Got College

Our robust library of blog articles and resources will help you answer all of your college questions.

How Much Financial Aid Can You Get? Cracking the Code on College Costs

As a parent, you want the best for your child's future, and higher education is...

09/25/2023

Do You Have to Pay Back College Financial Aid? Your Comprehensive Guide

Do I Have to Pay Back College Financial Aid? College education can be an expensive endeavor,...

4 min 09/21/2023

Beyond Race: What the Supreme Court’s Affirmative Action Decision Means for College Applicants

The Supreme Court's Decision on Affirmative Action and Its Impact on College Admissions For those who...

3 min 09/01/2023

Understanding the PSAT: What High Schoolers Need to Know for Success

If you're a high school student, you've probably heard of the PSAT. But what is...

08/23/2023

Unlocking College Affordability with MyCAP: A Personalized Approach to Financial Planning for Higher Education

I think we can all agree on the importance of college for some students as...

08/09/2023

The Vital Role of the College Essay: A Key Component in the New Admissions Landscape

It's August and college application season has officially begun- whether you're ready for it or...

4 min 08/03/2023

Smart Strategies for Using Your 529: From College Tuition to Roth IRA Contributions

Congratulations on having saved for college. The addition of 529 savings to your plan gives your...

3 min 07/21/2023

Extracurricular Activities – What Do Colleges Really Want to See?

Many college-bound students who are gearing up to go to apply to competitive schools lean...

3 min 07/18/2023

College Aid Pro’s FREE Summer College Bootcamp for Parents and High Schoolers

Click Here to Register Do you have a high schooler, particularly one who is possibly interested...

07/13/2023

Public vs Private Colleges – Is There A Difference?

  The U.S has over 4000 colleges and universities. If you've started researching colleges in order...

4 min 07/12/2023

Complete Breakdown of College Application Deadlines

Understanding the different types of college application deadlines If your student is just beginning their college...

06/29/2023

How To Start Shopping For College

So, you’ve been talking to your kid about the future and it’s become pretty clear...

06/09/2023

How to Prepare for College: What my High Schooler Should be Doing this Summer

Ah summer. The sun is shining, you’re spending more time out and about, getting in...

05/31/2023

The New Digital SAT- What You Need to Know

Do you have a love-hate relationship with the SAT like many college bound students and...

05/19/2023

Tuition Reciprocity Programs – Can You Get A Better Deal Out of State?

Cost of tuition is a major factor into many families’ final decision of where to...

05/15/2023

College Planning For the International Student – An Interview With Kristi Steele

Recently, I had the pleasure of speaking with Kristi Steele of KC360, who specializes in...

05/09/2023

Pre-paid Tuition Plans – Is it Smart to Buy In?

What is A Pre-Paid Tuition Plan? A pre-paid tuition plan is an account to save to...

6 min 05/05/2023

College Aid Pro’s $1,000 No Essay Scholarship And Award Analyzer Update

We wanted to share a quick update with our families on our $1,000 No Essay...

3 min 05/02/2023

13 Ways To Successfully Pay Your College Bill

So your student has been accepted to college - Congrats! Celebrate their accomplishments and then...

7 min 04/26/2023

What is A Financial Safety School? Should You Have at Least One on Your College List?

A “financial safety” school is a college that you know your family can afford. It...

04/20/2023

Are Summer Programs at Universities Worth it for High Schoolers?

Every parent wants their high schooler to have a smooth transition to college. They want...

04/18/2023

Acceptance Letters VS Financial Aid Letters

What's the Difference Between an Acceptance Letter and a Financial Aid Letter? https://youtu.be/wAZJZKREB4w Acceptance Letters An acceptance letter...

4 min 04/14/2023

Decoding Dual Enrollment and AP Classes for High Schoolers – Is There an Ideal Option for You?

Students are increasingly being given the opportunity to take advantage of advanced courses in high...

04/13/2023

Weighted and Unweighted GPAs – Let’s Clarify Their Impact on Merit Money

Merit Scholarships: How do Colleges look at Weighted and Unweighted GPAs? Merit scholarships are a great...

