financial aid

3 Critical Financial Aid Tips For High School Seniors

By College Raptor StaffLast updated on January 24, 2023

Financial aid may be the last thing on your mind when you’re in high school. You’re already juggling a lot. But the sooner you understand how financial aid works, the better. Here are 3 critical financial aid tips for high school seniors. Why it’s So Important to Start Exploring Financial Aid in High School College …

college admissions

Do Freshman Grades Matter For College Admissions?

By College Raptor StaffLast updated on December 22, 2022

As a freshman, college is still four long years away. Should you really be worrying about getting good grades for college admission already? Do colleges actually check a student’s grades all the way back from freshman year? If you’re just entering freshman year, you should know that this is the right time to start working …

financial aid

When and How to Update Your FAFSA Information

By College Raptor StaffLast updated on December 22, 2022

The FAFSA is the form college students fill to get financial aid from the federal government. All personal and financial information that you fill in your form must be accurate at the time of submitting of your FAFSA. The federal government uses this information to calculate your EFC or Expected Family Contribution (EFC). Your EFC is …

financial aid

7 Steps To Appealing An Award Letter For More Aid

By College Raptor StaffLast updated on January 24, 2023

When a college accepts your application, they will send you an award letter (also known as an offer letter). This will detail the amount of money a school is willing to give you in financial aid. If you think you didn’t get enough financial aid, you can appeal for more. Just to be clear, you cannot …

financial aid

College Award Letter Mistakes To Avoid

By College Raptor StaffLast updated on March 29, 2023

An award letter contains detailed information about how much financial assistance a college is offering you. It includes all grants, scholarships, student loans, and work-study programs that you’re being offered. Along with the breakdown of the different types of financial aid, the award letter also contains the respective award amounts. You will receive an award …

scholarship search & applications

How To Write Applications For Scholarships

By College Raptor StaffLast updated on December 22, 2022

There are thousands of scholarships available every year, each of which awards students for different attributes. Some may award students for accomplishments in sports, others may award for academic excellence. Still others award students for belonging to a certain demographic or demonstrating a unique talent. But how do you get them? Here’s how to write …

financial advice & planning

How Does A 529 Plan Work?

By College Raptor StaffLast updated on December 22, 2022

The 529 plan is a type of savings account that’s designed to save money specifically to pay for education. The biggest benefit of this plan is that it offers tax breaks if the money is used for qualified expenses. Here’s how a 529 savings plan works and the pros and cons of this plan. What is …

college comparisons

Creating A Balanced College List

By College Raptor StaffLast updated on December 22, 2022

It can be tempting to create a list consisting of only the top ten favorite colleges. But that strategy can backfire. You may end up with a list of colleges that you like but are not necessarily the best fit for you. Liking a school doesn’t automatically make it a good future college. For example, …

scholarship search & applications

Virtual Scholarship Interview Tips

By College Raptor StaffLast updated on December 22, 2022

The pandemic and the need for social distancing has changed the ways scholarship interviews are being conducted. With in-person interviews being out of the question, scholarship interviews are now being conducted virtually using video technology. These interviews follow the style of traditional in-person interviews but there are a few key considerations to keep in mind. …