Cost of College

It may sound strange, but if your family received a “scholarship” to buy a car would it lead you to buy it?  We encourage college parents to consider the implications for your own college admissions experience and be careful to understand the difference between a true scholarship from what would otherwise be viewed as a […]

Who wants more tax breaks? Everybody.Who deserves a greater tax break on the cost of college tuition? All current and future college parents and that means you, the members of College Parents of America.One of our greatest priorities in the coming months will be to push in Congress the dual notion of greater tax deductibility for the cost of college, and universal eligibility for taking advantage of those deductions.

Dear Parents:When your children leave home for college, they will face a host of new experiences and responsibilities. As a parent, you recognize that now they will be "on their own" to tackle life's basic functions - at the same time that they are adjusting to a new environment and new freedoms. To help your student in this transition, he/she should know the "financial facts of life" before opening that first checking account or making that first purchase on credit.

Last week, in this column, I wrote about the upcoming “road to reauthorization” for the Higher Education Act, certain provisions of which are already being considered in the U.S. House Education and the Workforce Committee, chaired by Rep. John Boehner of Ohio.

If you can’t afford a college without a PLUS loan, then for many parents and families the college is simply not affordable.

Essential College Question: What will happen if your college student has to withdraw from college?

You were ecstatic when she was awarded that merit scholarship. Even better when she still got a need-based grant. She accepted the admission offer, and then life was a swirl of senior year ceremonies, graduation, parties, and maximizing her last summer before going off to college. You hadn’t really thought more about college costs until […]

Balancing fun and finances is never easy, especially in college. During these memorable years, students should balance their education and social lives.So, what exactly is the best way to ensure you’re setting yourself up for a healthy financial future during and after school? For the most success in developing great spending habits and making intelligent […]

The time has finally come for your baby to make the big leap from your nest into the vast world of college. Books, classes, meal plans, and living arrangements can add up quickly along with the fact that your student still must have a dependable means of transportation. Determining how your child will get around […]

The Importance of Insurance for Your Student As your baby birds begin to leave the nest, there are always a few things that us college parents are concerned about. Did I teach them enough? Can they really do their own laundry? Do they even know how to make rice? Take a breather, parents! You have […]

83% of families believe students will earn more money with a college degree.

Our bi-annual research on College Parents consistently finds that paying for college is most often the 2nd largest expense in the life of a family.  Next to purchasing a home, paying for college can be a daunting event.

All college parents and families will benefit from the insights from the annual Trends in Higher Education report by the College Board.  The capacity of families to contribute to an ever-growing cost of college is a pressing matter that is seen best in the context of general wage stagnation contained in this 2017 report.

A college degree is a powerful asset," said Jack Remondi, President & CEO of Navient, in a statement. "But, borrowing for college and not graduating, has lasting negative consequences.

The American College Health Association annual survey on National College Health student health reports incidents such as illnesses, accidents, and injuries can frequently happen, even to young and healthy college students. The good news is that college families can protect their investment by purchasing tuition insurance coverage starting at $29.95 for $2,500 per term.

Many times — maybe too many — high school seniors are just so happy to be accepted to their dream school that they don’t give a second thought to the financial implications of their college choice. Then reality sinks in when they start digging into the details of college award letters. At College Parents of America, […]

As a result, it seems prudent to consider why it is acceptable to place 100% of the burden of a student loan on a student when the school received the financial benefit and would potentially act differently if they shared the risk of student success. College Parents of America welcomes this discussion. It is timely for the United States to consider how we increase the capacity of our citizens to contribute and compete in a global economy.

Dear Parents:When your children leave home for college, they will face a host of new experiences and responsibilities. As a parent, you recognize that now they will be "on their own" to tackle life's basic functions - at the same time that they are adjusting to a new environment and new freedoms. To help your student in this transition, he/she should know the "financial facts of life" before opening that first checking account or making that first purchase on credit.

Taking an extra year or two to complete a college degree in not out of the ordinary in the US. Actually only 40% of four year college students finish in four years. And 60% finished in six years. According to Nerd Wallet a new study examined how much one or two years extra would cost […]

We are frequent advocates of better consumer information for students and their families. As a result we were pleased to read today's article by fellow parent and New York Times columnist Ron Lieber. His article Concealing the Calculus of Higher Education is a powerful reminder of the difficulty families have in understanding the actual cost of college.