College Money Matters Newsletters

Each of our newsletters focuses on a specific way you can help keep college affordable. Scroll through this archive and click on the topic of your choice.

February 2025

Know your college costs before you make your decision

  • Decide on your college budget
  • Find out which colleges are in your price range
  • Choose where to apply
  • Estimate your financial aid offers
  • Calculate your personal cost of college

October 2024

The college and financial aid deadlines you need to know

  • Keeping your college search organized
  • College and financial aid deadlines: A timeline of key dates to keep in mind from September to May

May 2024

Making The FAFSA Delays Work For You

  • Fewer FAFSA applications could mean schools have a greater need for students
  • An opportunity to appeal for more time or more financial aid
  • Some helpful do’s and don’ts

March 2024

How to Turn FAFSA Delays To Your Advantage

  • Evaluate all your options now so you won’t feel rushed into making a decision
  • Calculate in advance what your loans might cost you
  • How much should you “stretch” for a dream school?

February 2024

Are more expensive schools really better?

  • Are more expensive schools really better?
  • What makes a college worth its price to you?
  • What do students really want from college?

January 2024

Expert advice on what to expect from the new FAFSA

  • How much better is the new “better” FAFSA?
  • Issues you may face with the new FAFSA

November 2023

Getting ahead of your application situation

  • Great places to find scholarships and grants
  • Why you should get a FAFSA ID
  • A worthwhile webinar on keeping college affordable

October 2023

Where you apply matters: How to be financially smart from the start

  • Having “the talk”: Setting boundaries for college costs
  • Financial aid: Free money vs long-term loans
  • Scholarships: Where to look and why to apply early

September 2023

Your guide to keeping college affordable

  • Your guide to keeping college affordable
  • Coming attractions for the 2023-2024 school year

April 2023

Parent PLUS College Loans: How Much is Too Much Love?

  • How Parent PLUS Loans became a debt problem
  • Fees and interest rates: The costs of a Parent PLUS Loan
  • What’s a parent to do? Some options.

March 2023

What every parent or relative should know about co-signing a student loan

  • Co-signing questions and answers
  • What every parent or relative should know about co-signing a student loan
  • Be mindful of marketing tactics and techniques

February 2023

Some less obvious things you might want to think about when choosing a college

  • Questions about getting your money’s worth
  • Questions that help you picture your years in college
  • A big question about how many years you might spend in school

November 2022

Things you may not know about applying for scholarships

  • Things you may not know about applying for scholarships
  • Your local or state government may offer scholarships
  • How to save time searching for scholarships online

Fall 20222

Why Every College-Bound Student Should Have a Financial Safety School

  • Why every college-bound student should have a financial safety school
  • Yes, it’s time to have that awkward discussion with your teenager