SURPRISE! scholarships not just for academics & grades:

1. •25 Bizarre Scholarships - lots of good and FREE information here!
   

2. •The 20 Most Bizarre US College Scholarships
   

3. •Scholarships for Entrepreneurs! - yes, through the National Association of Self Employed
   

Tuition-free colleges: perhaps the best kept secret is there are colleges in the U.S. and around the world with zero cost in tuition!  What’s the catch? I can’t find one. In some cases, the colleges have been funded by a generous founder, are military, etc.

1. •*** STIMULOUS PACKAGE OFFERS COLLEGE TUITION - click for details
   

2. •150 Best Value Colleges for 2013 - 150 undergraduate schools based on excellent academics, generous financial aid and cost of attendance.
   

3. 
   

4. •WEBSITES FOR SCHOLARSHIPS & GRANTS
   

5. finaid.com - best overall website for college financial planning
   

6. fastweb.com - largest scholarshiip & grant search website
   

7. Official Prell Grant website
   

8. College Board - vital resource in your search
   

9. College Answer© - from Sallie Mae. Great website for planning and be sure to click on their “checklists” in the right column
   

10. scholarshipexperts.com 
    

11. StudentScholarshipSearch.com
    

12. College-Scholarships.com - this appears to be an independent site. Please give us your feedback on how helpful it is
    

13. http://www.classesusa.com/ - a site we came across. Feedback please!
    

14. FRATERNAL ORGANIZATIONS (Elks, Knights of Columbus, etc.)
    

15. Try your CREDIT UNION! The credit union itself may have scholarships, or a state-wide credit union educational foundation. Just ask your local credit union for the contact info. E.g. the Muncipal Credit Union’s scholarship page.
    

16. TIP: pay attention to the filing deadlines, often early to mid January.
    

17. •Federal Student Aid, an office of the U.S. Department of Education, ensures that all eligible individuals can benefit from federally funded financial assistance for education beyond high school. Fafsa.ed.gov
    

18. •Simple Tuition has good information on funding etc. -  http://www.simpletuition.com
    

19. •The Web’s best financial calculators - Fincalc.com
    

TIP

Check into funding for college & advanced degrees

including loans, grants, paid internships

in companies where you may be or seeking employment

MAKING

COLLEGE

AFFORDABLE!

Grants

Scholarships

Tax Credits and more!

Details at:

http://www.cityofcollegedreams.org/

His DVD “Finding College Cash in Tough Times”

1. •Student Loan Borrowers Leaving Lots of Money on the Table - April 29, 2013
   

2. •How much that college degree is really worth
   

3. •6 Tips to Pay Less for a College Degree
   

4. •For Young and Old, the Best Ways to Study
   

5. •Forget What You Know About Good Study Habits
   

6. •We’re Number 11 - Is American Education Falling Behind?
   

7. •Colleges taking another look at value of merit-based aid - USA Today, December 17, 2010
   

8. •Parents, students filing for Free Application for Federal Student Aid can maximize with a few tips - New York Daily News, January 17, 2011
   

9. •Lock in Private Tuition - save now and pay less later!
   

10. •Financial aid packages can make it possible for dreams to come true - New York Daily News, March 3, 2011
    

11. •A Conference Makes Learning Free (and Sexy)
    

12. •Managing Your Money While in College
    

13. •Excellent article on Student Loans
    

14. •Paying for college when the freshman is 40
    

15. •Choosing Insurance for the College Life
    

16. •Balancing Debt Against College Choice
    

17. •Why Your Kids Shouldn't Go to Harvard (even if they could get in)
    

18. •Next few weeks may help determine the next four years for millions of college hopefuls
    

19. •Be realistic about paying for college costs
    

EDUCATION

COLLEGE

FREE Colleges

Debt-Free U: How I Paid for an Outstanding College Education Without Loans, Scholarships, or Mooching off My Parents

Comment from a CPA

As Zac clearly shows, there are huge industries with tons of money at stake to make people believe that an expensive college is a must for your child's education.

For full details click the box to the left. No purchase necessary

The Ultimate Scholarship Book 2011: Billions of Dollars in Scholarships, Grants and Prizes

With scholarships for high school, college, graduate, and adult students, this guide also includes tips on how to conduct the most effective search, how to write a winning application, and how to avoid scams.

