HOW CAN PARENTS OF COLLEGE BOUND STUDENTS ACCESS FREE MONEY FOR COLLEGE?

The cost of a college education is skyrocketing.  Other than the purchase of your home, a college education will be a family’s largest expense in their lifetime.  Is your family prepared to spend in excess of $100,000.00 for your kid’s college education?  I’ve listed a few tips that will help ease the pain if parents become proactive in the process.

Tip #1. Start the search for schools that are a good fit for your child.

Find schools that offer maximum financial aid.  Some are more generous based on their endowments.  Start with a list of 20 to 30 schools  and begin to research their aid history.  Some schools will help more than others.  A good place to start is with College Board’s website(www.collegeboard.com).

Tip #2.  Apply to schools at which  your student has a good chance of being admitted.

Grades and test scores should be in the top 25% of the application pool.  The higher your students GPA, test scores and more importantly, community service attributes, the better chance of admittance and endowment scholarship consideration.

Tip #3. Research the schools Merit Scholarship qualifications.

Merit scholarships are based overall talents of your student.  Family income is not a determining factor when qualifying for these types of awards.

Tip #4. Always complete the Free Application For Federal Student Aid.

You may be pleasantly surprised even if you are a six-figure family.  If you don’t apply for FAFSA, you will be ineligible for any type of federal aid including student loans as well as many merit scholarships.

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Dan Evertsz, the College Money Pro, is the owner of College Planning Specialists located in Oakland, CA. For the past 17 years, he and his partner have helped of hundreds of families obtain financial aid from universities all across the country.

Filed under: Admissions, Applications, Banks, College Debt, College Financing, College Planning, College Workshops, Essays, FAFSA, Grants, High School, Out of State Tuition, Pell Grants, Public Service, Scholarship, School supplies, Students, Tax Credits, Tuition, Universities, Admissions, Choosing Universities, College Financing, college funding, College Planning, college planning tips, financial aid, Grants, money, Scholarships, student financial aid, student loans, Students, Tuition

College Financial Aid – A Game of Strategy

By Pete Becker

Every year, tens of millions of students and their parents struggle to complete the required FAFSA and CSS Profile forms. These forms are required if the family wants to receive financial aid. They ask for all kinds of personal, financial, and even religious information. It can be a very invasive process. What most parents don’t understand is that they are playing a Game conceived by the Federal Government and run by the colleges. Rarely do the colleges explain the rules in advance. In fact, this game is very much like a game of Poker.

For most people, the first few times they play a game, such as poker, someone explains the purpose and the rules to follow. They are helped until they understand and can play on their own. After a while, the new player may attempt to learn how to play the game well enough to win more of the time. If the player is really serious, they will seek out books, articles, and software to sharpen their skills. The strategies they learn will give them confidence in their abilities and they will start to win more often.

The College Financial Aid Game is different though. The rules of the game were created by Congress and the U.S. Department of Education. Each college gets to add in their own additional rules or change the rules to benefit that college. The game is aimed primarily at the parents. Where can they go to learn about the game? Playing this game means filling out the forms and pressing Submit. For most parents, there is only a once a year opportunity to play.

This game as I have described it is a lot like poker. Your cards are actually your income and your assets. The higher cards in a poker deck such as the Ace, King, Queen, and Jack are the equivalent of higher income and assets. Lower poker cards like 2, 3, and 4 represent lower income and assets.

In Poker, the hand with the highest cards at the end of the game wins all the time, except if you are good at bluffing. In the College Financial Aid Game, if the parents are holding high cards, they loose and the colleges win. The parents have to pay the colleges or will receive less in financial aid.

If the parents are holding or appear to be holding the low cards, they win. That means that the colleges will offer them a great deal in terms of financial aid, and this will include grants and scholarships. The key to playing this game is knowing the rules and learning the strategies that will make you appear as if you have low cards. This means knowing how to appear as if your income and assets are diminished.

