Paying For College 2021

"Includes FAFSA instructions [and] COVID-19 updates"--Cover.

Make sure you’re preparing with the most up-to-date materials! Look for The Princeton Review’s newest edition of this book, Paying for College, 2023 (ISBN: 9780593516492, on-sale September 2022). Publisher's Note: Products purchased from third-party sellers are not guaranteed by the publisher for quality or authenticity, and may not include access to online tests or materials included with the original product.

Named one of the best books of 2021 by NPR New York Times Bestseller and a New York Times Book Review Editor’s Choice pick “Masterly . . .represents an extraordinary achievement: It is comprehensive and detailed without being tedious, practical without being banal, impeccably well judged and unusually rigorous.”—Daniel Markovits, New York Times Book Review “Ron Lieber is a gift.”—Scott Galloway The hugely popular New York Times Your Money columnist and author of the bestselling The Opposite of Spoiled offers a deeply reported and emotionally honest approach to the biggest financial decision families will ever make: what to pay for college—a decision made even more confusing because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Sending a teenager to a flagship state university for four years of on-campus living costs more than $100,000 in many parts of the United States. Meanwhile, many families of freshmen attending selective private colleges will spend triple—over $300,000. With the same passion, smarts, and humor that infuse his personal finance column, Ron Lieber offers a much-needed roadmap to help families navigate this difficult and often confusing journey. Lieber begins by explaining who pays what and why and how the financial aid system got so complicated. He also pulls the curtain back on merit aid, an entirely new form of discounting that most colleges now use to compete with peers. While price is essential, value is paramount. So what is worth paying extra for, and how do you know when it exists in abundance at any particular school? Is a small college better than a big one? Who actually does the teaching? Given that every college claims to have reinvented its career center, who should we actually believe? He asks the tough questions of college presidents and financial aid gatekeepers that parents don’t know (or are afraid) to ask and summarizes the research about what matters and what doesn’t. Finally, Lieber calmly walks families through the process of setting financial goals, explaining the system to their children and figuring out the right ways to save, borrow, and bargain for a better deal. The Price You Pay for College gives parents the clarity they need to make informed choices and helps restore the joy and wonder the college experience is supposed to represent.

A SMARTER WAY TO PAY FOR COLLEGE. Take control of your financial aid experience with this essential guide—the only annual guidebook with line-by-line instructions for completing the FAFSA aid forms! Financing a college education is a daunting task no matter your circumstances. With line-by-line instructions for filling out the FAFSA and consumer-friendly advice to minimize college costs, Paying for College helps you take control of your experience and: • Maximize your financial aid eligibility • Start preparing now for upcoming changes affecting student aid • Explore long- and short-term strategies to reduce college costs and avoid expensive mistakes • Complete every question on the FAFSA and CSS Profile aid applications to your best advantage • Compare aid offers and learn how to appeal them if necessary • Plan strategically as a separated/divorced parent, blended family, or independent student “A first-rate guide through the financial aid maze.” —Lynn Brenner, Newsday “Can save thousands in college bills.” —John Wasik, Forbes

Peterson's® How to Get Money for College 2021 is a great resource for students looking to supplement their federal financial aid package with aid from colleges and universities. This comprehensive directory points students and their families to complete and accurate information on need-based and non-need gift aid, loans, work-study, athletic awards, and more. Profiles of more than 2,400 schools' financial aid awards, including types of aid, percentages of students applying for and receiving aid, and average aid packages Unique Colleges-at-a-Glance Cost Chart, organized by state, listing the full costs that can be expected, aid packages, graduates' average indebtedness, and more for easy comparison of costs Comprehensive overview of the financial aid process, common financial aid questions, samples of financial aid award letters, the latest changes to the FAFSA® and how to file it, and how to complete the CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE® that's required by most private colleges and universities State-by-state listing of state-funded scholarship and grant programs Indexes include Non-Need Scholarships for Undergraduates, Athletic Grants for Undergraduates, Co-op Programs, ROTC Programs, Tuitions Waivers, and Tuition Payment Alternatives

"With line-by-line FAFSA strategies"--Cover.

Discover a concrete financial plan to finance a college education Financing a college education is a daunting task no matter what your circumstances. Bestselling author and personal finance expert, Eric Tyson offers tried and true strategic advice on how to understand loans, know your options, and how to improve your financial fitness while paying down your student loan debt. Armed with the checklists and timelines, you’ll be able to: Figure out what colleges actually cost Get to know the FAFSA® and CSS Profile(TM) Research scholarship opportunities Quickly compare financial aid offers from different schools Find creative ways to lighten your debt load Explore alternatives such as apprenticeships, online programs Paying for College For Dummies helps parents and independent students navigate everything from planning strategically as a married/separated/divorced/widowed parent, completing every question on the FAFSA and CSS PROFILE forms, understanding tax laws, and so much more. No other book offers this much practical guidance on choosing and paying or college.

Discover a concrete financial plan to finance a college education Financing a college education is a daunting task no matter what your circumstances. Bestselling author and personal finance expert, Eric Tyson offers tried and true strategic advice on how to understand loans, know your options, and how to improve your financial fitness while paying down your student loan debt. Armed with the checklists and timelines, you’ll be able to: Figure out what colleges actually cost Get to know the FAFSA® and CSS Profile(TM) Research scholarship opportunities Quickly compare financial aid offers from different schools Find creative ways to lighten your debt load Explore alternatives such as apprenticeships, online programs Paying for College For Dummies helps parents and independent students navigate everything from planning strategically as a married/separated/divorced/widowed parent, completing every question on the FAFSA and CSS PROFILE forms, understanding tax laws, and so much more. No other book offers this much practical guidance on choosing and paying or college.