myths

College Myth: I Could Never Afford to Pay for an Ivy League College

By Olivia PittmanLast updated on December 22, 2022

Most students who consider attending an Ivy League college, like Harvard and Stanford, think of them as dream schools. Even some well-qualified students shy away from applying. They think they could never afford an Ivy League college. The good news is that, for most students, Ivy League colleges and other elite, selective universities are often actually …

myths

College Myth: I Should Wait Until I’m Accepted to Apply for Financial Aid

By Olivia PittmanLast updated on December 22, 2022

Applying for financial aid can be tough. Beyond the complicated jargon and long forms, financial aid is tricky. Not only that, there’s a lot of conflicting and misguided advice. For example, most people think that they should apply for financial aid after they get accepted. However, this isn’t usually the right approach. We broke down …

myths

College Myth: I Have to Fill Out Hundreds of Applications and Essays to Try to Get Scholarships

By Olivia PittmanLast updated on December 22, 2022

Teachers and counselors encourage many of their students to search the internet and apply for as many scholarships as possible. Teachers and counselors push students to get scholarships — as many as they can. This can be helpful for some students, but it’s usually not the most efficient way to reduce your cost of college. …

myths

College Myth: College Isn’t Worth the Price

By Olivia PittmanLast updated on December 22, 2022

Accounting for inflation, the annual cost of college has more than doubled since 1980. With the average cost of attendance at private colleges now at $42,419, it’s no wonder people question the investment value and think college isn’t worth the price. Not only is the cost of college rising, many students are forced to take …

financial aid

Where Does Financial Aid Come From?

By Lynell EngelmyerLast updated on December 22, 2022

Once you hit send on those financial aid applications, what happens next? Money doesn’t suddenly fall onto your doorstep, so where does it come from? In being a good consumer, it is good to know this information. Where do financial aid dollars come from? There are 4 primary sources of financial aid: Federal Government State Government …

financial aid

Guide to College Financial Aid

By Lynell EngelmyerLast updated on December 22, 2022

The financial aid equation You can run but you cannot hide. It’s time to face the finances. Before you get into the details of how and when to apply, it’s important to have some basic understanding of how the system works. I promise that it’s not as gruesome as you fear. In fact, the underlying principle …

financial aid

What’s the Difference Between the FAFSA and CSS Profile?

By Hilary CairnsLast updated on December 4, 2024

College is expensive, but there are ways to get free money* for tuition and related education expenses – including the CSS profile and the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). While these applications have some overlap, there are some notable differences you’ll need to know before you complete them. Below, we outline what you …

financial aid

Commonly Asked FAFSA Questions

By College Raptor StaffLast updated on November 25, 2024

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), is an application that all students planning to go to college should complete. Below, we’ll do a quick review of what the FAFSA is and answer some of the more commonly asked questions. Here’s your FAFSA FAQ! What is the FAFSA? The FAFSA stands for the Free …

questions & answers

Why Do Private Colleges Appear to be So Much More Expensive than State Colleges?

By Olivia PittmanLast updated on July 28, 2023

While you’re looking for colleges, of course you’re also looking at the cost. After all, you want to make sure you can afford attending the school. The average sticker price for an in-state resident at a public college was $18,391 in 2012. That’s almost $12,000 less than the average sticker price for private colleges. What …

questions & answers

How Do Students Afford Colleges Like Harvard or Stanford?

By Olivia PittmanLast updated on December 22, 2022

How Do Students Afford Colleges That Are Very Expensive? – College Raptor Q&A For the 2014-15 school year, the published costs of attendance at Harvard and Stanford are approximately $65,000 and $62,000, respectively. These numbers can easily be discouraging for those who want to afford colleges, especially for students from low-income families. Even students who …