Even though the news may be promoting economic recovery, a recent UCLA study showing that middle aged parents aged 50 to 64 are moving back into their elderly parents home with kids in tow for financial reasons – may support a competing meme that shows our current financial state isn’t so rosy. To further add…
Tag: Student loan
The Value vs. The Cost of the University of California
Recently, Janet Napolitano, current UC President, explained her view of the 190% tuition increase over the last decade, and how the UC system is trying to address cost issues for family: Until about seven or eight years ago, the state paid [more] and the university [through tuition] less. Now the percentages have almost totally flipped, so…
Is College Worth the Expense?
More Americans believe that going to college is NOT an affordable option.
College Degree = Value, Right?
Financial security, or the promise of lifetime employment, is often a reason for choosing to attend college. However, recent income and employment trends may give college-bound students pause to further contemplate their expectations of job security with a college degree. 44% of today’s college graduates are underemployed, meaning they don’t need a college degree for…
Why Winning Free Money Takes Effort
Scholarships are not mysterious. Winning them takes work – which is only a continuation of the efforts to be eligible to compete for scholarships in the first place.
Rising Student Loan Delinquency
Student loans can help fund college expenses, yet create a future financial burden for students when in repayment. Currently, the total of student loans 90 days or more delinquent is at a record high of $124.3 billion – an increase of more than $3 Billion since last quarter. Possible reason for the delinquency can include…
The State of the Recent College Graduate
Just in the last month, more recently graduated or soon-to-be-graduated college students have re-connected with Creative Marbles for post-college advising. Degrees (almost) in hand, “Now what?” is the question, as these grads move back home with mom and dad. The current sentiment as published in today’s Wall Street Journal gives insight into the world our…
Choosing Colleges With The Price Tag In Mind
Price is increasingly becoming a factor in choosing colleges for application, and enrollment. 67% or two-thirds of families surveyed recently for a Sallie Mae study, eliminated potential colleges at some point in the application and research process based on price, with 40% not even researching colleges after learning the yearly costs. Our clients are following…
Student Loan Repayments May Cost More Than The Amount Borrowed
Changes to repayment rules for Federal student loans offers borrowers flexibility to manage their debts, as outlined in a recent New York Times article. However, not only do the recent changes provide assistance for current borrowers, potential student loan borrowers can plan ahead. Our recommendations are outlined, alongside excerpts of the article in italics. Rising…
What is Financial Aid?
After talking with 200 parents and students yesterday evening at a local Sacramento area College Fair about financial aid, I wanted to offer additional advice, as families continue working to fund rising college expenses. Then, the general sense of nervous anticipation about the expense of college amongst last night’s group can be used to fuel…
College Admissions Can Seemingly Provoke More Questions Than Answers
Questions abound when parents and students are moving through the college admissions process, especially when everyone has a story to tell about who got in where and the media reports the falling admit rates at selective universities around the country, as well as annually rising college tuition and increasing average student loan amounts. A…
A Growing Gap: Rising College Tuition vs. Income
The value of college may not be reflected in the cost of college. However, the media attention to average student debt and annually rising college costs can mask the value of college. In addition, when the average costs of goods and services (i.e. inflation) is greater than the average rise in earnings for 99% of Americans…
Salary: Only One Measure of A College’s Worth
“To get a good job,” is an oft heard reason why a student is headed to college, usually stated while their parents nod vigorously in the background. A recent New York Times article–New Metric for Colleges: Graduates’ Salaries–discusses the merits of using a college graduate’s average earnings as a measure of a campus’ value, which…
More College Admissions 101
Additional insights to answer the complex questions Hewlett Packard employees asked during our second College Admissions and Financial Aid Brown Bag Lunch, since we were limited in our discussion time last week. Each topic is bolded, with the details listed below: College Application Essays The autobiographical college application essays are a meaningful part of any…
A Career May Be “Part Time”
“Full time” employment may not come from only ONE job for college grads. The Los Angeles Times provides more details on the “part-time” and temporary jobs growth. Cartoon Credit: http://www.intoon.com/cartoons.cfm/id/125005