Many families skip financial aid forms in the first year because they assume their income is too high to qualify, or because applying feels like unnecessary paperwork for aid they may never need. This is worth reconsidering. Some colleges will not consider a request for institutional aid in later years if the student did not submit the required forms as a freshman or transfer applicant. Others require a waiting period of at least a full academic year before a student who skip

For most families, the sticker price on a college's website has almost nothing to do with what you'll actually pay. That's where two tools come in: the Cost of Attendance (COA) and the Net Price Calculator (NPC). Understanding both can turn a huge, scary number into a manageable plan. Start With the Cost of Attendance Every college publishes a COA, which includes tuition and fees, room and board, books and supplies, transportation, and personal expenses. This is the federally

The financial side of college comes with a vocabulary all its own. This A-to-Z guide walks through the terms and decisions families encounter most often, from opening a checking account to staying on track to graduate. A is for the checking account you'll want to open. If possible, choose a bank with locations near both home and campus, and make sure parents can easily transfer money when needed. This makes day-to-day spending much easier to manage. B is for budget. Create a

For many students, the first year of college is their first real taste of financial independence. While this is an exciting time, it's...

Your teen has just received their college acceptance letters, and one of those schools is their first-choice college—exciting news! But...