04/07/2023

How to Use MyCAP’s Award Analyzer – Is Your Financial Aid Offer Worth Appealing?

https://youtu.be/xp4mSKmRo1s Hey Seniors! Congrats on making it to the last semester of high school!  You're almost...

4 min 04/04/2023

Creating Your Senior Year Class Schedule – What Do You Really Need to Take?

Many high school juniors, preparing to determine their senior year class schedule, are asking:  “What classes...

03/30/2023

Financial Aid Guidance for Divorced or Separated Families

https://youtu.be/9BqeeULhB4Q   What Constitutes a "Divorced or Separated Family" for College Financial Aid? Colleges don't see a difference...

6 min 03/27/2023

College Aid Pro Reviews

College Aid Pro Reviews Our mission is to end the student debt crisis. We aim to...

03/23/2023

Will Saving For College Hurt My Financial Aid?

https://youtu.be/uPtAdmQ7XZg Is Saving for College a Bad Idea? NO!  Saving for college is a good idea- and...

3 min 03/20/2023

Confused by the Appeals Process? A Step By Step Guide for High School Seniors

Congratulations Class of 2023 - you’re on the home stretch! High school graduation is right...

5 min 03/15/2023

MyCAP Award Analyzer- Did YOU get a Fair Financial Aid Offer?

https://youtu.be/rpxjE84I1kQ CAP's new Financial Aid Award Analyzer in the Evaluate & Appeal module allows you to...

2 min 03/13/2023

Keep Your Sanity While Planning For College – Our Top 5 Tips for Success

This one’s for all you parents out there starting the college planning and application process...

3 min 03/09/2023

Financial Aid Appeals – Evaluate Your Options with our New Awards Analyzer

“The great aim of education is not knowledge but action.” – Herbert Spencer We created the...

3 min 03/06/2023

Senioritis – Is it Really A Big Deal?

Senioritis. Parents across the country have heard of it. High school teachers dread it. It's a...

3 min 02/28/2023

CAP Projections: A Deep Dive into College Aid Pro’s Data Collection

At College Aid Pro, we pride ourselves on creating sound data sets that power easy-to-use...

3 min 02/21/2023

7 Simple Tips for International Students Looking at US Colleges

In the US, we take for granted the quality of many of our higher education...

5 min 02/16/2023

Create your College Budget – Understanding what YOU can Afford

https://youtu.be/9bSwtaktfDA We know no one likes to talk about budgets, but shopping for college requires understanding...

02/14/2023

College Aid Pro’s FREE College Winter Bootcamp for High Schoolers and Their Families

  Click Here to Register Do you have a high schooler, particularly one who is in the...

02/09/2023

6 Steps to Great Recommendation Letters

If you have an upperclassmen high school student who will be working on college applications...

02/02/2023

Grades Really Do Matter – Junior Year of High School Is Important!

As a former high schooler and the mom to two current high schoolers, I’ve heard...

3 min 01/27/2023

Can You Ask A College For More Free Scholarship Money?

What happens when you receive a scholarship award – but it’s still not enough to...

3 min 01/25/2023

Demonstrated Interest and How It Affects College Admissions

Demonstrated Interest and How It Affects College Admissions In this video, we'll explore how demonstrated interest...

01/20/2023

“My College Budget” Makes Paying For College Easy For Your Student

Everyone has heard "paying for college" horror stories. Families spend a full summer (sometimes longer)...

4 min 01/17/2023

What is an EFC and What Does it Mean For You?

In this video, we're going to take a look at what is an EFC and...

01/11/2023

Does Appealing For More Financial Aid Affect Admissions

Are you unsure if appealing for more financial aid affects your admissions decision? Watch this...

01/09/2023

What is a 529 Plan?

What is a 529 Plan? In this video, we'll explain what a 529 is and how...

01/06/2023

How Home Equity Affects The CSS Profile

The CSS Profile and the FAFSA have very different requirements and how they calculate your...

4 min 11/17/2022

College Applications and Financial Aid for Transgender Students

A Transgender Student’s Guide to Shopping, Applying And Paying For College While more and more students...

4 min 11/01/2022

Net Price Calculators: Part of the Problem, Not the Solution

Our core belief at CAP is that students and families can make smart, fiscally sound...

