All posts by Scott Hawksworth
Five .Gov Websites to Bookmark for College
When it comes to applying, getting into, and paying for college, there are an awful lot of resources out there. Some of those resources are better than others, and unfortunately a large amount of those “resources” offer very little quality.
One area of the web that has gotten significantly better over the years is government education websites. It makes sense too, given how closely the government is tied to education. The following is a short list of 5 government-run education websites that every college student and parent should bookmark.
What Is the Difference Between a Grant and a Scholarship?
As the workforce becomes more competitive, an education is more and more necessary—but it’s coming at a steeper price. Over the past 30 years, college costs have increased faster than the rate of inflation; all told, the cost of tuition and fees has gone up a whopping 1,120%.
According to CourseSmart, in the 1972-1973 school year public tuition and fees averaged $2,225, while private tuition cost $10,378. In the 2012-2013 school year, those numbers have skyrocketed–$8,655 for public school and $29,056 for private school. And in the 2010-2011 school year, students spent more than $1,100 on textbooks.
101 Essential Scholarship & Admissions Sites for Student Athletes
Athletic scholarships are a fantastic way to pay for college, but just being good at sports in high school isn’t enough to qualify for them. Finding the scholarships and applying for them is the first hurdle. For many scholarships, there is a rigorous application process, and each scholarship is highly competitive, with many applicants using professional services to help them write great applications and emphasize their potential value as a collegiate athlete. Knowing the admissions requirements of each of their top schools is also an important piece of the puzzle for student athletes.
New YesCollege Guide to Filling Out the FAFSA
We’re happy to announce that our second resource guide has been published! Anyone attempting to get Federal Aid for higher education needs to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, also known as the FAFSA, and our guide aims to help with that process.
Filling out the FAFSA: The Ultimate Guide covers all of the most important information needed for those completing the FAFSA. We’ve presented it in the form of a convenient step-by-step guide to save you time and make it easier to digest all the information.
101 Best Databases For Finding A Scholarship Online
Scholarships are hands-down the best way to finance an education, but getting them isn’t always easy, and even finding enough scholarships to apply for can be a challenge. Fortunately, there are many sites online devoted to helping students find scholarships of all types, from merit-based academic scholarships to those that offer students with specific interests or experience a shot at more college funding, and even contests where students can compete in academic challenges to win tuition money.
These databases, search tools, and lists are the best of the best for students who are serious about getting as many great scholarships as possible. This list isn’t meant as a ranking, but rather a resource, a database in itself, of the best scholarship lists, databases, and resources out there.
Top 5 Articles of the Week – June 21, 2013
It’s been a few weeks since we last did our round up here at YesCollege, but we’re officially back on track! Summer is in full swing, and in addition to getting some sun and relaxing, current and prospective students should still spend some time preparing for the upcoming school year both academically and financially. It’s never too early to start thinking about how to make your next year of college more affordable!
Be A Great RA & Help Pay For College: 75 Top Resources
Being an RA can also yield valuable career experience and can even lead to being hired in the residence life office at the college or university after graduation. While this may not be the path that all RAs choose, gaining leadership experience and showing that you’re able to balance a demanding job with a full course load looks great on any resume. These resources can help you out in many stressful or challenging situations:
Top 99 Twitter Accounts Covering Financial Aid
Finding financial aid is a huge part of many students’ college search and application process. Getting good loans, scholarships, grants, and other forms of aid can make the difference between going to a first-choice college, and not going at all, so it is important for students to have access to all of the relevant information about financial aid that might be available to them. Fortunately, there is a huge community of financial aid experts, lending organizations, and even college financial aid offices on Twitter sharing excellent advice on how to go about getting financial aid.
Top 5 Articles of the Week – May 31, 2013
We’re closing out another month here at YesCollege and bringing you our Top 5 articles of the week all about getting into and affording college. It should be noted that it was 529 Day on May 29th, which was a celebration of smart saving for college. Here are some of the top articles of the week.
How to Get Into College: 101 Top Resources
Once you’ve decided to go to college, selecting a few great schools and actually getting into them becomes your primary task, and it isn’t always easy. So many factors are considered during the admissions process, from test scores to socioeconomic status, participation in communities and extracurricular activities during high school, and even employment history, that it can be difficult to sort through your own personal history to put together the best application possible.
Fortunately, there are plenty of resources online, from step-by-step guides to one-on-one consulting services, to help students of all ages and backgrounds choose the right school and nail the application process. The sites listed here are numbered for easy browsing, but this isn’t an ordered ranking, just a comprehensive list of excellent resources for students at any phase of the college application and admissions marathon.