For many middle class families, applying for financial aid can seem like a cruel joke. You earn too much money to receive financial aid, but you don’t earn enough to write a check for college. Sound familiar? You’re not alone. But, don’t worry–there are options out there for you. I promise! College Raptor was designed to solve this …
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Scholarship Statistics: Where Most College Scholarships Come From (INFOGRAPHIC)
Let’s talk about college scholarship statistics. You’ve probably heard about them from your high school counselors, parents, and potential colleges, but what exactly are they? What do they do? How do they help? What is a scholarship? Essentially, scholarships award students “free money” to cover parts of their college education. Students don’t need to pay …
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What if Every Student Saved $1,000 per Year on College? (INFOGRAPHIC)
Let’s play a game of “what if” — what if every student (pursuing a bachelor’s degree) got an extra $1,000 per year for four years? Maybe it was through a grant, maybe a scholarship, or maybe books and supplies didn’t cost as much. Whatever the reason, in this hypothetical query each student $1,000 — a …
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What is a Net Price Calculator?
We all know that the sticker price for college is shocking. How many of us can actually write an annual check for $20,000, $40,000, $60,000 or more? That’s where the net price calculator comes into play. But what is a net price calculator? The difference between net price and sticker price The good news is …
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5 Ways to Cut the Cost of Attending a State School as an Out-of-State Student
The biggest drawback of attending an out-of-state public institution for many students is that you will be paying a higher price tag than your classmates who are from the state. The differences are sometimes small, but some states add on a large price tag for out-of-state students. For example, out-of-state students at the University of California …
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5 Myths About College Costs & Financial Aid Every Parent Needs to Know
When it comes to the cost of college, there are a lot of myths out there. Many times, these myths can scare students and families away from colleges that might have been very affordable, or even cost that family thousands of dollars in lost financial aid opportunities. Understanding how both the cost of college and financial …
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Financial Aid and Unique Family Circumstances: How to Let Colleges Know About Your Financial Situation
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid is the federal government’s attempt to put every American family on a level playing field in an effort to award aid fairly. What happens, however, when the FAFSA does not adequately allow you to express your family’s unique financial circumstances? For example, the FAFSA asks you to submit …
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College Myth: Most Colleges Are Way Out of My Price Range
If you’ve just started your college search, you may be shocked to discover that the cost of attendance at your dream school is tens of thousands of dollars per year outside of your price range. How does anyone afford college at this price? Very few students pay the sticker price to attend college Nearly all …
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College Myth: Financial Aid is Only for Poor Students
Many students from middle class and upper middle class families assume they won’t receive any need-based financial aid. This isn’t necessarily the case. Need-based financial aid Colleges and the government decide how much need-based financial aid you’re eligible for by subtracting your expected family contribution (EFC) from your college’s cost of attendance. If there’s a …
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College Myth: I Don’t Need to Fill Out the FAFSA; I Won’t Get Financial Aid
There are students who think they’re won’t get financial aid from the federal government. Therefore, they sometimes don’t see the point in filing the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). However, these students don’t realize that they may be missing out on grants and scholarships from their college. They’re even missing out on low-interest-rate …
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