What if you could ask a 15 year College Funding veteran anything about planning, saving and paying for college?

What if this successful College Funding veteran gave you answers to your most pressing questions?

What would you ask her? Now you can ask her anything! Questions like:

• How does Expected Family Contribution (EFC) relate to potential financial aid awards?
• Will I qualify for grants or scholarships?
• Even if I don’t expect to qualify for financial aid, what are the best ways to pay for college?
• Should I take money from my retirement plan to pay for my child’s education?

Ask Felicia G gives parents the opportunity to ask a college funding expert any questions about planning, saving or paying for college. Ask your questions here and have a college funding expert respond to your questions within 72 hours.

Wish you knew someone who can answer your questions?

Now you do.

Our Featured College Funding Expert – Felicia Caldwell Gopaul, CCPS

Every year parents of college bound students start actively searching for information on the best way to reduce the out-of-pocket cost of college. Some have saved and others have not. But regardless, they want to provide the best education they can afford and still maintain their other commitments. But getting an answer can be frustrating. The college themselves, guidance counselors and other parents all answer the same question differently. If you are looking for straight forward advice on college funding, you’ve come to the right place. Wouldn’t you rather support your child in picking the right school and know that the finances are taken care of?

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Questions and Answers

Pop Corn Friday – October 23, 2009

Posted on October 23, 2009 | Filed Under Pop Corn Friday

My First Rejection

When I was five, I married Billy. It was a romantic wedding officiated by his older sister on the swing set in our back yard.

I loved Billy with all of my 5-year old heart. I knew we were going to be together forever.

Two weeks later, Billy told me that he didn’t want to be married anymore.

And like that – my marriage was over.

My first rejection!

No one likes to be rejected.

But rejection from a college you’ve pinned your hopes and dreams on is hard.

Why’s it hard?

Because it feels personal. But for the college, it’s not personal. It’s business.

They had to pick between thousands of college applicants and offer seats the candidates they believe will be the best fit for their upcoming class.

We often talk about the college partnership. The colleges’ role in the college partnership is to put together the best class they can amongst the applicants. There is a set number freshman seats available and not everyone will be admitted.

Remember, it’s a numbers game in the end. Nothing personal.

In this week’s Pop Corn Friday Video, the admission directors at various business schools discuss why they might reject one student over another. Don’t think that because they are talking about admission to business schools the lessons don’t apply. Read more

Pop Corn Friday: October 9, 2009

Posted on October 9, 2009 | Filed Under Pop Corn Friday

A college’s perspective on college funding

You’ve done internet research.

Attended numerous college fairs and financial aid nights.

Bought all the “How to Get Into College” books and the 3 inch thick books of scholarships.

And yet, you have a suspicion . . .  that everything you’ve already done and learned will help get your child into college but may not be helpful to you, the parent, in putting together a strategy for paying for college. 

You’ve already invested considerable time, energy and money. 

Your hopes and dreams for your child’s future are tied up in his getting into and graduating from college and your being able to pay for it all.

 

In this week’s Pop Corn Friday’s College Video of the Week

We often talk about going to college being a partnership.

In this week’s Pop corn Friday video, we have Douglas Christiansen, Vanderbilt’s associate provost for enrollment and dean of admissions at Vanderbilt University explaining the financial aid process from a college’s perspective.

It is giving you some of the factors to consider when applying for financial aid. 

Here are the 12 items discussed in the video

1. What you need to do to apply for financial aid.
2. What if you are uncomfortable talking about your finances?
3. What are the steps you need to take?
4. Question you should ask a financial aid office
5. What is EFC and how does it affect me?
6. Explanation of FAFSA and CSS Profile
7. Do you need to feel out the financial aid forms?
8. Should you look at the sticker price of college before applying?
9. Where does financial aid come from?
10. What are some of the unique programs that colleges have implemented recently to help families pay for college?
11. Would it impact my chances for admission if I ask questions about financial aid?
12. Is it worth applying for financial aid?

The bottom line is “You miss 100% of the shots that you don’t take” so if you want financial aid, apply for it.

If you learned something more about college funding from this video, please sign up for our RSS feed to get the latest notification of weekly video additions on college planning.

 

Quote of the Week

Opportunities are never lost; someone will take the one you miss.
~Author Unknown

 

Financial Aid: The University Insider’s Guide

Posted on October 8, 2009 | Filed Under Videos

The Most Important 3 Letters in the Alphabet

Posted on October 2, 2009 | Filed Under Pop Corn Friday

Question:  What are the most important three letters in the alphabet for college bound seniors in the month of October?

Answer:  SAT or ACT. 

The scores students receive on each standardized test are supposed to be an indication of the student’s ability to be successful in college. 

With so much riding on three letters, students and parents are looking for multiple ways to ensure better test scores.

We see parents paying for tutors, or test preparation classes in books by both Kaplan  and Princeton Review that are both on-line or in a classroom.  There are also a number of books that offer the self-directed student a valuable way become familiar with the format and take real life examples of the test.

But what is a student that is not a good test taker to do?  Read more

Pop Corn Friday – September 25, 2009

Posted on September 25, 2009 | Filed Under Pop Corn Friday

The Write Stuff

It came in the mail sometime during the week.

A plain white envelope addressed to me c/o College Funding Resource. I looked at it and the return address stood out.

It was from a PRISON in Pennsylvania.

I frantically scanned my mind trying to figure out who in my past might have done something that would land them in prison but couldn’t think of anyone.

The name was unfamiliar, so curious, I opened the envelope.

What I saw was a well-written letter from someone who was getting out soon that was starting to plan for his future.

Like all of the people who contact us, he was looking for helping paying for college.

Everyday we get letters and emails from parents and students.

Some of them approach us casually. They remind us of job applicants showing up for an interview just from the beach in shorts, flip-flops and a holey t-shirt. Their communication is often remembered for its misspelled words and non-existent punctuation; where as others, approach us like they’re trying to get a job.

Blue pin-striped suit. Well-groomed. Shoes polished. You know the applicant.

It not just the words they use. It’s their approach.

For those individuals we go out of our way.

We are likely to share tools and resources beyond the ordinary that give them a starting point for developing a strategy to pay for college.

How do you approach your written communication – casually or business like?

When it comes to a college essay for college admission, a college admissions officer once said that every file gets about a ½ hour. But the essay gets about 2 minutes. What you say and how you it matters.

It’s like you momma used to say to you “You only get one chance to make a first impression.”

Read more

Pop Corn Friday – September 11, 2009

Posted on September 11, 2009 | Filed Under Pop Corn Friday

We are raised in a time of respect.  We replied “yes sir” and “yes madam” when we addressed our parents or parents of my friends.

We respected our elders and were taught to respect our leaders.

And even when my parents disagreed with the agenda of a president – they still respected the Office of the President.

But the political commentary of this week has drowned out the message of President Obama.  But in his words, I heard echos of conversations from my childhood.  And as we deal with a father in the early stages of dementia, it was good to hear the “parentisms” of our youth.  It was a reminder of more innocent times in our past. Read more

President Obama’s Message for America’s Students

Posted on September 10, 2009 | Filed Under Videos

Part 1 of 9 – Secrets of Entrepreneurship Lecture

Posted on September 8, 2009 | Filed Under Videos

Credit Management & Debt Prevention Tips for College Students

Posted on September 8, 2009 | Filed Under Videos

Inside College Dorm Life – An RA’s Perspective

Posted on September 8, 2009 | Filed Under Videos

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