Managing The Costs
To make sure college is affordable, we recommend our clients follow these steps. We will help you:
- Analyze your finances and decide how much you can afford per year for college expenses.
- Based on the student’s academic record and the family’s finances, identify the types of colleges whose net costs fall within the family’s budget. A limited amount of student loan debt can be included in this calculation.
- Research and visit colleges that fit into this affordable category. Usually there are many choices available.
- Then, when the acceptances and financial aid letters arrive, the decision process can happen without major financial stress.
We Understand How Colleges Operate
We have made a point of becoming knowledgeable of how colleges award both need-based aid and merit scholarships. There are huge disparities between colleges in this regard. Ivy League and other highly selective colleges are generous with need-based aid, but award NO merit scholarships. Other fine colleges are generous with scholarships. So, if net cost is of any concern, it is important to understand the financial landscape early in the process.
Also, merit scholarships awards are driven mainly by GPA and SAT/ACT scores. By the end of the junior year, little can be done about the GPA, but some effort to improve test scores can pay large dividends. See my blog post here [How Much are Improved SAT/ACT Scores Worth?] for some examples.
Also, merit scholarships awards are driven mainly by GPA and SAT/ACT scores. By the end of the junior year, little can be done about the GPA, but some effort to improve test scores can pay large dividends. See my blog post here [How Much are Improved SAT/ACT Scores Worth?] for some examples.
