Saving Money Archives - On My Way Consulting

Why High Income Families Should Submit FAFSA

September 28, 2018

award letters, CSS Profile, EFC, F, FAFSA, financial aid, free money, institutional aid, Merit aid, Save Money, tuition

I often hear families say, “We’re not bothering to submit FAFSA, because our income is too high to qualify for financial aid.” This stems from a common misconception about college financial aid: that it’s only available to students from low income backgrounds. The truth is, there are several potential advantages that come from filing FAFSA,…

WUE: 5 Things You Need to Know

April 23, 2018

Nicole Hosemann

choosing a college, college lists, CSU, financial aid, majors, UC, Western Undergraduate Exchange, WUE

As well-known public universities grow increasingly selective, students are looking further afield to find the right college. But once you leave the comfortable confines of in-state tuition, those out-of-pockets costs start to climb! It’s no wonder families are excited to hear about the Western Undergraduate Exchange system, or WUE for short. WUE is an agreement…

How to Submit FAFSA to More than 10 Colleges

October 13, 2016

Nicole Hosemann

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! I’ve written a lot about FAFSA, but this time wanted to share a very simple tip. The FAFSA only allows users to add 10 colleges to the form – So what do you do if you are…

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…

Why Community College Could Be the Best Choice You’ll Ever Make

August 7, 2015

Nicole Hosemann

articulation agreements, choosing a college, community college, igetc, Save Money, transfer

I’ll let you in on a little secret – although my career and business are dedicated to counseling students on 4-year college admissions, I started MY college education at a community college. And it was the best choice I ever made. Had I chosen to go straight to a 4-year college, I suspect it would…

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…