Tips to Help Parents With Paying For College

HomeFinanceFinancial aid10 Tips For Helping Parents Pay For CollegeThis page may contain affiliate links.Dec 17, 2019 I wish I could say that if you followed everything we suggest here you would never have a problem paying for college. If that were true, we would certainly become national heroes! Unfortunately, we cant solve all the problems with college admissions and rising tuitions, but theres a good chance we can help you avoid some debt and anxiety over paying for college. Follow the 10 tips below for helping parents pay for college AND make sure you start this process early to become an educated consumer of higher ed. Some Advice on Paying For College 1) As soon as possible, find out your EFC (Expected Family Contribution), as shocking as it may be. Thinking About How To Pay For College? You Must See This Chart! Learn How Your EFC Is Really Calculated 2) At the start of high school, explain to your child that doing well academically in high school will help in many ways. Grades in eachyear of high school contribute equallytowards creating their GPA. So, getting higher grades in 11th grade doesnt override not such good grades in 9th. Its best to give it their all from the beginning. Which Hurts Your Chances More: Low Grades or Low Test Scores? 3) Although more colleges are going test-optional, a lot of schools (even test-optional ones) still give merit scholarships based on test scores. So, doing well on the PSAT, SAT, and ACT isnt just for increasing their chances of admissions, its also for trying to get more merit money to put towards tuition. Can My SAT/ACT Score Help Get Money For College? 4) Learn everything you can about financial aid how the EFC is calculated, what year will be your FAFSA base year, possible strategies for shifting income, when to maximize retirement contributions and when not to, how much to put in a 529 plan in your name vs. a grandparents name, and more. Avoid These Common FAFSA Mistakes 10 Income Strategies To Reduce Your Cost Of College 5) Research, research, research, and target colleges that are more generous with need and merit aid BEFORE your student applies.Theres lots of data to help with this: % of financial need met, % of students receiving financial need, % of students without need receiving grants, average grant size, and more. Using Data To Find Merit Scholarships Top 30 Colleges With the Largest Merit Scholarships 6) Have a serious conversation about money and how much you can afford to pay towards college BEFORE your student starts the college search process. 7) Use each schools net price calculator to see what your familys net price will be for all the schools your student is interested in. Figuring Out How Much Financial Aid Youll Get 8) Make sure your student applies toseveral financial safety schools, where you know you can afford the tuition based on the schools net price calculator. 9) Stick to the idea that the only loans your student will take out are the Direct student loans from the government, which total $31,000 after four years of school. This should limit their debt to a manageable amount after they graduate. 10) As much as youd like to be able to pay for more, DONT cosign on a student loan, DONT take out a Parent PLUS loan, DONT take out a home equity loan unless you absolutely understand the ramifications of each one of these. And under no circumstances should you touch your retirement savings. More related articles: Parent Advice On Starting The College Search 5 Myths About How To Pay For College And if you are on the hunt for schools that will be more generous with their money, you can save time, energy, and money by using our College Data Spreadsheet. It is the essential guide for researching colleges and developing a list of affordable schools. With data on over 1500 four year colleges in one place you can filter, sort, and compare schools to find those that are most likely to offer your student either merit scholarships or need-based aid.