Great site on finding and financing college

[daveshoe]

collegedata.com is the best site I have found for comparing colleges to each other. Of particular importance is the average ACT score of admitted students,average amount of four-year debt, and average % of needed funding met. The site also contains what student qualities are important to the school. That enables the student to find a college that matches his strengths as closely as possible. The site also shows that the sticker price of the college bears little resemblance to the final offer made to the student. Financial aid calculators that predict the amount of grants available are also there

I am volunteering as a financial aid researcher for a very ambitious private organization that is aimed at getting kids to college and placing them in local industries. I also mentor deserving students through the process--one got 93% total aid and the other is a high school junior with the right stuff. It is a great feeling to see a kid get an total package equal to three nicely equipped trucks!

 

[Boomer II]

Thanks Dave.

 

[JDiepstra]

Oh, I thought this was going to be a link for all the people who think the military is for free college tuition!

 

[daveshoe]

Also,if anyone is interested,I can coach you through the process of how to reduce your financial footprint [legal and honest] to increase aid,make the student more attractive ,and get colleges to "bid" for her. This stuff is really for PM ,cause it is not interesting until you need it. I also will mention that the 93% aid package in the first post is scholarships,grants,and work study that DO NOT have to be paid back