Though federal student loans (such as the Federal Stafford Loan) help many students to attend college, families often find that even the maximum loan amounts are not enough to pay for their education. For instance, the average cost of attendance at a four-year public school for the 2012-2013 academic year is $22,261 and at a four-year private school, it’s $43,289— yet ...

Sallie Mae and Gallup just released the results of a survey of how American families save for college. The survey found that most parents are continuing to save for college despite the economy and that saving for college slightly trails saving for retirement. More than 9 in 10 of the parents (92%) think that it is likely or very likely that ...

As soon as a student begins their college search process, they meet their biggest adversary: money. Unfortunately, money only complicates things for students searching for the perfect school. Throw in words like "unsubsidized Stafford loan" and they're ready to quit college before it even starts. However, Kantrowitz has a great way of simplifying federal loan programs for students. The Stafford Loan ...

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, also known as the stimulus bill, includes major increases in student aid funding for the 2009-10 academic year. It includes the largest dollar increase ever in the maximum Pell Grant and significantly expands the Hope Scholarship tax credit. It also increases funding for the Federal Work-Study and AmeriCorps programs. The legislation was signed ...

This year more than ever, the economy is making it more difficult for families to pay for college. The number of financial aid applications is up more than 10% over last year. Lenders are suspending loan programs and tightening credit standards. Families are concerned -- really concerned -- about obtaining loans and paying for college. Add in the possibility of job ...

There are many ways in which grandparents can help their grandchildren pay for a college education. These include legacy scholarships and tuition assistance programs, educational awards for volunteering and community service, college savings plans and direct gifts. Scholarships for Grandchildren Very few scholarships are based on a grandparent's affiliations. There are many more awards based on a parent's affiliations. However, sometimes ...

Over the last decade, colleges enjoyed double-digit increases in their endowments. A college’s endowment is not only a sign of an institution’s financial strength, but it also allows the institution to fund new projects. With alumni donations, many colleges expanded academic programs, refurbished campus facilities, and improved financial aid awards. College endowments, however, are not immune to the drastic downturn in ...

Tom is a graduate student at a Midwestern university completing a major research and writing project on student credit card debt. When Tom was in college, he built up $15,000 of credit card debt because he never learned how to use credit cards responsibly. In some ways, Tom was fortunate. He didn’t suffer many of the consequences of getting into that ...

Did you know that your children’s credit scores may be more important to their future than their academic transcripts? Or that 68 percent of high school and college students say they have never had a meaningful conversation with their parents about personal finances? What’s your reaction to an Indiana University administrator candidly admitting that they lose more students to credit cards ...

The United States is home to the world’s most expensive higher education system. So says the College Board, an educational testing and services group. That probably doesn’t surprise you, especially if you are among those paying or preparing to pay the average of $5,800 a year in tuition to attend a four-year public university. (That figure skyrockets to an average of ...

We asked FastWeb members whether they would consider staying in their home state after graduation if it meant they wouldn't have to pay back their student loans and here's what they had to say: "I definitely would stay in my home state for loan forgiveness. I have personally already been a college graduate for a year and see this as ...