College Aid Pro

That first college bill is coming in July and if you're anything like me you've been putting off thinking about it because there's approximately everything else going on right now.

Graduation. Dorm shopping. Orientation. The last summer before everything changes.
I get it. I'm in it too.

But here's what I've learned from sending one kid to college debt free and getting ready to do it again. The families who don't get blindsided by that bill in July aren't luckier. They just did a few things before it arrived instead of after.

So that's what I'm doing right now. And I figured if I'm doing it anyway I might as well share it.

Five things I'm actually doing before that first bill hits my inbox. The 529 piece. The financial aid page research. The cash flow conversation. The borrowing strategy. And why giving yourself permission to have an imperfect plan is actually the most important thing on the list.

Our team put together a free 20 minute video that walks through every single one of these steps in detail. Real experts. Plain language. No fluff. Watch it and then tell me in the comments where you are with all of this right now. 👇
https://hubs.li/Q04kNKFR0

One of the biggest misconceptions about test-optional admissions is that students should always submit their SAT or ACT scores if they have them.

Not necessarily.

In this week's podcast, College Aid Pro admissions expert Joe Korfmacher explains how families can use a school's middle 50% test score range to make a smarter decision.

If your student's score is above that range, it may strengthen their application and improve scholarship opportunities.

If it's below the range, withholding the score may be the better strategy.

Knowing when to submit scores can be just as important as the score itself.

Listen to the full episode here: https://hubs.li/Q04jYmFn0

If you tried to access the FAFSA recently and ran into issues, you're not alone.

The system was temporarily unavailable while a significant update was being implemented.

The biggest change? Students can now see their FAFSA results immediately after submission or correction, instead of waiting several business days. Colleges receive that information in real time as well.

In this week's podcast, College Aid Pro CEO Matt Carpenter, Director of Education Peg Keough, and admissions expert Joe Korfmacher explain what changed and what it means for families navigating the financial aid process.

Listen here: https://hubs.li/Q04jY9DS0

Free money doesn't find you. You have to go find it.

Every Saturday we do the finding for you.
This week it’s 27 private scholarships, pulled together, with direct links so your student can start applying today.

Click the link in the comments for this week’s list!

Could be worth thousands.

Every school has its own formula for deciding how much money your family gets.

Not a federal formula. Not a standard one. Theirs.

Which means the school you quietly wrote off because the sticker price felt out of reach might actually cost your family less than the one that looked affordable on the website.

Most middle class families never find that out. They assume they make too much for need-based aid, shop by sticker price, and eliminate schools before they ever see their real number.

But your real number isn't on the website. It comes from running your actual finances through each school's formula.

That's exactly what this tool does. Run your numbers once and see what every school on your kid's list would actually cost your family side by side. Some of those numbers are going to surprise you.

Run your numbers here → https://hubs.li/Q04j_vXl0

Think scholarships are only for students at the very top of their class?

Think again.

In this week's Q&A episode, College Aid Pro CEO Matt Carpenter and Director of Education Peg Keough discuss a reality many families don't realize:

There are plenty of great colleges that offer scholarships to a large percentage of accepted students.

In fact, some schools use scholarships as part of their enrollment strategy, helping make college more affordable for families while attracting students to campus.

The result? Your student doesn't need to be a perfect applicant to receive meaningful scholarship money.

Hear Matt and Peg break down what families should know when evaluating college costs and scholarship opportunities.

For the full Q&A: https://hubs.li/Q04jKRv50

This week, College Aid Pro CEO Matt Carpenter and Director of Education Peg Keough are answering real questions from families in a special Q&A episode.

One of the questions:

"What's the difference between a college and a university?"

While the terms are often used interchangeably, there are some important distinctions. Universities typically offer graduate programs and have graduate students on campus, while colleges generally focus on undergraduate education.

But what does that actually mean for your student's experience?

Tune in as Matt and Peg break down the pros, cons, and considerations families should keep in mind when building a college list.

https://hubs.li/Q04jlNMS0

In this Q&A episode, CEO Matt Carpenter and Director of Education Peg Keough answer real questions from families navigating the college process.

One of the most common questions:

"Does it matter if my child takes the SAT or the ACT?"

The short answer: No.

Colleges do not prefer one over the other, and admissions counselors will tell you the same thing. The key is determining which test best showcases your student's abilities—or whether submitting scores makes sense at all.

Catch this question and many more in this week's episode.

https://hubs.li/Q04jlzYy0