How To Pay For College

There is a veritable stampede of young people today trying to get into college but few of them seem to really understand the enrollment process. One of the reasons ABC College Planning exists is because there is a shortfall when it comes to guidance on how to pay for college and this at a time when so many need financial assistance.  One of the myths of the animal kingdom is that the Ostrich, when sensing danger, will bury its head in the sand to hide from the threat. It’s not true, of course...Read Full Story

Because of today’s high tuition costs, looking for free scholarships for moms is of the utmost importance if you like saving money on your schooling! In today’s world, schools have made it very easy for women to not only attend college, whether online or physically, but they have also made it possible for you to raise your family at the same time while you’re attending school. Nowadays, you can attend college online, in the summer, at night, or whenever your time is most flexible; which...Read Full Story

Writing a Great College Essay So it’s time to write your college essay and wow the admissions officers with your charm, your wittiness and overall greatness. The only problem, you are sitting there staring at your computer screen and words are failing you. Close your eyes. Take three deep breaths and let’s do this thing, OK? There are three basic steps to this process. Basically you just want to, in 500 words or less, tell them who you are and convey to the admissions committee that you can...Read Full Story

In a previous posts, I explored ways to save money for college in  tax-advantaged accounts , and also explained credits and deductions that can save on taxes when paying for tuition or repaying student loans. But there is one final area where college savings and taxes meet: the tax implications of scholarships, grants or other financial aid received (the terms scholarship and grant are used interchangeably here). For income tax purposes, scholarships and fellowships are considered the same...Read Full Story

The New York Times has a post summarizing a report from Sallie Mae and Gallup that breaks down the typical source of funds for a college education today. This summary chart gives you a good idea of what to expect (on the average). “How America Pays for College,” Sallie Mae and Gallup There is a further breakdown by parent's income level with similar results across income levels (although there is a greater relative contribution from grants and scholarships for lower family incomes...Read Full Story