April 15th is fast approaching— the nationally dreaded tax day. But don’t despair. While this may represent a challenge if it’s your first time filing, it can also pay off big if you wind up with a refund. The long and short of it is, you won’t know if you’re owed a refund until you file. But completing the whole process ...

Last year, Mark Kantrowitz reported that the total amount of student loan debt had surpassed the total amount of credit card debt for the first time ever. Now, experts, including Kantrowitz, are projecting that student loan debt will surpass the $1 trillion mark this year. The Project on Student Debt reported last year that the average student debt totals $24,000, which ...

Although more than thirty percent of freshmen entering college in the United States are first-generation college students, many are reluctant to identify themselves as such. But, why? It may be out of embarrassment or, perhaps, a belief that the situation is unrelated to their college attendance. Don't be embarrassed – be proud of your heritage, whatever it may be! As for ...

You've probably heard by now that social media and your online presence can affect your ability to win colleges scholarships or even get a job after you graduate. This is not just a rumor! With the help and advice of publisher Mark Kantrowitz, a nationally recognized expert on student financial aid and scholarships, here are some guidelines of what professionals are ...

Binge drinking on college campuses is nothing new. What is new is the idea that binge drinking by adolescents can now cause permanent damage to brain development in said drinkers. According to a story that appeared on May 17 on YourLife.USAToday.com, an experiment was conducted involving 62 college students (age 18-20) to study the impact binge drinking has on the memory. ...

Just as high school students are getting into the thick of their college search, countless organizations release college rankings. The experts say that these rankings should be taken with a grain of salt, and they’re right. Finding the perfect college for you has nothing to do with the rankings. It’s about academic and social fit and in most cases, proximity to ...

Students are really outdoing themselves these days and getting creative with how they pay their tuition bills and loan balances. Jonathan Hood, a PhD student at Auburn University, is the next in a string of students bucking the system and paying on his own terms. Hood is now making headlines for paying a semester of tuition solely through money he has ...

At Fastweb, we get it. Students are busy. Amongst a challenging curriculum, exciting social life and personal commitments, sometimes it can be difficult to remember to take care of yourself. But, without your health, none of your other activities are possible. That’s why it’s so important to develop great habits now that you can follow for a lifetime. According to the ...

Perhaps one of the worst questions a student can be asked is, “What are you doing after graduation?” It’s dreaded - perhaps the equivalent to the single adult’s, “Are you dating anyone yet?” Questions like these almost never have the answer you wish you could give and, therefore, shoot at you like arrows you wish you could avoid. But, what if ...

At Fastweb, we not only love to help students find ways to pay for school but we love to hear from students about their life experiences. Last year, we asked our Fastwebbers about their worst summer jobs and received some great feedback on the summer jobs students have had in the past. According to our poll, roughly 18% of students agreed ...

According to a new survey, most Americans think higher education is still highly valued, but needs to change to compete in the global marketplace. [gate] In fact, 83 percent thought that a college education is necessary to achieving success in the global economy. In reference to their opinions of the nation as a whole, 46 percent consider the state of higher ...

If the school day didn't seem long enough already for students in these five states, it’s probably about to. [gate] Colorado, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York and Tennessee and the lucky five U.S. states that will continue an initiative to have the option to add on school days, make school days longer, or both. The options will be decided upon by schools, ...

How much would you pay for a near perfect score on the SAT? $100? $500? How about $2,500? On Tuesday, seven students in Great Neck, New York were arrested amid allegations that they cheated on the SAT, according to the Associated Press. Former and current students at the Great Neck North High School, one of the most prestigious high schools in ...

If you’re looking for a scholarship, your next source may be Katie Couric. On Thursday, Random House officially announced Couric’s new book, “The Best Advice I Ever Got: Lessons from Extraordinary Lives.” The book not only provides expert advice on success but also lends itself to raising funds for scholarship opportunities, according to an article in The New York Times. Couric ...

For a few years now, the saying that admissions officers were looking at prospective students’ Facebook profiles was merely an urban legend. But now, a new study claims that this so-called rumor is actually a reality. And it’s more common than you would think. The study, distributed by Kaplan, revealed that 82% of admissions officers have at one point looked for ...

Have you ever been curled up with a good book (or a book that you have to read before your 8 a.m. class the next day) and on the verge of sleep, only to realize you left your overhead light on? Or what about those days you’ve slept way past your wake-up time and were late to class – or worse, ...

On October 5, students from at least 100 colleges across the country walked out of their classrooms at noon, according to The Huffington Post. This signaled the start to a series of student protests concerning the rising cost of tuition, increase in student debt figures and a failing job market. According to Occupy Colleges’ Facebook page, the student activist group will ...

Raise your hand if you have or will have student loan debt? Ok…just about everyone here? That’s what I thought. According to finaid.org, over 65% of undergraduate seniors with a Bachelor’s degree in 2007 – 08 graduated with an average of over $23,000 student loan debt. But the borrowing doesn’t stop there. Finaid.org reports that at least 55% of graduate and ...

Every year, top schools experience the same conundrum: they can’t seem to reach higher achieving, lower income students. [gate] Schools strive to find such students in hopes to increase the diversity on campus and combat the belief that elite colleges only accommodate students from wealthier, more privileged backgrounds. Many schools struggle with need-based aid, where administrators feel pressure from overwhelming financial ...

We’re all aware of the negative stereotypes that exist about online universities. Luckily, our culture is catching up and becoming increasingly aware that most of the “information” they've heard about online students is a bunch of nonsense. [gate] Check out some of the outlined myths below, complete with proof of why it’s a myth, many which you've likely heard around town. ...