Call it the couponing of higher education. After years of skyrocketing tuition costs, many private colleges in the United …
financial aid
Three Strategies for Saving Money on College That May Not Work as Promised
Yes, you can save money and avoid student loan debt by employing some of the classic strategies suggested by personal finance gurus. But you may not save as much as you think—and you could even wind up spending more.
How a $54K-Per-Year School Is Deemed a ‘Best Value College’
The private universities listed in a new “Best Value Colleges” roundup run $54,200 annually for tuition, fees, books, and room and board. That sounds pretty expensive, and it is. Could it also represent a good value? What if students actually paid less than half the list price?
6 Common Misconceptions About Financial Aid
So, you’ve gotten into college (congrats!), filled out your FAFSA (great!) and are now staring at a financial-aid award letter, wondering what to do next (uh-oh). As the May 1 deadline to accept financial-aid offers approaches, …
One College Slashes Tuition by 22%, Promises No More Silly Financial-Aid Games
Shopping around for a college education can feel a lot like shopping for a new car — in that very few people wind up paying the sticker price. Many colleges set tuition prices with the assumption that, on average, students will pay 33% less, thanks to financial aid and scholarships. But one university has decided its pricing strategies …
What To Do If You Can’t Pay Your Student Loans
If you graduated college last spring, chances are over the winter holidays the government delivered a nice present to your door: your first student loan bill.
For-Profit Schools: ‘Agile Predators’ or Just Business Savvy?
Adding weight to the mounting pile of evidence against for-profit institutions, a new report from the National Bureau of Economic Research finds a grim future for students who attend for-profit schools.
The Two Most Confusing Phrases in Financial Aid
There’s a lot of confusion and misinformation out there when it comes to college admissions and financial aid, and a lot of it surrounds terminology. One of the most common misunderstandings concerns a policy that most U.S. …
Why the Federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program is Unfair
You probably aren’t even aware of this, but there’s a special loan forgiveness program available for recipients of federal student loans — but if you work for someone who has the nerve to be seeking a profit, you’re not eligible.
The 24 Most and Least Affordable Public Colleges
Last week, the U.S. Department of Education released a new web tool that lets users calculate the costs of getting a college degree. While much has been made of the highest and lowest tuition rates, you can also use the tool to …
Are For-Profit Colleges Targeting Low-Income Students?
A new report that shows low-income students enroll in for-profit schools at four times the rate of other students once again raises questions over whether for-profit colleges target the most vulnerable students in order to line …
Private K-12 Programs Decline in Popularity. Smart Move?
The United States Department of Education‘s The Condition of Education 2011 report confirms a trend that anecdotal evidence has suggested for some time: private schools for children from pre-K through high school are declining in …
