, the relation between cost and education is a huge concern on everyone’s mind. This Huffington Post article presents a detailed discussion of college pricing and the factors people need to take into account in order to have a better understanding of a college’s cost. For students with concerns on financial aid or other aspects of college, IvyBoost’s College Counseling prepares
Whether you are a new freshman or a continuing college student, one big topic at the front of your mind may be paying for the next school year. However, if your financial aid does not seem enough for your college costs, what can you do? There are 3 tips that may help you from the New York Times article “How to Appeal College Financial Aid Offers”: 1. If you can
You’re happy over the colleges that have accepted you and can’t wait to tell all your family and friends the news. However, after your initial excitement, one tiny question pops into your mind: how are you going to pay for it? Perhaps you’ve received a financial aid letter from your college of choice. There are 3 questions you should be able to answer after reviewing your financial aid: 1. What
Recently, it was announced that the Rhodes Scholarship, which selects a number of promising students every year to study at Oxford, will soon also open to students in China. Usually, the Rhodes Scholarship chooses 32 U.S. students, as well as scholars from other countries. For the first group of students from China, about 3-6 students will be chosen for the scholarship. Students in countries outside of the U.S. who have
Since January has rolled around, the 2015 FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) has become available for students to fill in to get financial aid for college. What are some typical questions students have about the FAFSA? I’ve never filled out the FAFSA before! How do I even begin? First, see if you have all the materials you need, such as your social security number and tax records. The
Interested in studying at Oxford for 2 or 3 years? You may want to consider applying for the Rhodes Scholarship! What is the Rhodes Scholarship? The Rhodes Scholarship was established after Cecil J. Rhodes’s death to bring together students from different countries to Oxford. His requirements for Rhodes Scholars included attributes such as literary & scholastic attainment, courage, and moral force of character. Cecil Rhodes hoped that the Rhodes Scholarship
Californian students attending UC and CSU schools should know that California’s Middle Class Scholarship program has reopened its deadline up to this December! How much can students receive if they submit the application? For UCs, a student can receive up to $1,710 for the school year For CSUs, a student can receive up to $768 The deadline for the Middle Class scholarship applications was originally set for last March. If
The Big Ten is a collection of colleges with a focus on intercollegiate sports; currently there are 14 member universities in the Big Ten. Members of the Big Ten include schools like Northwestern, Purdue University, and Rutgers University. On October 8th, the Big Ten released news of a scholarship policy which would “guarantee 4-year scholarships for athletes.” Previously at many colleges, a student’s athletic scholarship could be taken away after
This year, 68 QuestBridge scholars entered Columbia University. Why is it so significant? QuestBridge is a nonprofit organization which “connects low-income students with opportunities at elite colleges.” Those admitted to Columbia through QuestBridge can also find common understanding and mentoring from fellow students in the Quest Scholars Network. In order to be accepted into the QuestBridge program, 12th grade students must turn in their applications by September. If selected as
Today, the University of Chicago made an announcement about No Barriers, a new program meant to simplify the financial aid process for its students. The program will take effect for students who are entering the University of Chicago in Fall 2015. No Barriers presented several changes to financial aid: No college application fee for families seeking financial aid An increase in National Merit Scholar awards from $2000 to $4000 per
While seniors are scrutinizing every line of their UC application for accuracy, or blinking at their computer screens to revise the third draft of their essays, the deadlines for financial aid may seem distant from their mind. But once every application and essay has been submitted, students should turn their eyes towards financial aid applications. Even if students think they do not qualify for aid, California’s Middle Class Scholarship may
You’re fully prepared. You’ve carefully narrowed down your list of ideal colleges, filled in all the applications by the deadline, and have drafted and revised all your essays. Now you just have to wait for the results. But wait. Have you remembered to look at the financial aid for each college? What kind of questions should you ask a financial aid officer? According to the U.S. News, below are some
As summer winds down, students begin to trickle back onto their campuses and their dorms. For those who no longer have to deal with living in a triple room in the dorms, an off-campus space makes the new school year even more exciting. For students living off-campus, student loans may be able to help you meet your off-campus costs. The U.S. News has a few handy tips to offer regarding