The colleges do not play a friendly game. Their rules are tough. They are allowed to count your income and assets even in ways the IRS does not. For income, your Adjusted Gross Income is what counts. Your deductions and expenses are your problems. For assets, most are considered fair game. There are 153 different strategies that can be used to level the playing field for you.
When playing their game, it is in your best interest to learn the rules of their game and to learn the strategies that will help you to win!

About the author:
I have had a long career in financial products and small business. My new role is to educate high school parents on how best to prepare financially for college. As an introduction, I have just completed my brand new ebook which covers ten examples that colleges don’t want you to know about the process. It is “Secrets That Colleges Don’t Want You To Know”. Download it free at http://www.collegeplanningpathways.com

Filed under: Admissions, Applications, Banks, College Debt, College Financing, College Planning, College Workshops, Essays, FAFSA, Grants, High School, Out of State Tuition, Pell Grants, Public Service, Scholarship, School supplies, Students, Tax Credits, Tuition, Universities, Admissions, Choosing Universities, College Financing, college funding, College Planning, college planning tips, financial aid, Grants, money, Scholarships, student financial aid, student loans, Students, Tuition

Obama Grants Providing High Returns With Scholarships

By Marlon Jackson

Obama grants providing high returns with scholarships

 

For many single moms the mentioning of the Obama grant may not be fully understood however it is being given emphasis by the government under the popular Obama administration in support of working mother’s returning to college. While federal programs such as ones assisting working mothers in attending college have been brought to the fore they are merely existing government benefits that have been reworked. Pell grants are a great asset for potential students, and here is why they are causing a stir among moms who want to return to the classroom.

The Federal Pell grants has existed over many years making it one of the many familiar types of government financial aid for the furtherance of college. For many seeking aid as a student normally requires one to take a loan out with the daunting task of repayment at the end, the Pell grant however does not require this. Seeking an undergraduate degree? Then you have a good running in being awarded the Pell grant formed specifically for those without a bachelor’s or professional degree. The Scholarship for mom’s program with its two distinct advantages has caused a huge stir amongst single, working moms. Mothers are being encouraged to make use of the funds provided through the Pell grants to attend college by President Obama and the Obama administration although no specific grant is named specifically.

Another advantage of the Pell grant besides it being a monetary gift is that there are no restrictions in being able to attain other sources when it comes to financial aid. Aid from other federal programs as well as private, non-federal institutions can be applied to cover education costs. The 1st of July 2009 begins the start of the award year which will come to an end on the 30th June 2010 with the maximum being paid out through the Pell grant of $5,350.00. It’s unlikely that this amount will cover your full college expenses it does not restrict you from applying to other sources. It must be noted that you are not limited to tuition once awarded money. Other requirements which maybe needed when it comes to education may include laptops, books, travel and of course housing.

With the Obama administration focusing its attention on education the Pell grant program and its benefits have been highlighted making the scholarships for moms’ all the more popular. To become a student and earn a degree as a single, working mother such a federal program fills all the specifics. College can now be obtained regardless of your financial status or family needs.

The Obama grant obtained through the Pell grant program has created an opportunity for many to take advantage of further college education. As a working mother this is especially true. Single mothers working full-time are specifically being encouraged by the current administration to take advantage and earn a degree. The current administration is heartily cheering for single, full-time working mothers to apply for college and earn a degree. Your future dreams can come true.

About the author:
So what’s holding you back? Take advantage of a $10,000 scholarship drawing. Registration is free if you visit http://www.scholarshipsformomsfinder.info/

Filed under: Admissions, Applications, Career Path, Career Search, College Financing, College Planning, Grants, Mothers, Pell Grants, Public Service, Scholarship, single mothers, single parent families, Admissions, Career, Career Path, Career Search, Choosing Universities, College Financing, College Planning, economic forecast, financial aid, Grants, parents, Scholarship for mom's program, Scholarships, self help, self improvement, student financial aid, Working Mothers