Category Archives: Financial Aid

Measuring Prestige vs. Price

Posted on May 1, 2013 by Valerie Deutsch

“While some students will be able to go to college only if they receive financial aid and others have the resources to go wherever they want, most fall into a middle group that has to answer this question: Do they try … Continue reading →

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How Final Is a Financial Aid Offer?

Posted on April 4, 2013 by Valerie Deutsch

How final is a college’s financial aid offer? Macalester’s financial aid director addresses common questions in this helpful article and answers questions about understanding financial aid packages.

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Merit Aid: How it Works

Posted on March 13, 2013 by Valerie Deutsch

Good grades and strong test scores do not always translate into college aid. This kind of financial aid is called merit aid, and not all colleges offer it. The majority of state universities and the most selective colleges, including the … Continue reading →

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ABC’s of Financial Aid

Posted on January 7, 2013 by Valerie Deutsch

Confused about financial aid? Here’s what parents should be doing now to maximize their child’s financial aid options.

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Merit Aid

Posted on July 24, 2012 by Valerie Deutsch

Merit aid is one of the few bright spots on the financial aid front. More schools — such as Tulane, USC, Whitman and the University of Chicago — offer merit scholarships to lure strong students who may not be eligible for enough … Continue reading →

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Paying for College

Posted on June 8, 2012 by Valerie Deutsch

Here is a very useful and helpful quick reference guide on financial aid compiled by Mark Kantrowitz of FinAid with practical tips about planning and paying for college.

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Western Undergraduate Exchange

Posted on May 28, 2012 by Valerie Deutsch

The little-known Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) offers discounts at public colleges and universities for students from 15 western states.  Under the interstate agreement, students pay no more than 150% of in-state rates which saves undergraduates on average $7,700 a year.  For … Continue reading →

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Financial Aid Advice

Posted on February 17, 2012 by Valerie Deutsch

While federal financial aid deadlines may stretch into the summer, college-based aid is most plentiful when students submit their applications November through January. The longer students wait, the less money colleges may have to offer, as the pool is not … Continue reading →

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New Financial Aid “Calculators”

Posted on October 11, 2011 by Valerie Deutsch

By October 29, all colleges are required to post Net Price Calculators on their websites, so that families can estimate what they will pay.  The calculators are designed to provide non-binding cost estimates based on a few relatively straightforward questions … Continue reading →

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Merit Scholarships

Posted on August 28, 2011 by Valerie Deutsch

How does a university decide which teenagers will get its merit scholarships? We know that grades and test scores count, but other factors also matter. The University of Rochester reveals how it awards merit scholarships and how much key factors are … Continue reading →

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