Two weeks ago, President Obama announced a significant policy shift that will help low-income students access college financial aid by making the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) simpler to complete. This key administrative change will allow applicants to complete the FAFSA using income tax data from two years prior to the current year. This change is a major win for students, significantly simplifying the aid application … [Read more...]
New College List Ranks by Service to the Community
US News College Rankings is the 'popular' college ranking lists, but since they use questionable data that skews towards the Ivy Leagues, many professionals in the field want more, a better list, more information. Washington Monthly has given that to us. Using new criteria, Washington Monthly has developed a ranking system based on the three issues that are most important to higher education: social mobility, research, and community … [Read more...]
Graduation Rates of Texas Colleges
Texas College Graduation Rates Statistics Texas Statistics Public Colleges Private Colleges For Profit Colleges % of students who graduate in 4 years 24.4% 41.5% 9.9% % of students who graduate in 6 years 49% 57.8% 18.2% Texas’ place compared to all other states 32nd 29th 38th The following charts are separated into 3 tables: Public 4 year colleges, Private 4 year colleges, and For Profit … [Read more...]
College Acceptance and Financial Aid Award Letters
April is a tough month for high school seniors and their families. They are receiving college acceptance or rejection letters, preparing for finals and AP exams, getting ready for prom and graduation, all while trying to choose the “best” college to attend. One of the key factors in deciding which college acceptance to select is the financial aid award letter. Families can help students decipher these letters and the types of financial aid … [Read more...]
Are You Managing or Controlling Your Child’s College Plans?
“Hanging back and allowing children to make mistakes is one of the greatest challenges of parenting.” This is perhaps one of the best points made in a recent New York Times article, Raising Successful Children, and couldn’t be more poignant than during your child’s senior year. In today’s college admissions, everything is competitive and overwhelming. This makes it easier for parents to want to step in, help, and guide their child through the … [Read more...]
Financial Aid Secrets and 4 Tips
Something interesting happens every summer before high school graduates head off to college. Most people in the higher education industry refer to it as ‘summer melt’. It’s a yearly occurrence when extra financial aid is unclaimed and returned to the college’s pool of resources. It’s a result of students who had previously accepted admissions to that college deciding not to attend, thus leaving their financial aid package on the table. That aid … [Read more...]
Avoid Expensive Errors While Saving For College
It’s just about back-to-school time again. If you have young children, you might be hustling them to the store for backpacks and binders. But if you fast-forward a few years, you can envision driving your kids a little farther — to their college dorms. And when that day comes, you’ll want to be financially prepared. So you’ll want to avoid making costly mistakes when preparing for, and paying, those big bills. Here are some of the most common of … [Read more...]
How to Save for College and Start a 529 Plan
Parents of college-bound students know that the costs of college has risen dramatically. The College Board, the creator of the SAT, conducts a survey of average college pricing from universities across the country. For the 2013-14 academic year, the average cost for an in-state public college is $22,826, while the average private college is $44,750. These costs include tuition, room and board, fees, books, and an allowance for personal … [Read more...]
Money Management Tips for College Students
Guest Blog Article Written by: Kristen Mcmahon College is about the time you discover that managing your own finances involves a lot more than just watching your spending. As current college students, you have to learn to prioritize, especially if you don't live in a dorm, this is likely the first time you have to pay your own utilities, rent, groceries and any unexpected costs. Learn how to plan for your future with these good money … [Read more...]
Spring 2013 College Information Seminar in Clear Lake
FREE parent session at Clear Lake Library- Freeman Library Sat, February 23- 2pm to 4pm Topics to be discussed: The College Application Process and Timeline- when students should be preparing for college and what to do to get ahead of the game Financial Aid Process and Scholarships- how to maximize scholarship potential and apply for the most financial aid SAT, ACT and SAT Subject Tests- When students should take these tests and … [Read more...]
