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.
How to Apply for a Parent PLUS Loan in 6 Easy Steps
Calling all parents! Want to help your kiddo(s) pay for college by learning how to apply for a parent PLUS loan? (It's technically called a Direct PLUS Loan. We're using the commonly-used term "parent PLUS loan" for this post.) Lots of parents get parent PLUS...
What is Financial Aid? Plus, 6 Steps to Get It
Financial aid can seem like the most daunting hump in the getting-your-kid-to-college process. But what is financial aid, anyway? What does it entail? Don't worry, it's normal to be confused. Let’s compare financial aid to baking a cake. The ingredients —...
What is the FAFSA?
The perfect college visit scenario: You crunch through the leaves on a beautiful college campus and listen to a tour guide's perfect spiel on a 70-degree October day. The reality: You might've had the gorgeous campus tour. But then — you find yourself in the financial...
How to Pay for College without the FAFSA (Yes, it’s Possible!)
Can you relate to this? Your son’s considering a particular college. On your official campus visit, the chipper admission counselor says, “Don’t forget to file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA after October 1. It’s a snap to complete.” You...