The College Investor Audio Show

As someone who spent her freshman year at the University of Alabama (UA), I know firsthand how costly simply attending two semesters of classes can be there. Add to that the experience of Greek life, and your social circle isn’t the only thing that suddenly expands.

Sorority hashtags and content exploded on social media, as universities eased Covid-19 restrictions and let students resume fall recruitment activities. This was especia...

There are three main options for college admissions applications: early action, early decision, and regular decision. 

Early decision applications involve a commitment to enroll if admitted. In contrast, early action is non-binding.

Students who are admitted early action are not required to accept the offer of admission. They may accept or reject the offer of admission at the same due date as t...

Economic uncertainty has been known to drive adults back to school to boost their educational credentials.

Now, that the pandemic is over but there is still a lot of economic uncertainty, and student loans are restarting, more and more adults are wondering if it makes sense to go back to school.

If you're considering going back to school as an adult to earn a higher education degree, you'll want to carefully weigh the pros and cons. ...

When students prepare to apply for college admissions, they should start to make a list of colleges they want to apply to.

When crafting a well-balanced college list, students should apply to a variety of colleges, considering financial fit in addition to academic fit. They should also include at least one financial aid safety school and pick three dream schools instead of just one.

Here's how you should craft a college lis...

Wondering which students and families actually get merit-based scholarships and grants at private colleges? We have the data.

Parents of college-bound children who are considering high-cost private non-profit colleges often wonder how to qualify for institutional financial aid. These grants and scholarships may or may not really be based on merit, but rather function as a discount on the cost of attendance.

Studen...

When your student loans are discharged due to disability, you may be limited in whether you can work or go to school for a period of time. Otherwise, your student loans may be reinstated.

This can be an especially difficult issue to navigate if your loans are discharged while you're attending school, or plan to. And it can happen even if you never planned on asking for a disability discharge.

Here's what to know about ...

Student loan forgiveness applies to a variety of degrees, even trade schools. So even if you went to a trade school, vocational school, or apprenticeship program, you could be eligible to get your student loans forgiven. 

If you attended school for HVAC repair, cosmetology, the culinary arts, or any other trade program, your student loans could qualify for one of these student loan forgiveness programs.

We cover the factors...

Paying for college isn’t just about covering tuition. It’s about understanding what happens when life takes a turn and what protections exist if it does.

Each year, families across the country commit thousands of dollars toward college without fully understanding the terms behind the payment. If a student gets sick or has to take a leave during the semester, even for a serious medical reason, many schools don’t refund tuition. Housi...

After years of payments, pauses, and paperwork, many public service workers are confused on what payments and time periods may count for Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF).

However, there are also more options to have qualifying periods count - thanks to the PSLF buyback program.

If you've been stuck in the SAVE forbearance, served in the military, or paused your payments for economic hardship, you might be closer to lo...

College move-in day is filled with excitement, but new students often learn quickly that shared living spaces come with unexpected risks. And if you’re not careful, even small accidents can be expensive.

From laptop spills to missing laundry, a range of common mishaps can cause financial stress. 

In partnership with GradGuard, we’re going to highlight the most common dorm disasters you can face. GradGuard Renters Insurance ...

Income-Driven Repayment (IDR) plans provide affordable monthly student loan payments by basing the payments on a portion of the borrower’s discretionary income, as opposed to the amount they owe. 

Generally, IDR plans will yield lower student loan payments when the borrower’s total student loan debt exceeds their annual income. However, there are ways to decrease the student loan payments even further. 

Monthly student...

Many families assume that once a student accepts admission to a college, the financial aid offer is final. In most cases, that’s true. Schools often budget tightly and expect students to commit based on the information already provided. But there are exceptions.

Appealing a financial aid award after committing to a school is uncommon, but not impossible. In some cases, families report success in securing more need-based or merit-bas...

The latest reconciliation bill set for review in the House Committee on Education and the Workforce proposes some of the most extensive changes to higher education funding and student loans in decades. This is the papered proposal, it's NOT law yet.

If enacted, the legislation would limit federal borrowing, end Parent PLUS loans, change repayment options, and reshape Pell Grant eligibility. The changes would...

Student loan debt is not fun to have. While it may have been necessary to pay for school, now that you’re graduated, it’s time to think about ways to pay off your student loans faster.

If you’re looking at your repayment plan options - even the shortest term is usually around 10 years. That can seem like forever!

At the same time, looking at these long time frames could also motivate you to see what you can...

As families juggle decisions about housing, orientation dates, and class schedules, one area that often gets overlooked is life skills. The transition from high school to college is one of the biggest changes a teenager will face. And while some schools may offer a session study habits, far fewer address what it takes to function day to day.

The cost of not being prepared can be high. Students who don’t learn how to manage stre...

With the stock market fluctuating and new tariffs raising concerns about family finances, some families are re-thinking the college decision (at least in the short term). While it might not be off the table, taking a gap year or deferring enrollment is an option for some. But what happens to financial aid if my child takes a gap year?

While taking time off before starting college has its benefits, it can also come with consequences....

For high school seniors navigating college admissions, few emails inspire more confusion than a notice of being "deferred" or "waitlisted." While neither outcome is final, each comes with distinct meaning, timeline, and next steps.

Being deferred means your early application wasn’t denied, but it wasn’t accepted either. Instead, the admissions committee will evaluate your application again during the regular decision round, alo...