The College Solution: A Guide for Everyone Looking for the Right School at the Right Price
Search in google:
“The College Solution helps readers look beyond over-hyped admission rankings to discover schools that offer a quality education at affordable prices. Taking the guesswork out of saving and finding money for college, this is a practical and insightful must-have guide for every parent!”—Jaye J. Fenderson, Seventeen’s College Columnist and Author, Seventeen’s Guide to Getting into College“This book is a must read in an era of rising tuition and falling admission rates. O’Shaughnessy offers good advice with blessed clarity and brevity.”—Jay Mathews, Washington Post Education Writer and Columnist“I would recommend any parent of a college-bound student read The College Solution.”—Kal Chany, Author, The Princeton Review’s Paying for College Without Going Broke“The College Solution goes beyond other guidebooks in providing an abundance of information about how to afford college, in addition to how to approach the selection process by putting the student first.”—Martha “Marty” O’Connell, Executive Director, Colleges That Change Lives“Lynn O’Shaughnessy always focuses on what’s in the consumer’s best interest, telling families how to save money and avoid making costly mistakes.”—Mark Kantrowitz, Publisher, FinAid.org and Author, FastWeb College Gold“An antidote to the hype and hysteria about getting in and paying for college! O’Shaughnessy has produced an excellent overview that demystifies the college planning process for students and families.”—Barmak Nassirian, American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions OfficersFor millions of families, the college planning experience has become extremely stressful. And, unless your child is an elite student in the academic top 1%, most books on the subject won’t help you.Now, however, there’s a college guide for everyone. In The College Solution, top personal finance journalist Lynn O’Shaughnessy presents an easy-to-use roadmap to finding the right college program (not just the most hyped) and dramatically reducing the cost of college, too.Forget the rankings! Discover what really matters: the quality and value of the programs your child wants and deserves.O’Shaughnessy uncovers “industry secrets” on how colleges actually parcel out financial aid—and how even “average” students can maximize their share. Learn how to send your kids to expensive private schools for virtually the cost of an in-state public college...and how promising students can pay significantly less than the “sticker price” even at the best state universities.No other book offers this much practical guidance on choosing a college...and no other book will save you as much money!• Secrets your school’s guidance counselor doesn’t know yetThe surprising ways colleges have changed how they do business • Get every dime of financial aid that’s out there for youBe a “fly on the wall” inside the college financial aid office • U.S. News & World Report: clueless about your childBeyond one-size-fits-all rankings: finding the right program for your teenager• The best bargains in higher educationOverlooked academic choices that just might be perfect for you
Foreword xvIntroduction xixCapturing Financial Aid 1Where Is the {dollar}{dollar}{dollar}? 2Looking for Cash in the Right Places 5Using Financial Aid Tools 9Financial Aid in the Real World 13A Peek Inside a Financial Aid Office 17Winning the Financial Aid Lottery 20Maximizing Financial Aid 25Maximizing Financial Aid, Part II 30Appealing the Verdict 34Capturing Tuition Discounts 39The Race for Cash 40The Inside Scoop on Merit Money 44Academic Freebies 49Creating a Buzz 53Playing the Gender Card 59Finding Great Academic Fits 63The Hidden Truth 64The Knock Against U.S. News & World Report 67The Rankings Antidote 71Research Made Easy 77Grading Academic Departments 83Grading Academic Departments, Part II 91The Value of Undergraduate Research 97Grading Professors 101Overlooked Academic Choices 105Stop Hyperventilating 106The Allure of Liberal Arts Colleges 109What Makes Public Liberal Arts Colleges Special 114Teaching Versus Research 118Learning in a Crowd 121Exploring Community Colleges 127Considering a Community College 128Why Community Colleges Are Popular 130Is Your Local Community College Any Good? 134Getting Credit for Your Work 139College Admissions Nuts & Bolts 143Knowing When to Do What 144Grading College Counselors 150Ditching the SAT 156Writing Your Way into College 162Visiting Campuses 167Acing the College Interview 170Getting In at the Last Minute 173College Diversity 175Diversity Blueprint 176Economizing for College 183Shrinking the College Tab 184Shrinking the College Tab, Part II 188Freebies and Best Buys 191Capturing Private Scholarships 196Navigating the Student Loan Maze 201The Student Loan Fiasco 202Student Loan Primer 206Disappearing Discounts 211Private Loan Perils 213Default Debacles 218Maximizing College Accounts 221A 529 Primer 222College Investing Cheat Sheet 228The Perils of Cashing Out College Accounts 233Grading Financial Advisers 237The Folks Back Home 243Parents Behaving Badly 244Getting Grandma to Help 250The College Solution Chest Sheet 253Resource Guide 259Index 267
