Got College
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
Senioritis – Is it Really A Big Deal?
Senioritis. Parents across the country have heard of it. High school teachers dread it. It's a...
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...
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...
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...
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...
6 Steps to Great Recommendation Letters
If you have an upperclassmen high school student who will be working on college applications...
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...
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...
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...
“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)...
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...
Does Appealing For More Financial Aid Affect Admissions
Are you unsure if appealing for more financial aid affects your admissions decision? Watch this...
What is a 529 Plan?
What is a 529 Plan? In this video, we'll explain what a 529 is and how...
How Home Equity Affects The CSS Profile
The CSS Profile and the FAFSA have very different requirements and how they calculate your...
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...
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...
FAFSA Changes 2023-24: What You Need To Know
The Federal Student Aid office recently announced FAFSA changes that will go into effect for...
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...
CAP Data Update! Admissions, Scholarships, and Financial Aid
“Have you started looking at colleges yet?” I remember asking my daughter this question 3...
How to Make a College Education Affordable
Flip or scroll through the news, and it won't take you long to find some...
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...
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...
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...
The 3 Different Types of Expected Family Contribution Explained
The world of financial aid is confusing, to say the least. Misinformation, lack of detailed...
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...
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...
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...
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...
Research and Compare 529 Plans
Browse 529 plans by state A 529 Plan is a college savings account that is funded...
What Expenses Can Be Paid from a 529 Plan?
Up to this point, parents have SAVED for college and SHOPPED for college. Suddenly, you...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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,...
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...
Expected Family Contribution (FAFSA): Explained
Have you heard the term Expected Family Contribution on TV or social media and wondered...
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...
Does Saving for College Reduce Financial Aid?
Parents regularly express frustration to me, for having been penalized for saving for their child’s...
What You Need to Know About College Application Season
The fall 2023 enrollment season is here! This time brings a flurry of excitement, nerves,...
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...
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...