These questions can help students as they begin the college search, including what are my post-secondary goals, what academic opportunities are important to me, what careers interest me, what learning environment fits me best, and what off-campus, extracurricular, and social opportunities am I interested in pursuing?…

Andrew Carter encourages parents to begin the college search process by thinking about the qualities and skills they want their son or daughter to have in order to be successful when they begin their college career and laying out these goals in a list.…

Saving in a 529 plan is one of the best ways to save for college. Learn how easy it can be to open an account, add funds, get relatives involved in the process, and even claim a tax deduction. …

Learn how to use the MEFA Pathway College Compare tool to compare schools on features such as size, setting, graduation rate, in-state vs. out-of-state tuition, total cost of attendance, and GPA of incoming freshmen. …

Students should learn about saving, investments, retirement, taxes, and social security, and be sure to set up a savings account, pay bills on time, and understand the details of their finances.…

Learn the difference between financial need-based and merit aid and how to optimize your chances at receiving them, and consider schools with a low sticker price.…

The differences between Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans include the timing of when interest starts accruing, the eligibility for awarding based on financial need, and the maximum amount permitted.…

Returning students believe that previous credits won't count, they'll have to re-take the SAT, they won't receive as much financial aid, defaulted loans will affect chances of any financial aid, and their real-life experiences won't matter.…

At most, only 5.6% of the total amount of college savings could have an impact on financial aid eligibility.…

Waive the college's health insurance charge if the child is already covered with a family plan and get in touch with your insurance provider if your child is going out of state to check coverage.…