For high school seniors who are finalizing their college lists—or juniors who are just starting to get serious about their college search—one feature you may be looking for in a college is generosity.  Specifically, how generous is a college with their need-based financial aid programs?

If you ask about costs while visiting a college campus, you will likely be told something to the effect of, “Don’t worry about it—you can get financial aid!” And while that statement holds true for many students, not everyone is eligible for financial aid. How can you determine whether your family will qualify for financial aid? Check out the latest installment of our video series, We Can Explain.

In previous shows we’ve covered how to negotiate for more merit money and appeal financial aid packages. We thought you might be interested in the trends we’re seeing in this year’s student packaging. In Office Hours, we’re answering your college admissions and finance questions.

Guest Post by Sabrina Manville, Co-Founder of Edmit

It’s decision season! After all the time you’ve spent figuring out where to apply, submitting applications, doing interviews, and… waiting, most families now know where they stand at the colleges they applied to. And that means you have to decide where you put down your deposit.

On the latest episode of Getting In: A College Coach Conversation, guest host Sally Ganga covers three timely and informative topics: how to make demonstrated interest work for you in the college application process, the best way to communicate with colleges, and appealing the financial aid awards that high school seniors are starting to receive.

On the latest episode of Getting In: A College Coach Conversation, guest host Sally Ganga covers how to compare financial aid award letters, Division 3 athletics and admissions, and summer planning.

Have your financial aid packages left you overwhelmed by the cost of college? Maybe you have heard about appealing the financial aid offered, but aren’t sure if you should go for it. And if you do decide to ask for more money, where do you start? We have the answers to all your burning questions!

As early round admission decisions start to roll in, students across the country are receiving both good (accepted) and bad (denied) news. And along with these clear-cut outcomes, many students are receiving some ambiguous news: yes, you’ve been accepted, but no, we are not awarding you enough financial aid to actually allow you to attend. This type of result can actually be the worst of all for families, as it often puts parents in the heartbreaking position of having to say no to their child’s dream school. Is there, however, any other option?

On the latest episode of Getting In: A College Coach Conversation, guest host Sally Ganga covers a range of topics that will appeal to high school students and parents at different stages of the college search. She begins with a discussion about exactly when to prepare for and take standardized testing and the what, when, where, and why of college supplemental essays. She wraps up the show with a continuation of last week’s conversation about how financial aid awards differ among colleges, this time focusing on merit aid policies and practices.

On the latest episode of Getting In: A College Coach Conversation, Elizabeth Heaton discusses this year’s changes to the Common Application, institutional variance in financial aid awards, and accelerated degree programs.