Hilary Cairns

Hilary Cairns is a graduate of SUNY New Paltz and has a BA in English/Creative Writing. She's an established freelance writer who also has a hand in marketing, social media, and editing for various businesses across the United States.
loan forgiveness
student loans

The Difference Between Discharging a Loan and Loan Forgiveness

By Hilary CairnsLast updated on March 24, 2025
When it comes time to repay your student loans, you may be curious about the ways to either discharge (or cancel) or forgive your loan. While discharging and forgiving are both ways of “canceling” loans, they are, in fact, different from one another. Discharging a Loan It is quite difficult to get a loan discharged …
Male student studying at desk.
ACT & SAT

How to Have The Ideal ACT / SAT Practice Test Session

By Hilary CairnsLast updated on December 22, 2022
Taking a practice test of the ACT or SAT before the real deal can truly give you insight into how the test works in real time. Studying is great and all, but if you’re not using your time wisely and leaving space to review your work, you could run into trouble. Here are some ways …
Here's one of our ACT/SAT reading tips
ACT & SAT

ACT / SAT Reading Section Tip: Read The Questions First

By Hilary CairnsLast updated on December 22, 2022
Wondering how you can do better on the reading section in either the ACT or SAT? Here’s one of our ACT / SAT reading tips: read the questions first. Skip the passage almost entirely and read the questions first. Read At Least the First Sentence While you’ll want to skip to the questions first, make …
A college interview can be very stressful, so knowing what to expect ahead of time can a lot
questions & answers

What Happens During a College Interview?

By Hilary CairnsLast updated on December 22, 2022
While a majority of colleges don’t request an interview, some schools do make it part of the application process—even if it’s optional, leaving it out could hurt your chances. Knowing what to expect ahead of time can make a college interview a bit less stressful. The Basics of a College Interview There are few colleges …
scholarships

5 Fun and Unique Scholarships

By Hilary CairnsLast updated on October 10, 2023
There are a lot of different kinds of scholarships and scholarship applications. When it comes to applying for scholarships, you may assume that most applications consist of an essay question and response. If you’re looking for something a little different or a break from essay scholarships, we’ve rounded up five fun scholarships to keep your …
Create your college preparation checklist in the spring of your junior year.
college admissions

How to Create a Seasonal College Prep Schedule

By Hilary CairnsLast updated on December 22, 2022
Creating a college preparation checklist and schedule is a great way to ensure you’re getting everything done on time. Here are some things you should be scheduling every season starting with the spring of your junior year of high school. Spring – Junior Year Your junior year is actually when you should start getting a …
Here are some questions to ask on your campus tours
college search

8 Cardinal Questions to Ask on Your College Campus Tours

By Hilary CairnsLast updated on May 28, 2024
It’s perfectly normal to get the jitters if you’re embarking on your first of many college campus tours. It’s a lot to take in, and you’re in the process of making some big decisions that will help you shape your future. Whether you’re visiting before you submit applications or after you’ve been accepted, part of …

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