For full details click the box to the left. No purchase necessary

Scholarship Handbook 2011 (College Board Scholarship Handbook) [Paperback]

The Scholarship Handbook 2011 provides the most complete and authoritative facts about more than 1.7 million awards, including scholarship, internship and loan programs offered to undergraduates by foundations, charitable organizations, and state and federal government agencies. Every entry is verified by the College Board to be legitimate, up to date, accurate, and portable to more than one college.

SEE THE

VIDEO

BUY THE

BOOK

How to Write a Winning Scholarship Essay: 30 Essays That Won Over $3 Million in Scholarships

A roundtable panel of judges and applicants supply inside information regarding the winning qualities sought after by award-giving organizations and tips for finding scholarships by using books, the internet, personal connections, and sources in the community.

For full details click the box to the left. No purchase necessary

Zero Debt for College Grads: From Student Loans to Financial Freedom

Though aimed at recent college graduates, the latest from Khalfani (The Money Coach's Guide to Your First Million) is divided into three main sections-bills, student loans and credit-of which only one is grad-exclusive; the rest is full of information useful to anyone in need of an introduction to personal finance.

Let’s Hear Your Tips!

Add a TIP using the “Comments” box and YOU may be chosen to have your picture appear with it or even to give your tip in video at shareourtips.com! Click on “suggest” or “request” for more information.

1. •AAA - the American Autombile Association has very competitive college financing as well.
   

2. •529 Plans - these are best way to save up for your child’s college education. Start when they are still toddlers if at all possible and let the money grow tax-free!
   

3. ★The best website for information we have found on explaining and choosing the right 529 plan is - no surprise - Clark’s 529 Guide from Clark Howard, CNN’s Money Coach. There is real savings here, but take the time to read carefully. For example, “Plans must be sponsored by a state even though residents of most states can put their money in any state plan.” Howard explains which to consider.
   

4. ★Morningstar Names Best 529 College-Savings Plans for 2012
   

Which to use?

ROTH IRA vs 529 PLAN to pay for college?

Watch Clark Howard’s video on this

Crazy U: One Dad's Crash Course in Getting His Kid Into College

Just raad the reviews at Amazon.com!

Borrowing for your college education will be a boon,

not a burden, if you do it the right way

A Director of Financial Aid for over 30 years gives good advice on which types of loans to pursue, payback periods and more.

The federal loan programs - the Direct Stafford Loan Program (studentaid.ed.gov) and the Perkins Loan Program (www2.ed.gov/programs/fpl/index.html) -

have relatively low interest rates and allow you to defer payments for a period if you are unemployed or underemployed. College-funded loans also are usually a good option, but they are not always available.

1. - from the article
   

1. •College Offers Top Applicants Two-Thirds Off - The New York Times, September 29, 2011. Great article about discounting at more than one college:
   

2. “...other institutions have similarly tried to distinguish themselves in this ailing economy by appealing to students’ bottom lines.
   

3. Sewanee, a liberal arts college in Tennessee, this fall cut its total annual bill for students by 10 percent. Many Ivy League schools have lately made a “no loan” commitment to families earning as much as $100,000 per year, promising to cover students’ entire assessed financial need with grants. Albright College, in Reading, Pa., decided in 2009 to give out more in merit aid than in need-based aid, and to send details of financial aid awards out with admissions letters, not as follow-ups.
   

4. And the State of Georgia has for a decade been granting residents with A and B averages full scholarships to its public colleges, though that program was scaled back this spring for budgetary reasons.”
   

A college degree remains a key requirement for

higher-income in life. How to pay for it?

1. •ASAP - as early as possible, start the child off with the right 529 savings plan. The earlier you start, the more chance you should have for compounding interest to grow those funds. Here is a link to Clark Howard’s 529 plan Guide. Ask relatives to donate to it too! And choose the best one for you, it may NOT be in your state.
   

2. •ALLOWANCE - what a great way to help children learn about money... and math at the same time. Have them contribute a portion of their allowance - with you matching it if they do - to their college fund bank account. They’ll learn something about banks and saving too!
   

