Financial Aid & Scholarships
Colleges are great at saying, “We have hundreds of scholarships available!” But that just provokes more questions: What is need-based financial aid? How do scholarships work?
Melissa Brock
Writer & Blogger
My name is Melissa and I’m a longtime admission professional, personal finance writer, editor and parent of two (very!) busy kiddos. I couldn’t make it all happen without my husband, Steve.
I hatched my site because I’ve heard so many head-scratching questions from parents. I’ve journeyed in the footsteps of hundreds of families, trekked to dozens of college fairs and even weighed the (billions?) of college savings options for my own two kiddos.
What is Financial Aid? Everything You Need to Know About College Financial Aid
What is financial aid for college? The meaning of financial aid isn't always clear to all families. In fact, many people believe that financial aid will cover the cost of college, but that's not the cost for all. In my years of admission, I've seen situations where...
How to Get In-State Tuition When You Live Out of State
Have you ever compared the tuition cost differences between in-state and out-of-state schools? Did you gasp out loud when you saw out-of-state costs? Yep, yep. It’s often thousands of dollars more expensive to go to an out-of-state university compared to an in-state...
How to Get Rid of Student Loans
Here's how to get rid of student loans: Repay them yourself. No "magic plan" will make them go away faster than you can actively repay them on your own — not even government plans. The average student loan debt was $29,400 among bachelor's degree recipients for...
Debt-Free College Dream: How One Family Earned Thousands of Dollars in Scholarships and Transformed Their Kids’ Futures
Are you worried your child will graduate with crippling student loan debt? Meet the family who cracked the code to debt-free college education and transformed their kids' futures forever! With determination and strategic planning, they embarked on a dedicated...
What is Need-Based Financial Aid?
Need-based financial aid: It's one of these mystifying terms that admission offices throw around when you visit colleges. I can vouch for that — I worked in college admissions for 12 years. There are many ways you can take care of college costs. You can pay for it all...