4 min 10/24/2022

FAFSA Changes 2023-24: What You Need To Know

The Federal Student Aid office recently announced FAFSA changes that will go into effect for...

4 min 10/07/2022

2023-2024 CSS Profile Dos, Don’ts, and Updates

The 2023-2024 CSS Profile is available on October 1, 2022. Before you dive headfirst into...

3 min 09/30/2022

CAP Data Update! Admissions, Scholarships, and Financial Aid

“Have you started looking at colleges yet?” I remember asking my daughter this question 3...

3 min 09/28/2022

6 Tips to Ensure You Don’t Go Broke Paying for College

6 Tips to Ensure You Don't Go Broke Paying for College Flip or scroll through the...

4 min 09/19/2022

What you Need to Know About Completing the CSS Profile or FAFSA with Divorced or Separated Parents or Two-Household Families

Financial aid forms can seem tricky for any household, but this is especially true for...

09/13/2022

What College Should I Go To? 12 Important Things to Consider

As we get close to May 1, National College Decision Day, deciding where to go...

4 min 09/13/2022

Can High SAT Scores Help Your College Admission Chances?

High SAT scores can be very advantageous in your student’s college search process. They can...

09/12/2022

The 3 Different Types of Expected Family Contribution Explained

Do you find this article helpful? Imagine what you could learn from Matt, along with...

3 min 09/08/2022

When Your Expected Family Contribution is (EFC) is Too High

Are you left scrambling after filling out the FAFSA to see the number you’re expected...

4 min 09/07/2022

The Pros and Cons of Being Waitlisted From a College Funding Perspective

Every year, countless students are waitlisted at major colleges and universities across the country. When...

09/07/2022

Pros and Cons Of Test-Optional College Admissions

Pros and Cons Of Test-Optional College Admissions For years, students and parents have railed against the...

09/07/2022

All About the Money: 3 Important Financial Questions You Should be Asking When Picking a College

College is an investment. And like all other investments, you should expect to get a great...

09/07/2022

Research and Compare 529 Plans

Browse 529 plans by state   A 529 Plan is a college savings account that is funded...

09/07/2022

What Expenses Can Be Paid from a 529 Plan?

Up to this point, parents have SAVED for college and SHOPPED for college. Suddenly, you...

09/07/2022

Grandparents and 529 College Savings Plans: What You Need to Know

Grandparents want to help. They see the expense ahead for their kids to pay for...

09/07/2022

What’s a 529 Plan? 5 Easy Ways to Start Saving For College

It’s no secret that college tuition is continuing to increase dramatically year over year. For...

09/07/2022

How to Get a Full-Ride Scholarship from Your ACT or SAT Score

Wanting to get your student a free college education? Who doesn’t! The fact is, there...

3 min 09/06/2022

How Will I Know If I Qualify For Need-Based Financial Aid?

Will we qualify for need-based financial aid for college? – A question on the minds...

09/06/2022

The 5 Types of Need-Based Financial Aid for College-Bound Families

Types of Need-Based Financial Aid When you receive a need-based financial aid package from a college,...

09/06/2022

Prior-Prior Year (PPY) : What It Is and Why It Matters to College Financial Aid

It seems like in the world of financial aid there's always one question that bubbles...

09/05/2022

Expected Family Contribution (FAFSA): Explained

Have you heard the term Expected Family Contribution on TV or social media and wondered...

09/05/2022

How The Class of 2023 Can Pave An Affordable Path To College

If you’re the parent of a rising high school junior or senior, this blog is...

09/05/2022

Does Saving for College Reduce Financial Aid?

Parents regularly express frustration to me, for having been penalized for saving for their child’s...

09/05/2022

What You Need to Know About College Application Season

The fall 2023 enrollment season is here! This time brings a flurry of excitement, nerves,...

09/05/2022

Winning the College Finance Game: Maximize Your Family’s Financial Aid Package

First thing's first – don’t feel ashamed if you’re more than a little intimidated by...

09/05/2022

Do You Still Need Strong Standardized Test Scores for College?

How much do your standardized test scores matter? The short answer: A lot. But it’s complicated. SAT...

09/05/2022

Want to unlock the affordable college education?

Welcome Back!