3. •WORK - from shoveling snow, running errands for neighbors (I used to walk their dog) to a paper-route.. whatever, youngsters can learn to earn.. and save. And they can put their funds into a ROTH IRA which grows tax-free. They can even take the funds out for college with no penalty!
   

4. •REPAY BASED ON YOUR INCOME - yes! Read this article about the new repayment guidelines

1. Q: I want to consolidate my student loans. Who do I trust and how do I start? So much has changed in recent years from when my friends did it.
   

2. A: First you'll want to locate and review all of your student loans. For federal loans, you can call the U.S. Department of Education Federal Student Aid Information Center at 800-4-FED-AID or go to www.nslds.ed.gov/nslds_SA/. You'll need a PIN from www.pin.ed.gov. For private loans, contact the lender for information on consolidation.
   

3. •Consolidation extends repayment and overall loan cost, so keep that in mind as well. It may be better to focus on getting the loan paid off altogether.
   

4. •A great place to start for student loan information from a borrower's perspective, including loan consolidation, is the Student Loan Borrower Assistance website, studentloanborrowerassistance.org AND their blog.
   

5. You should never consolidate your federal loans into a private loan. With federal loans, you can apply for deferment, forbearance or income-based repayments if you run into financial difficulties. Those aren't options for private loans.

A Is for Admission: The Insider's Guide to Getting into the Ivy League and Other Top Colleges

The book offers a much-needed dose of reality for anyone approaching the competitive world of college admissions. While the author relies on her experience on Dartmouth's staff, general concepts can be gleaned and applied to other competitive schools. The book is particularly helpful to those unfamiliar with the subject and gives an idea of what to expect from the mysterious and uncertain selection process.

For full details click the box to the left. No purchase necessary

The Truth About Getting In: A Top College Advisor Tells You Everything You Need to Know

Secrets to Winning a Scholarship

Brought to you by Fastweb, the leading free scholarship matching service, this book gives you the insider insights and expert tips you need to improve your chances of winning a scholarship.

For full details click the box to the left. No purchase necessary

Get Free Cash for College: Secrets to Winning Scholarships

5 STAR RATING!

The secrets, tips, and strategies used by actual students to win millions of dollars in financial aid and scholarships are revealed in this completely revised guide

1. •Upromise.com - another neat way to save for college is to invite as many family and friends to use this FREE service. It puts a small portion of any expediture at authorized retailers and companies into a college-savings account you set up.
   

2. •morningstar.com - one of the top resources for investing information. Link is to their college savings page.

A service of

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) (see Organizational Chart) is the primary federal entity for collecting and analyzing data related to education in the U.S. and other nations. NCES is located within the

U.S. Department of Education and the Institute of Education Sciences.

1. •For college bound, a look at financial aid changes - February 11, 2012
   

2. •Saving for college: Tips on 529 plans, scholarships - March 12, 2012
   

3. •Investing tips to help put kids through college - June 2, 2012
   

4. •Prepaid college tuition plans: Know this before you invest
   

5. •Cut college tuition by getting 4-year degree in 3 years - June 22, 2012
   

6. •Can your student loan debt be forgiven? - July 7, 2012
   

7. •Editorial: For-profit college. What a racket
   

8. ✴Free Textbooks Shaking Up Higher Education
   

9. •Why Students Should Be Wary of Campus Debit Cards
   

10. •The Debt-Free College Degree - September 9, 2012, from BusinessWeek magazine.
    

11. •How Not to Blow It With Financial Aid (Wall Street Journal) - September 10, 2012
    

12. •Get schools to waive application fees! - October 15, 2012
    

13. •A Simple Way to Send Poor Kids to Top Colleges - March 29, 2013
    

14. •Free College Options Still Exist, for Those Willing to Build Ships, Milk Cows or Salute - April 25, 2013

1. Is a mortgage a smart way to pay for college? - April 13, 2013

Getting In: The Zinch Guide to College Admissions & Financial Aid in the Digital Age [Paperback]

"Getting In!" is our new admissions Bible. It's easy to read, straight-forwardly lays out the reality, facts, and figures, gives specific advice, and helped us get a handle on the entire process.

For full details click the box to the left. No purchase necessary