Fearing the worst: college closings
The COVID-19 pandemic is hitting the higher-ed world hard. Colleges across the country shut down during a crucial time in the college admission season. It’s the spring when colleges heavily court high school seniors as they urge them to attend their schools in the fall. But this year’s accepted student days were cancelled. Campus visits […]
Should you make a college deposit during the coronavirus pandemic?
Because of the coronavirus pandemic, I decided to answer a college question a day for stressed out parents and students. In today’s question, I am tackling the question of a dad from Los Angeles regarding making a college deposit during the coronavirus pandemic. I hope you find it helpful! Lynn O’Shaughnessy Question: Our original plan […]
Paying $184,000 more for a college near the beach???
During the coronavirus crisis, I am answering a question every weekend day posed by parents on my newsletter list. You’ll find the latest Q&A below. I hope you can benefit from it! Lynn O’Shaughnessy Question from an Indiana mom: Our senior has been accepted to University of California, San Diego, which is her top choice […]
Appealing a Financial Aid Award During COVID-19
COVID-19 has made the college admission and financial aid process unbearably stressful and scary. As my small way of helping, as I remain holed up in my house in San Diego, I decided to start answering your college questions beginning today. Via my blog – The College Solution – I will tackle at least one […]
Capturing a 529 tax break in just 24 hours
Here’s a super quick way to cut your college costs: Deposit money into a 529 account for just 24 hours. After putting money into a 529 account, you can quickly turn around and withdraw the cash to pay for your child’s college tuition and other qualified expenses. In most states, you can claim a state […]
Why you need to use college net price calculators
Before you let your teenager apply to colleges, you need to use each college’s net price calculator. Unless money is no object and you can afford to pay full price for any colleges, turning to net price calculators is critical. If you don’t know what these calculators are – and most parents don’t – here […]
Evaluating a Financial Aid Letter: What’s Usually Missing
Financial aid awards are often confusing. Plenty of colleges and universities intentionally make financial aid awards hard to decipher to trick families into thinking that their institutions are being generous even when they aren’t. Obfuscation is an effective way to keep parents from effectively evaluating a financial aid award. Since we are in the season […]
Applying Early Decision: What You Need to Know
Should your child apply early decision to college? This is the time of year when high school seniors aiming for more selective to elite colleges and universities must decide if they will apply early decision. When students submit an early decision application, they promise that they will attend if the institution accepts them. A student […]