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| Something For Everyone New & Existing College Students: Loan Q&As Rising Seniors: College Essay and Common App Workshops Everyone: Results of College Admissions Survey. Were families satisfied with the results?
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I Can’t Get No Satisfaction |
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We love doing surveys…they really give us a telescopic view into people’s minds and thoughts.
So, when we want to check in with the parents of our Paying For College 101 Facebook group and get their opinion on an issue that might be helpful to other parents coming up the pike, we ask and they very graciously respond.
In our quest to research College Admissions, we asked how satisfied parents were with the process and how much assistance they received while going through it. You don’t have to guess what they said, you can read the results and see the data here.
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Get All Your Loan Questions Answered
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When you’re with someone who you know is an expert in their field, you want to pick their brain again and again. (And not in a science-fiction-movie kind of way.)
Last week, our good friend Keith Babich, of CommonBond, joined us for what we think was the fifth Facebook Live we’ve done with him. As difficult as it was to narrow down the list, we came away from this Q and A about Private and Federal Loans with four top points:
1) You can apply to more than one lender without having your credit negatively affected, as long as it is all within a 30-day window
2) Depending upon your credit history, you may be able to obtain a lower rate with a private loan than with a federal loan. So, do your research.
3) Whether or not you’ve received a bill, there is still a lot a parent can do now, in terms of searching for loans, narrowing down their list of lenders, and even choosing a lender. When the bill eventually arrives (as they so often do), you will be ahead of the game.
4) And perhaps the most important…Make sure you have a four-year view when it comes to paying for college and considering how much debt you (and your student) will be accruing. Higher education is not just a one-year endeavor.
You can watch the entire Facebook Live here.
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Tuition Due Bill?
Many families are just getting the tuition bill and figuring out exactly how much they will need to pay. Don't freak out, there's still time to shop around to find the best rate.
Shop for rates and get the information you need to make a smart decision.
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LENDER I RATES
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CommonBond I 3.66% - 9.64% *
MEFA I 3.95% - 7.30%**
College Ave I 3.96% - 11.98%*
Citizens Bank I 3.96% - 11.61%*
Sallie Mae I 3.98% - 11.35%*
Funding U I 7.99% - 13.99%**
*Variable rates as of 7/21/19, fixed rates may vary.
** Funding U & MEFA only offers fixed rates.
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| As a reminder, students should always access their federal student loans first, before borrowing from private lenders. Interest rates on federal student loans are generally the lowest rates students can find without a cosigner.
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Two College Essay Workshops in August! |
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cFor some August 1st is the 213th day of the year. But for rising high school seniors it's the first day the Common App goes live.
Don't panic if your student hasn't figured out their essay topic yet, but it is time to get cracking. So we asked Anna Ren, of Elite Advantage Prep, to help members of the Paying For College 101 group and their students, jumpstart the college essay writing process.
Anna will lead two workshops, the first intended for students and parents and the second is a more in-depth workshop just for students.
College Essay Jumpstart When: Sunday, August 11th at 8 - 9pm EST This workshop is intended for parents and students to attend together. (Bonding time!!)
Anna will review the fundamentals of what makes an essay compelling, show how to identify “hot” topics for your student, discuss the best ways to review and provide feedback, and walk through creating a plan to make sure your student finishes their essays without driving you crazy.
Find Your Voice College Essay Workshop When: Sundays, August 18th AND August 25th at 7:30 - 9pm EST This workshop includes two sessions, with enrollment limited to 15 students. Students must have also attended the Jumpstart workshop.
Anna will work with students to brainstorm unique topics and real-life stories to help reflect who your student truly is.
In this multi-session workshop, Anna will show students how to use writing techniques, including anecdotes, dialogue, and sensory detail that will help create powerful essays.
In the second session, Anna will review essay drafts, while students self-edit and polish essays to ensure they are engaging, meaningful and memorable.
All participants will have access to a private Facebook group till September 1st for additional support. |
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Avoid These Common App Mistakes
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Coming up on August 8th at 8:30pm (EST), we'll be doing a Facebook Live with College Admissions Expert Marisa Meddin, to discuss “The Most Common Mistakes Students Make Filling Out the Common App.”
By the end of this discussion you’ll feel totally confident you can help your student navigate the common application and avoid mistakes that could unnecessarily hurt their chances of getting into the schools they are applying to.
Click here to get a reminder.
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| Debbie Schwartz Founder, Road2College I'm a parent, like many of you, navigating college admissions and paying for college. With an expertise in personal finance, analysis, and marketing, I'm working to give families the information and tools to make smarter financial college decisions. |
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If this newsletter no longer fits your needs, consider receiving our new newsletter, focusing on financial issues related to students currently in college or recently graduated.
Road2College may receive affiliate compensation on items purchased through our links. |
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