College Funding Video Vignettes

Financial aid planning can help you avoid paying more than is actually required for you to pay.

EFC is the amount of money Uncle Sam believes you can afford to pay each year.

Families shouldn't assume that they can't afford a private college.

It's possible that you could spend far more than you should, miss out on aid opportunities, choose the "wrong" college, and cause your children to miss out on a college education due to the lack of proper planning.

Unlike the Sticker Price, Out-of-Pocket Expense is the amount a student and family will have to pay and is calculated after financial aid awards, merit-based financial awards and other scholarship funds.

The time it takes to earn an undergraduate degree is another factor that must be considered.

The process of college selection is all too often made based on faulty assumptions and limited information.

Unless a family has managed to invest and save well beyond the averages, borrowing will be at least part of the college funding reality for most families.

When and where to start are key questions on the minds of most parents preparing for the college funding years.

Understanding the statistical likelihood of a full ride is one thing parents can do for themselves in order to create a realistic college funding plan.

Most parents focus only on the first year or the immediate financial impact.

Do you know which year of college is the most expensive and why?

One bite at a time.

The answer will be different for everyone, but the question should be given appropriate consideration.

Not all schools have the same deadline, not all award letters are issued at the same time, and there is not a clearly distinguished process by which award letters can be measured side-by-side to calculate the most financially beneficial opportunity.

College selection is probably the most critical factor affecting the total cost of a college education.

How long can I afford to go without making a decision?

Without considering widely available alternatives, a family may end up spending far more on a college education than was necessary.