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Discover Your Dream Career

If you haven’t identified your dream career, making any college decisions can feel daunting. In reality, most junior and seniors in high school don't have any idea what they want to pursue as a career. Even those that think they have an idea, are likely to change their minds. Exploring options and finding careers that fit your interest, personality, and abilities requires some strategy. So how do you find that right major...perfect job...dream career?  Here’s a start: 4 steps to…

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Use Caution Before Using Insurance or Annuities to Reduce EFC

There are a lot of financial advisors out there who are anxious to sell you insurance, annuities, 529s, and other financial products in the name of helping you lower your college costs. Using these for a college education is not always the best idea. I always advise people to do their homework before they act on any advisor’s recommendations. Not doing your homework on annuities for college funding can end up costing you much more. « Learn more about financial aid Annuities are…

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Analyzing your College Award Letters

College award letters are already fairly confusing. What's worse is that they can often be somewhat misleading. This is especially problematic considering you are likely making major decisions based on your first award letter. Even when the next one could be dramatically different. So beware! And before you accept a school’s award, there are a few steps you should take to better ensure you won't be left out in the cold later. Avoid the Bait and Switch What you see…

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Award Letter

Should You Appeal Your Award Letter?

Award letters will soon appear in your mailbox. But, what’s next? Do you accept the offer? Do you appeal? Do you think it over for another month? Below are important things to consider before attempting to appeal your award letter: Have your circumstances changed since you filled out the FAFSA? Have you had any unexpected medical expenses, a sudden divorce, or a layoff? The Covid-19 pandemic has made this the case for many families. If there has been a sudden change in…

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Award Letters

Analyze Your Award Letter Before You Accept It!

Some colleges and universities are already sending out financial aid award letters for 2021/2022. That’s great news! After all, you’ve worked hard, and it’s time you reap the rewards of that hard work. But before you sign and return that award letter, it’s essential to look at it with a critical eye.  As we wrote in a previous blog, analyzing your award letters can be a complicated process, but it’s well worth your time. Is your offer clear and easy to…

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How to Succeed in Online School

Online higher education has always been an option, but for those of us that decided to pursue degrees mostly (or fully) in-person, 2020. As someone who just finished my final semester of college online, I am familiar with the challenges and the disappointments. Here’s my advice on how to handle taking your classes online.  1. Create a space for school  If you can, avoid doing school work in your bed. I know it’s tempting to watch lectures from the comfort…

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Career Exploration for High School Students: 3 Steps to Follow

“What do you want to do when you grow up?” This is the age-old question many adults ask children as soon as they can talk and show interest in certain toys. This question tends to turn into “What are you going to major in?” when they get into high school. In my experience as a high school counselor, I’ve found that these questions (although well-intentioned) can be very daunting to students who are unsure of their career interests. They can…

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Tools to Help Pay for College

There are many, many options when it comes to finding resources to help you figure out the best way to pay for college. There are blogs, websites, coaches, and more. Unfortunately, a lot of the advice out there can miss the mark and leave you paying more for college than you need to. « Learn more about paying for college Here are 5 free resources that we trust to help you find the best way to pay for college. 1.…

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A Pathway to Reduce Student Loan Debt and Increased Long-Term Financial Wellness

Written by: Ray Giese, Director of Career Development Every young adult hopes to ultimately find their way to the corner of the "Happy & Wealthy" quadrant by choosing a career that will provide them with a lifetime of earnings and personal satisfaction.  The prevailing thought is that every high school graduate must apply for and attend a college of their choice to help secure their chosen career path.  Each year high school students and their parents engage in the mad…

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Why It Is Always Important to Reduce Your EFC

How important is it for you to know how to reduce EFC for college? EFC stands for Expected Family Contribution. What if you already know that you or your student will be receiving a merit scholarship that will far exceed any need-based financial aid? Though it is possible that a high merit scholarship may eliminate your eligibility for any need-based financial aid, it is still very important to keep your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) as low as possible. « Learn more…

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