Which Colleges and Universities Offer the Most Financial Aid?

USA Today recently published findings from the 2018 issue of the Princeton Review. They listed updated information on colleges and universities helping families in their search for the best choice for graduating seniors. Although all details contained in the article are beneficial, I find the list of the Best Financial Aid to be the most compelling. I don’t believe college graduates should have to spend decades trying to pay back college loans.

I’ve dedicated the rest of my life to helping families avoid taking out college loans. This is why I wrote Free College. Until the US joins the rest of the first world countries in making Pre-K through College tuition free, I believe families should pursue scholarships and grants, not loans. Therefore, this list of institutions of higher education offering the Best Financial Aid is of interest to me.

The top college in financial aid in 2018 is Bowdoin College, with grants averaging $42,200 per student. The second and third are Vanderbilt University and Colgate University. I believe students should select the lowest cost accredited university which will provide them an education in their chosen field. These three institutions should be high on the list, considering how much financial aid they supply. But, families would be wise to read the offers their children receive to insure that they do not end up needing student loans to cover all costs.

It’s far better to go to a lower cost university for free than a higher cost university no matter the amount of grants or scholarships offered, if the financial aid package does not cover everything. Remember, college loans are forever.

You are reading from the blog, RoadtoFreeCollege.com, where we empower families with knowledge to navigate the path to higher education without the burden of excessive loans.

 

For more information, you’ll want my book, Free College, CLICK HERE. It teaches families how to help their kids become more successful in school, college, and life.

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Only 1/3 of College Grads Paying Off Student Loans

Far too many college students are conned into believing they will be able to pay off their student loans with the paychecks they will earn after graduation. Statistics tell a far different story. About 30 million grads are never going to be free of student loan debt.

Nationwide about 38% of graduates are current with their payments. Their balances are decreasing over time. Eventually, they will be debt free. This may not happen until they are old and gray, but at least they have a chance.

However, 62% of those with student loans are unable to make a dent in the principal owed. About 46% are current with payments, but the interest charged means the balance is not decreasing. In many cases, although payments are being made, the balance owed is actually increasing.

Those in the most trouble are in default or delinquent. That’s 16% of those with college loans. Although they are not making payments, or doing so sporadically, interest still accrues. The balance owed increases and cannot be erased by bankruptcy.

There is only one way to avoid falling into this trap. Don’t take out college loans, ever, for any reason. Go to the least expensive accredited college that teaches the subject you wish to study and get a job. Better yet, do what Full Ride Scholarship winners do. Become the ideal scholarship or grant applicant and earn enough scholarship money so college loans are not necessary. Graduate debt free and enjoy life. 

For more information, you'll want my new book, Free College Awareness, coming soon from Griffin Publishing and Watering Seeds. How to avoid needing college loans; available soon to families of Pre-K through High School students.

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Avoid College Loans and the Pay Gap

In the past few weeks two news articles related to higher education caught my eye. The first revealed that the pay gap between college graduates and non-college graduates is at an all-time high. The second, given the information in the first, was horrifying. The UC Board of Regents has voted to raise tuition 5% per year for the next 5 years.

The disparity in pay between those with a college degree and those without one is causing more than just frustration. Families are falling behind in many areas of life. Home ownership, having children and even getting married have fallen victim to these lower wages. New jobs since the Great Recession have gone mostly to those with college degrees. The Economic Policy Institute reports that college grads earn 56% more than non-college grads. While the college-educated have seen an increase of 21% in employment since the Recession, employment of the non-college educated has dropped 8%.

At the same time, the cost of attending a four-year college has continued to increase. It hit a record high in 2016. In the last five years, public college tuition has increased 10%, and tuition in private colleges has increased 12%. Over this period, incomes of American families have dropped 7%. How are families going to put their children through college with dropping incomes and increasing costs? Take out more college loans? Not necessary.

There are millions of dollars in college scholarships and grants waiting for those who qualify. But, it takes more than just fulfilling the A – G requirements, having a high GPA and great SAT scores. Individual students must differentiate themselves from all the others who have completed college entrance requirements. They have to do more to become more, so they will earn more free cash for college. 

This is why I did a study of high school seniors who earned college scholarships. I determined the factors that went into some of them becoming ideal college scholarship and grant applicants. I’ve included their strategies in my book, Free College Awareness. It should be available later this month. You can check this link to see when and where to obtain the book. This way, you can avoid both problems described in this article.

You are reading from the blog, RoadtoFreeCollege.com, where we empower families with knowledge to navigate the path to higher education without the burden of excessive loans.

 

For more information, you’ll want my book, Free College, CLICK HERE . It teaches families how to help their kids become more successful in school, college, and life.

 

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases, at no additional cost to you.

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Full Ride Colleges and Universities Still Exist – Harvard

While the cost of obtaining a college degree in the U.S. has continued to climb, some colleges and universities offer enough financial support to make them virtually free to attend. Most of these institutions are private, and about two-thirds are liberal arts, according to a recent U.S. News and World Report survey. Half base how much they provide a student by the financial need of the family (as determined by the FAFSA form). The others base their contribution on merit alone.

One university where a Full Ride is possible is Harvard University, for more details on Harvard University, CLICK HERE (ad), ranked number 2 in the nation by U.S. News. Harvard is located in an urban setting in Cambridge, Massachusetts. It was founded in 1636, making it the oldest university in the country. The campus covers 5076 acres. The current undergraduate student population is 6,699. It’s a world renown university which provides a world class education.

The application deadline at Harvard is January first. The deadline for early action is November first. ACT or SAT scores are due on the sixth of March. The fee to apply is $75. The acceptance rate is only 6%, but no worthy applicant should be scared away. The average freshman retention rate is a whopping 97%.

The cost of tuition and fees for a year at Harvard is $47,074, (2016-2017). But with a Full Ride, this doesn’t matter. Most colleges that provide a Full Ride do so by combining student loans, scholarships, grants and a work-study program. The most important aspect of planning to go to any such university is to make sure that the amount of student loan required is zero, or close to it. The rest of the aid is free money. It never has to be paid back. It’s prudent to attend college somewhere that provides a suitable education without leaving the graduate with a mountain of student loan debt.

You are reading from the blog, RoadtoFreeCollege.com, where we empower families with knowledge to navigate the path to higher education without the burden of excessive loans.

 

For more information, you’ll want my book, Free College, CLICK HERE . It teaches families how to help their kids become more successful in school, college, and life.

 

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases, at no additional cost to you.

Image Credit: Pixabay