As summer melts into fall, students around the country will be heading off to college, looking forward to new classes and new learning experiences with great anticipation. But some students may greet the new school year with worry instead of excitement. What if a student’s financial aid falls short of their college costs? What can they do? The U.S. Department of Education suggests to those students to do the following:
Despite the general affordability of community college, some students struggle to pay without federal student loans, the New York Times reports. Based on a report from the Institute for College Access and Success, the tuition average of community colleges is $3,260 per year. However, necessities like textbooks and housing can bring up the total cost to $15,000. Nationwide, about 9 percent of community colleges do not offer federal student loans;
The Pell Grant is awarded to undergraduate students who have not yet completed a bachelor’s or a professional degree. The money from a Pell Grant does not need to be repaid. The amount a student receives from a Pell Grant depends on the information they have submitted in their FAFSA. The amount awarded depends on factors like the student’s financial need and the student’s status as either a full-time or
As the U.S. News has stated (“4 Changes Coming to Student Loans”), a few new rules about U.S. student loans have gone into effect starting from July 1st. The first change involves interest rates on student loans. If a student has a new loan disbursed on or after July 1st, the interest rate on that loan will be fixed. If the loan already has a fixed rate, the interest rate
Students wondering how to pay for college have many kinds of financial aid to consider, like scholarships, grants, and student loans. The PLUS loan is a loan from the U.S. Department of Education. Students can use this loan to pay for some of their higher education expenses. In order to apply for a PLUS loan, students must submit the FASFA. There are two kinds of people who are eligible for
According to the U.S. News (“5 Costly Financial Aid Mistakes Community College Students Make”), there are a few tips that all future college students should keep in mind to avoid missing out on available financial aid. The biggest mistake that some students make is not submitting their application for the FASFA. The FASFA is available by January 1, but some students neglect to give themselves the proper amount of time
Last week, Senator Lamar Alexander and Senator Michael F. Bennet announced a bill that could simplify the FAFSA process for students. How would they change the FAFSA? By cutting down 108 questions to 2 questions about family size and household income from two years ago. If the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) was simplified, the senators stated that families would be able to receive earlier information on a
A memorandum about student loans was signed last week by President Obama on June 9,2014. The new student loan regulations are intended to make the loan repayment process easier for borrowers. After graduation, many students who rely on loans for college find it difficult to do things like buy a home, support a family, or start a business. The biggest change proposed by the plan was that it would allow
For students and their families who are searching for additional money for education, it is all too easy to run into fake financial aid offers. If you are unsure if a company can help you find financial aid and scholarships, the FTC (Federal Trade Commission) says these lines should be a big warning sign: This scholarship is guaranteed! I need your credit card or bank account to hold this scholarship.
It is the time to apply for Cal Grant. To maximize your award, you shall apply before March 2 by submitting FAFSA and verified Cal Grant GPA. Cal Grant is the money that you do not need to pay back. It will pay you up to $12,192 annually to cover your tuition attending a California higher education institute for undergraduate program.
The CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE® is the financial aid application service of the College Board. Many private colleges and universities require that students submit a CSS PROFILE in addition to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The CSS PROFILE determines your eligibility for non-government financial aid, such as the institutional grants, scholarships and loans. CSS is a fee based service. The form is available in the Fall and most
Federal financial aid is not only available for US citizens, but also for eligible non-citizens for the following: * U.S. permanent resident, with a Permanent Resident Card or “Green Card” * Conditional permanent resident (I-551C) * Other eligible noncitizen with an Arrival-Departure Record (I-94) from the Department of Homeland Security showing any one of the following designations: “Refugee,” “Asylum Granted,” “Indefinite Parole,” “Humanitarian Parole,” or “Cuban-Haitian Entrant”. * A citizen
Eligibility for federal student aid is based on financial need and on several other factors. The financial aid administrator at the college or career school you plan to attend will determine your eligibility. To receive federal financial aid, you must * demonstrate financial need (except for certain loans). * have a high school diploma or a General Education Development (GED) certificate, pass an ability-to-benefit (ATB) test approved by the U.S.
