While looking up the Cost of Attendance at any given school, you will find it made up of direct costs (tuition, books, fees) and indirect costs (housing, food, transportation). It is spelled out pretty simple, but sometimes life isn’t that simple, and the ability to pay for an education could be challenging. We recommend that you complete your FAFSA, apply for scholarships, and talk to your financial aid office to find as many options as you can. Additionally, there may be some local resourc...

We can all agree that college is not cheap. Figuring out a clear plan for you to achieve the goal of finishing takes a great deal of time, energy, and finances. Choosing how to invest your money is something to seriously think about, especially when life happens. Did you know that more than half of people who start a college or training program do not finish? If you fall into that category, or know someone who does, we encourage you to try again. Here’s why:

You completed the FAFSA, you received the Student Aid Report (SAR), now what? Many students aren’t aware but one out of three students will be selected for verification, and if you are chosen don’t worry, its routine.  Verification is to ensure that the information is accurate, because people are human and mistakes can happen.  Simply putting down the wrong birthday, social security number, or putting tax information in the wrong box can make it difficult for financial aid offices to give you ...

Still thinking of continuing your education online or virtually? Something to think about is your Cost of Attendance (COA) and whether or not it has changed for the upcoming 2020-2021 school year. You may recall a previous blog called Net Cost: Beyond the Sticker Price in Schools, where we covered the basics of COA. However, things may have changed a bit since you filed your FAFSA. Three things to review are the following:

Congratulations to the Class of 2020! You did it! I am sure that this senior year was not what you expected for your last semester in high school and there may be some unknown waters ahead, such as your postsecondary education plans. A lot is in the air, and one option I hear in the news and with my colleagues is deferring your enrollment. I am hoping that this blog post helps you explore some of your deferment options.

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, I had seen more and more advertising about online classes and education. However, moving forward, does an online education fit your learning style? Is it the best option for you? I am sure some of you have figured out that there is more to it than staying in our pajamas all day (or any other stereotype people can think of). Let’s look at some quick pros and cons to online education:

Paying for college can turn out to be a scavenger hunt for funds, but when it comes to achieving your goals, nothing should stop you, not even the net cost. Financial resources for college or career training are in place to help you effectively pay for your postsecondary education. Here are a few helpful tips to get you started on your own financial resource scavenger hunt:

For students who haven’t decided on where to pursue their education next, it may be a bit challenging as many students are home right now as a result of the COVID-19 Pandemic. While it is unknown at this time when life will return back to “normal,” there are still opportunities out there to help you make informed decisions about your next steps. Many institutions and trade schools are increasing their virtual presence to showcase what they have to offer. They can come in many forms, but wh...

It’s your senior year in high school and all your friends are talking about what they are going to do next. Some of them will be attending college or trade schools right after high school; however, you may feel that you’re not quite ready to do that just yet.

You think you know what type of job you're interested in, and you may have even researched the type of training/education you’ll need to be able to get that job, but have you considered the earning potential? Before you invest time and money preparing for a specific occupation it’s smart to find out what the future earning potential of that occupation might be. Here are 3 tools to help you find the earning potential of occupations you may be interested in.