Welcome!

Recently I had the opportunity to try shaking some sense into a high school student I know. I told him how much it stinks to be paying off my loans right now (six years postgraduate, and no end in sight), and encouraged him not to do the same thing. He responded with a common belief among teens looking ahead to college; “I’m sure I have to go into some debt to go to college.”

But does he? Do you? According to the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA), federal financial aid has grown from $62.1 billion in 1999-00 to an estimated $146.5 billion in 2009-10, an increase of 136 percent. I can’t help but wonder how many of these students really know what they’re getting themselves into financially. Will the job prospects they will get from their majors realistically be able to handle the monthly payments after they graduate? Do they plan to get married after college? Based on current trends, they should assume their spouse will bring debt into the picture as well.

Hence my passion for helping you, who have the incredible opportunity to not make the same mistakes, or at the very least to understand what you are getting yourselves into if you do decide to take out loans.

In this blog, you’ll find regular updates on scholarships, grants, and essay contests; helpful articles on essay writing tips, saving money on textbooks, interviews with admissions counselors and financial aid experts, and much more.

Thanks for stopping by. I hope you find this helpful, and let me know if you have any ideas for articles, tips or inspiration.