financial advice & planning, questions & answers

Is Leasing a Car a Smart Move for College Students?

By College Raptor StaffPublished on January 29, 2025

Yes, you can lease a car in college if you meet the age requirements for that state. The legal age to get a driver’s license in the United States varies by state but is usually between 16 and 18 years old. But, just because you can, doesn’t mean you should. Leasing a car in college may …

financial aid, questions & answers

Ways You Can Get Paid to Go to School

By College Raptor StaffPublished on October 25, 2024

Can you get paid to go to school, or does that sound too good to be true? It’s not—there are ways to cover the cost of college that don’t involve dipping into your or your family’s savings. Let’s explore some ways you can get paid to go to school and some other interest-free options to …

questions & answers

Loud Budgeting – The Opposite of Quiet Luxury

By College Raptor StaffPublished on July 15, 2024

Even if you’ve never heard the viral term, you may already know about loud budgeting. This budgeting trend simply means that people are very open with what they have and may set certain boundaries with friends and families to prioritize their money. The idea of loud budgeting is to empower more people to be comfortable …

financial aid, questions & answers

What is SAI vs EFC?

By College Raptor StaffPublished on December 22, 2023

SAI replaces EFC in the 2024-2025 FAFSA. SAI is the number that colleges will use to assess your eligibility for financial aid. It’s a significant, more streamlined change from the EFC system previously used and is meant to provide a more straightforward student aid calculation for families and prospective students.  Navigating the maze of federal …

questions & answers

What’s the Average Dorm Cost?

By College Raptor StaffLast updated on February 26, 2025

College costs and tuition vary dramatically across the United States. Private colleges tend to have higher tuition than their public counterparts. The same goes for the cost of living in a college dorm. According to the Education Data Initiative, the average dorm cost for a 4-year college is around $11,520 for public institutions and $13,028 …

questions & answers

What Is Tuition Reciprocity?

By College Raptor StaffPublished on October 4, 2023

A tuition reciprocity agreement is an agreement between two (or more) states that specifically pertains to the cost of tuition. This agreement essentially allows students from one state to get the benefit of lower-cost in-state tuition when they enroll in a college in another state within the reciprocity agreement. To better understand what tuition reciprocity …

questions & answers

What Is In-State Tuition?

By College Raptor StaffLast updated on October 2, 2023

When deciding which colleges to apply to, one of many decisions you’ll have to make is whether you want to attend an in-state or out-of-state institution. Cost is a big difference between the two. Students who choose to attend an in-state college pay in-state tuition, which brings up the question, what does that mean and …

questions & answers

How To Go to College Debt Free (Or with Less Debt)

By Hilary CairnsLast updated on December 15, 2023

No one wants to graduate college under a mountain of student loan debt that needs to be repaid. And as a result, some students are actually forgoing the college experience all together in order to save their future finances. While sometimes it is unavoidable if you want to go to a particular college or study a …

questions & answers

What Happens to Financial Aid If You Drop a Class?

By College Raptor StaffLast updated on February 26, 2025

If you drop (or withdraw from) a class, your financial aid could be affected. It depends on: The terms of the loan, grant, or scholarship. When you accepted the aid. And how the dropped class affects your academic progress or enrollment status. To know what happens to financial aid if you drop a class, it …

financial advice & planning, questions & answers

College Affordability: How Community College Can Help Fill the Gap

By College Raptor StaffLast updated on July 14, 2023

Financial stress and college affordability is a huge factor when choosing where to further your education. In fact, 70% of teens in 2023 (vs. 61% in 2022) have financial concerns about pursuing higher education.  This begs the question: Is making college affordable a real option for upcoming and current college students? We believe the answer …