All Financial Aid Articles

Educate yourself on student loans and financial aid
financial aid

Don’t Become Part of the Statistic: Educate Yourself about Financial Aid and Student Loans Early!

There are two shocking statistics that have people worried about the price of college. 1) The average American college student graduates with nearly $37,000 in student loan debt. 2) Collectively, Americans owe nearly $1.3 trillion in student loan debt. Those are pretty scary numbers, to say the least. So how do you avoid becoming part …
A student sitting at a table with a tablet.
financial aid

What Happens to Financial Aid for Transfer Students?

According to the National Student Clearinghouse, about 33% of students choose to transfer schools at least once within their collegiate career. While transferring schools may make you happier in the long run, it’s no easy task, and shouldn’t be done lightly. In fact, a big consideration transfer students might forget about in the shuffle is …
A red gummy bear among clear gummy bears.
financial aid

Common Mistakes Students Make On Their FAFSA Application

Completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) gives you access to different types of financial aid, including grants, scholarships, and loans. Making a mistake on your FAFSA application can cost you money. Unfortunately, it’s not uncommon. Every year, hundreds of students lose out on their entitled financial aid because they made mistakes on …
A blue and yellow pencil parallel to each other, with a blue and yellow background.
financial aid

Should I Apply for Financial Aid After I Get Accepted or Before?

The financial aid process may heap more stress atop an already trying time for many high schoolers. However, if done correctly, financial aid applications can be completed without stress. The months leading up to your freshman year of college will whiz by. It can seem like there’s not enough time to do everything. Because of …
A jar of coins, mostly pennies and dimes.
financial aid

What Counts As “Demonstrated Need” For Financial Aid?

There is a common misconception in the minds of many college students: They believe they do not qualify for need-based aid based on their family’s income. But the definition of “need” is actually a little more flexible than what income bracket your parents’ finances fall into. When a college or scholarship requires you to show …
financial aid

Financial Aid Timeline: Know What to Do and When

The financial aid process can be a bit daunting. Different forms of aid have different formalities, different eligibility requirements, and different deadlines too. The key to benefiting from the various financial aid schemes is to understand and keep track of the requirements and deadlines. Financial aid is typically distributed on a first come first served …
grants for college
financial aid

What is the Pell Grant?

Between scholarships, federal aid, and loans there is a lot to do before heading to college in the fall, but one thing you don’t want to forget about is the Pell Grant. It’s one more reason to complete the FAFSA, or Free Application for Federal Student Aid. But what exactly is it? What Is the …
We're comparing apples and oranges, just like we're comparing and differentiating need-based and merit-based aid
financial aid

What’s the Difference Between Need-Based and Merit-Based Aid?

College can be quite expensive, which means you’re looking for ways to afford it. As you look for aid to help pay for college, you’ll hear a lot of phrases and acronyms. These are two phrases you probably hear a lot while you’re researching scholarship and financial aid opportunities: need-based and merit-based. But what is …
Your grades and test scores may affect your financial aid opportunities.
financial aid

How GPA and Test Scores Affect Financial Aid Opportunities

Over the course of your high school career, people have probably told you to make sure you keep your grades up. You’ve probably stressed about your standardized test scores and your GPA. Those two factors play a very large role in the college admissions process. But do better grades result in better financial aid opportunities? …