Got College

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

10 Essential Tips for Successful College Visits

10 Tips for Successful College Visits As a family embarking on the college search journey, campus...

4 min 03/27/2024

The Power of Demonstrated Interest: 10 Ways To Show College Admissions You Want In

Navigating College Admissions: The Strategic Power of Demonstrated Interest As parents, we embark on the college...

03/27/2024

Top 20 College Financial Aid Terms Every Family Should Know

Understanding Financial Aid Terms Before You Dive In To College Planning Let's face it - the...

03/08/2024

Finding Private Scholarships for College: Tips for Maximizing Your Aid

Finding Private Scholarships for College Paying for college is a big challenge, especially with tuition and...

02/22/2024

FAFSA Delays Stressing You Out? 3 Ways to Take Advantage of The Extra Time

How to Leverage the FAFSA Delays Applying for student financial aid can be both overwhelming and...

02/15/2024

FAFSA Frustrations? 4 Common Problems & Fixes for the New 2024 Form

FAFSA 2024: 4 Recurring Frustrations and How to Fix Them The FAFSA application process is a...

01/25/2024

Understanding College Financial Aid Award Letters

Decoding College Financial Aid Letters Congratulations! You've been accepted into college, and now it's time to...

01/18/2024

I Got Deferred or Waitlisted, Now What?

The college admissions process is overwhelming. Once you tackle applications and submissions, you begin the...

3 min 12/20/2023

Your Complete Guide to College Acceptance Letters

College Acceptance Letters: A Complete Guide Congratulations! All your college applications are in. Now comes the...

3 min 12/11/2023

Finding the Right College Match

Find Your College Match Searching for the right college match with your high schooler can be...

3 min 12/07/2023

Unleash Your Potential: What GPA Secures Your Spot? Cracking College Admissions

College admissions - it's a nuanced beast if you are a high school student or...

2 min 12/04/2023

Unlocking Early Admissions: Essential Tips for Early Action and Early Decision Success

The journey to college can be both exciting and overwhelming, and understanding the timelines for...

2 min 11/30/2023

College Cost Clarity: Sticker Price vs. Net Price

Sticker Price vs Net Price: Making Sense of College Costs Are you a parent of a...

11/08/2023

Decoding Net Price Calculators: The Good, the Bad, and the MyCAP Difference

Net Price Calculator's vs. MyCAP SAI Estimates You’ve heard the expression “less is more?” Well, sometimes...

3 min 11/01/2023

Which Colleges Require the CSS Profile for Financial Aid and Why?

What Colleges Require the CSS Profile for Financial Aid? When it comes to applying for financial...

10/23/2023

Your Complete Pell Grant Guide: Are You Eligible?

Your Complete Pell Grant Guide: Are You Eligible? In today's world, the cost of college continues...

4 min 10/06/2023

When Is the FAFSA Due?

When Is The FAFSA Due If you’re in the throes of college application season, then you’re...

2 min 10/02/2023

What is Financial Aid and How Does It Work? Your Comprehensive Guide to College Affordability

Embarking on the journey to higher education is an exciting chapter in a student's life....

09/25/2023

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

What is the FAFSA? The Essential Guide For Success

If you're a parent with a child heading off to college or one already there,...

09/15/2023

What is the CSS Profile? Mastering the CSS Profile for Maximum Aid

When it comes to financing your education, there's more to consider than just tuition fees....

3 min 09/14/2023

FAFSA Frustration: 10 Common Mistakes You Can Avoid

  Are you feeling the pressure of impending college costs? You’re definitely not alone. The road...

09/13/2023

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

Preparing for the FAFSA Changes – Tips and Timelines to Ease Your Stress

Summer is in full swing and rising high school seniors are, no, let me rephrase,...

3 min 06/22/2023

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

Comparing Student Loan Programs: What option is best for you?

Imagine it - your child applies and gets accepted to their dream school AND is...

06/01/2023

Beginner’s Guide to Federal Loan Options – What Works Best for You?

Many college-bound families look to federal student loan options provided by the U.S. Department of...

06/01/2023

Student Loans – Discover the Smart Way to Borrow for College

The Current State of Student Loan Debt in America As of 2022, there was $1.6 trillion...

3 min 06/01/2023

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

Federal Direct Student Loan Entrance Counseling and Master Promissory Notes

How Do I Finalize My Federal Direct Student Loan? At College Aid Pro™, we believe...

3 min 05/24/2023

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

What Is Appealing? Can I Get More Money?

https://youtu.be/m8zZndLlGHw Appealing- Can you really go back and ask a college to give you more money...

03/03/2023

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

Federal Student Loans – Are They a Good Choice for You?

https://youtu.be/Eni29XqVAco What are Federal Student Loans? These are loans given out by the federal government.  It's the...

7 min 02/23/2023

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

Free Money for College: Understanding Grants and Scholarships

  Free Money for College: Understanding Grants and Scholarships All schools offer free money, or "gift aid"...

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

What is the Data Retrieval Tool in FAFSA?

  In this video, we'll discuss what to know about the Data Retrieval Tool and how...

