college search

In-State vs Out-Of-State Tuition: Picking the Right School for You

By College Raptor StaffLast updated on June 5, 2025

In most cases, in-state tuition is much less than out-of-state college costs. On average, tuition for a public 4-year in-state school cost $9,750 in 2022-23 vs $28,297 for out-of-state tuition. Scholarships, reciprocity programs, and other financial aid packages can reduce the cost of tuition. When researching colleges, students often consider the proximity to home. Some …

student loans

What Are Private Student Loan Interest Rate Discounts?

By College Raptor StaffLast updated on March 24, 2025

While private student loans typically have much higher rates of interest as compared to federal student loans, private lenders often offer a discount on a student loan interest rate if you meet their qualifying criteria. These are some of the private student loan interest rate discounts that you may qualify for: Auto-Debit Student Loan Interest …

questions & answers

Does Having Financial Need Affect Your Acceptance Odds?

By College Raptor StaffLast updated on May 13, 2025

Key Takeaways: Need-blind schools don’t consider your financial need as part of your application. At need-aware colleges and universities, your financial need could affect your acceptance odds. Applying with a strong application, regardless of financial need, can improve your acceptance chances. Most colleges consider your financial need when reviewing your application, which could affect your …

questions & answers

Should I Send In My ACT/SAT Test Scores To Test Optional Colleges?

By College Raptor StaffLast updated on December 22, 2022

Some colleges require ACT/SAT scores, others won’t demand them as part of your application. In fact, more and more colleges are becoming Test Optional. While some students might jump at the chance to not send in scores, others might want to highlight how hard they worked for a good score. So it begs the question: …

financial aid

Everything You Need to Know About the CSS Financial Aid Profile

By College Raptor StaffLast updated on January 24, 2025

The CSS Profile is a financial aid application offered by the College Board and used by around 270 participating colleges, universities, and scholarship programs. The CSS Profile asks for more information than the FAFSA, which could result in additional institutional financial aid for students who complete the application. Students should submit the FAFSA even if …

questions & answers

Should I Attend Community College First?

By College Raptor StaffLast updated on December 22, 2022

Most community colleges are two-year institutions. There are many reasons that attending community college for two years and then transferring to a 4-year university is a good idea. However, there may be a few circumstances in which choosing this path may not be beneficial for you. Understanding the benefits and downsides of attending community college …

student loans

The Importance Of Student Loan Interest Rates

By College Raptor StaffLast updated on March 5, 2025

When you take out a student loan, you have to pay it back with interest. Think of interest as the cost of borrowing money. As you’re applying for a student loan—either federal or private—you’ll come across an interest rate. In fact, the interest rate is one of the most important elements of a student loan. …

questions & answers

How Are Student Loan Interest Rates Calculated?

By College Raptor StaffLast updated on March 24, 2025

If you took out student loans, you know that you have deal with interest rates. Interest rates have a big affect on the overall cost of your student loan. But how the interest rates are calculated for each type of student loan? We outline the answers below: How Federal Loan Interest Rates are Calculated The …

student loans

Pros And Cons Of Paying Off Student Loans Early

By College Raptor StaffLast updated on February 25, 2025

If you have the money, (maybe you got a generous birthday gift or a bonus at work), should you use it to pay off your student loan early or should you look into investing it? It’s a good, solid question and one that most new grads ask when they come into some extra money. The first …