Financial Aid Archives - On My Way Consulting

How to Submit FAFSA to More than 10 Colleges

October 13, 2016

FAFSA, financial aid, Need-based aid, Save Money

It’s October, and that means it’s time for pumpkins, Early Action deadlines and …. filling out the FAFSA! (It feels so weird to say that – this is the first year that it’s open in October.) I’ve written a lot about FAFSA, but this time wanted to share a very simple tip. The FAFSA only…

Grandparents Helping with College: A Word of Caution

May 23, 2016

Nicole Hosemann

529, CSS Profile, EFC, FAFSA, financial aid, grandparents, Need-based aid, Save Money

I often work with students who have a grandparent (or other relative) who has saved money in a 529 or other account to help pay for college. If you are one of these lucky students (or their parent), you are fortunate! But it’s also important to know that grandparent’s money can harm your chances for…

How Students Can Lower College Costs

July 23, 2015

Nicole Hosemann

ACT, choosing a college, college lists, financial aid, institutional aid, Merit aid, Need-based aid, SAT, Save Money

If you shudder when thinking about financing your child’s education, you are not alone. With rising tuitions, and more students competing for limited financial aid, the cost of a 4-year education has risen dramatically over the past decade. And while parents are usually the ones staying awake at night fretting over tuition bills, students can…

Advice from the Other Side

June 3, 2015

Nicole Hosemann

admissions officers, applying, campus visits, choosing a college, college fairs, essays, supplements

I asked students and parents from the Class of 2015 to share their advice for students and parents about to begin the college admissions process. Who better to provide guidance than those who have just completed the journey? Here is some of the advice that they offered…. Advice from Students, for Students This may sound cliche,…

How to Save a TON on Freshmen Year

May 8, 2015

Nicole Hosemann

online courses, Save Money

Looking for creative ways to make college more affordable? Here is something completely new, and very enticing for a cost-conscious student: Arizona State University and EdX recently launched an innovative option called the Global Freshmen Academy. Through this program, students can try out online courses for a small fee, and wait until the end to…

What is Work Study?

April 4, 2015

Nicole Hosemann

award letters, EFC, financial aid, Save Money, Work Study

As you evaluate your financial aid offers, you may see an item called Work Study, with amounts ranging from $1,000 to $5,000. What exactly is this? Work Study is a Federal program that provides jobs to students to help pay for educational expenses. If you qualify for Work Study, you are eligible to work a…

Making Sense of Award Letters

April 3, 2015

Nicole Hosemann

award letters, choosing a college, COA, cost of attendance, cost of college, Deciding, financial aid, free money, gift aid, grants, Save Money, scholarships, tuition, variable costs

I have to be honest – this is my favorite time of the year. Not only because I get to see my students celebrate their acceptances, but also because I LOVE to evaluate financial aid award letters. Seriously. I wish that colleges were transparent in their award letters, but unfortunately most are not. Many of…

Why High Income Families Should Still Submit FAFSA

February 10, 2015

Nicole Hosemann

award letters, FAFSA, financial aid, income, institutional aid, loans, Merit aid, Need, Need-based aid, Save Money

Financial Aid for a High Income Family Every year, I hear parents say, “We’re not bothering to submit FAFSA, because our income is too high to qualify for financial aid.” This stems from one of the most unfortunate misconceptions about college financial aid: that it’s only available to students with financial need. The truth is, many…

How Test Scores Can Lower College Costs

February 5, 2015

Nicole Hosemann

ACT, financial aid, Merit aid, Need-based aid, SAT, Save Money

You probably already know that college is expensive. But, did you know that one of the most effective ways to lower your cost is to raise your score on the SAT or ACT? It’s true – by raising your scores, you can secure more scholarship money, which in turn will reduce the amount you have…

Beyond the FAFSA and Profile

January 9, 2015

EducationConsultingHQ

CSS Profile, deadlines, FAFSA, financial aid, IDOC, taxes

If you’re reading this post, you’re probably already familiar with the two most common requirements when applying for financial aid, the FAFSA and CSS Profile. As if those two were not enough, some colleges even have additional requirements. That’s right. They might want more from you. As you may have guessed, the more selective the…