01/06/2023

Understanding Financial Aid Award Letters And How To Compare Them

College admissions can start to roll in in the month of December every year and...

4 min 01/05/2023

Student Loan Forgiveness Update 12/1/2022

For those waiting on federal student loan forgiveness, there have been some bumps in the...

4 min 12/12/2022

The FAFSA Simplification Act – Upcoming FAFSA Changes

With the FAFSA Simplification Act comes a host of changes to the way federal student...

4 min 11/21/2022

Video: How to Complete the IDOC Financial Aid Verification Process

How to Complete the IDOC Financial Aid Verification Process     The college financial aid application process is...

3 min 11/17/2022

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

CAP Report Card – Merit Scholarship Transparency Rankings

 The Importance of Transparency College Aid Pro’s (CAP) Mission is to End the Student Debt Crisis...

11/02/2022

Pros and Cons of FAFSA’s Data Retrieval Tool

The FAFSA leverages a tool called the IRS Data Retrieval Tool (IRS DRT) to make...

11/02/2022

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

IDOC and FAFSA Verification

Getting all of your financial aid forms completed and submitted is a major milestone. A...

4 min 10/25/2022

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

7 New FAFSA Changes You Need To Know

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

4 min 10/07/2022

Filling Out the CSS Profile Dos, Don’ts, and Updates

  The 2024-2025 CSS Profile is available now. Before you dive headfirst into filling out this...

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

How Much Can I Borrow? Student Loan Tips

For most families, a student loan must be part of the college-funding conversation. Through careful...

3 min 09/13/2022

How to Write a Letter of Appeal for Financial Aid

Was your expected family contribution (EFC) too high and now you’re left with a too-little...

09/13/2022

How To Navigate Financial Aid Appeals With Your College-Bound Student

Negotiation is an art.  Lawyers negotiate contracts, deals, and settlements on behalf of their clients, real...

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

FAFSA Verification – What It Is, How to Handle It, and Why Parents Shouldn’t Freak Out

When applying for financial aid, you are submitting a Free Application for Federal Student Aid...

3 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

Student Loan Forgiveness: What You Need To Know

  President Joe Biden announced on Wednesday, August 24, 2022, that a student loan forgiveness plan...

09/12/2022

Parents and Dependents: Clarifying Relationships in Financial Aid Reporting

When dependent students apply for financial aid whether through the FAFSA or CSS Profile, they...

3 min 09/08/2022

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

Quirks of the Financial Aid Application: Answers to Some Common FAFSA Questions

When you think about financial aid, “quirky” might not be the first word that comes...

3 min 09/08/2022

Applying for Financial Aid: FAFSA and CSS Profile

 Today we’re talking about applying for financial aid. Not the most exciting topic, but we...

3 min 09/08/2022

Getting a Division 1 Athletic Scholarship

Getting a Division 1 athletic scholarship is not an easy task. However, if your student...

09/08/2022

Athletic Scholarships 101

Athletic scholarships for college are often misunderstood and assumed to be more available than they...

3 min 09/08/2022

What are National Merit Scholarships?

Most families in the college application process have heard the term "National Merit Scholarship" float...

3 min 09/08/2022

Do National Merit Finalists Get Full-Ride Scholarships?

Do National Merit finalists get full-ride scholarships? In some cases, yes! Previously, we wrote about what ACT...

3 min 09/08/2022

Can My Kid Get a Full-Ride Scholarship?

I was listening to a financial call-in program the other day and the topic of...

4 min 09/08/2022

What Are Talent Merit Scholarships?

Does your student have a special skill they have developed for years? Have they practiced...

3 min 09/08/2022

What Are Competitive Merit Scholarships?

When most people think about merit scholarships, they think of a competitive elimination process where...

09/08/2022

A National Merit Scholarship Success Story

I always love when parents share a merit scholarship success story! This one is from...

3 min 09/07/2022

How to Find Full Ride Scholarships

Full-ride scholarships pay the full price of attending a college.  This usually includes tuition, fees,...

09/07/2022

Top Two Resources for Finding Automatic Merit Scholarships

With the cost of college continuously on the rise, many college-bound students and their parents...

09/07/2022

When Your Student Aid Index or SAI is Too High

When Your Student Aid Index (SAI) is Too High Are you left scrambling after filling out...

4 min 09/07/2022

5 Things Parents Need to Know About Private Scholarships

This was originally written for and published by Saving For College, adapted and expanded for...

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

Understanding Your 529 Plan: Qualified Expenses and More

What Expenses Can Be Paid from a 529 Plan? Up to this point, parents have SAVED...

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

The 3 Best Free Online Resources for Athletic Recruiting

The best resources for athletic recruiting vary from athletic recruiting service websites to school sites...

09/06/2022

Ways to Pay for College: 5 Types of Merit-Based Scholarships

Merit scholarships can be one of the best ways to pay for college, especially if...

09/06/2022

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

What is the FSA ID? Why do you need one?

Thank you for joining us for this brief video with our very own Fairy Godmother...

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

Maximizing College Financial Aid: What Every Family Should Know

Understanding Financial Aid First thing's first – don’t feel ashamed if you’re more than a little...

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

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