Allison Wignall

Allison is the Editor & Content Manager of College Raptor. In addition to writing and editing posts, she also works on marketing and special projects. She graduated from the University of Iowa with a degree in English: Creative Writing.
Race track lanes numbered from one to five.
financial aid

How to Prioritize Your Financial Aid Opportunities

By Allison WignallLast updated on December 22, 2022
There is most definitely an order to go through when doing a financial aid search. Seeking out aid in the right way can save you thousands of dollars and reduce your loan debt substantially. So check out our list below to see how to prioritize your financial aid opportunities! 1. Federal Aid: Scholarships & Grants …
Overlay text "Plus Loans" against sky blue background with blue and violet stars.
questions & answers

Can Legal Guardians Take Out PLUS Loans?

By Allison WignallLast updated on December 22, 2022
As their name would suggest, most student loans fall to the responsibility of the student themselves. However, there is one loan that revolves around the parents—PLUS loans. PLUS, in fact, stands for Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students and differs a little from other federal loans. It takes into consideration a family’s credit history, and is …
A piggy bank sitting outside -- what exactly is an outside scholarship
questions & answers

What is an “Outside” Scholarship?

By Allison WignallLast updated on December 22, 2022
During your research into financial aid opportunities to help fund your college education, you may have come across the term “outside scholarship.” Scholarships are, without a doubt, the best way to pay for college—but what exactly does “outside” mean in regards to scholarship opportunities? What is an outside scholarship? Simply put, an outside scholarship is …
cost of colleges
questions & answers

Is Work Study Income Taxable?

By Allison WignallLast updated on December 22, 2022
In addition to scholarships and grants, joining a federal work study program is a great way to pay for college (and should definitely be considered before taking out a loan). Work Study Programs and Taxes In a work study, students will have a part-time job—typically related to their field of study—and have their earnings funneled …
student loans

What Are Student Loan Borrower Limits?

By Allison WignallLast updated on December 22, 2022
When you go to take out a loan, you can’t just take out as much as you want. There are limitations in how much money you can receive. Each type of student loan—whether it’s private or federal—will have some sort of borrower limit. The amount will vary from loan to loan, or even circumstance to …
We changed our menu layout
college news & trends

College Raptor has a New Menu Layout!

By Allison WignallLast updated on March 8, 2024
Our website recently underwent some structural changes in order to make navigation easier for all you users! Here is a quick update of what got changed, our new menu layout, and what helpful tools and articles you’ll find in each category. Find Colleges Find colleges is one of our menu layout changes. Anything and everything …
There are plenty of benefits that come with a summer internship
careers & internships

The Benefits of a Summer Internship

By Allison WignallLast updated on December 22, 2022
Hollywood loves to poke fun at interns, often portraying them as youthful coffee-fetchers, but the reality is pretty far from that caricature. Interns may be the youngest in the office, but their work is often quintessential to a business. A summer internship is most definitely worth looking into, and here are just a few of …
Should high schools require students to take a financial aid and literacy class
questions & answers

Should High Schools Require a Financial Aid & Literacy Class?

By Allison WignallLast updated on December 22, 2022
When students bring up college, one of the very first conversation topics typically revolves around the cost. From tuition, to student loan debt, to scholarships, and more. But there seems to be one thing missing from a lot of those conversations—the availability of financial aid. Thus, should high schools require a financial aid and literacy …

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