Planning for College: Show me the money!

Sending a teenager to a flagship state university for four years of on-campus living costs more than $100,000 in many parts of the United States. Meanwhile, many families of freshmen attending selective private colleges will spend triple--over $300,000. With the same passion, smarts, and humor that infuse his personal finance column, Ron Lieber offers a much-needed roadmap to help families navigate this difficult and often confusing journey.  Lieber begins by explaining who pays what and why and how the financial aid system got so complicated. He also pulls the curtain back on merit aid, an entirely new form of discounting that most colleges now use to compete with peers. While price is essential, value is paramount.

Peterson's® How to Get Money for College 2021 is a great resource for students looking to supplement their federal financial aid package with aid from colleges and universities. This comprehensive directory points students and their families to complete and accurate information on need-based and non-need gift aid, loans, work-study, athletic awards, and more. Profiles of more than 2,400 schools' financial aid awards, including types of aid, percentages of students applying for and receiving aid, and average aid packages Unique Colleges-at-a-Glance Cost Chart, organized by state, listing the full costs that can be expected, aid packages, graduates' average indebtedness, and more for easy comparison of costs Comprehensive overview of the financial aid process, common financial aid questions, samples of financial aid award letters, the latest changes to the FAFSA® and how to file it, and how to complete the CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE® that's required by most private colleges and universities State-by-state listing of state-funded scholarship and grant programs Indexes include Non-Need Scholarships for Undergraduates, Athletic Grants for Undergraduates, Co-op Programs, ROTC Programs, Tuitions Waivers, and Tuition Payment Alternatives

Peterson's® Scholarships, Grants & Prizes 2021 provides up-to-date information on more than 1.6 million privately funded awards worth over 10 billion dollars available to college students. It contains detailed profiles of awards based on academic fields and career goals, ethnic heritage, talent, employment experience, military service, and other categories that are available from private sources such as foundations, corporations, and religious and civic organizations. Approximately 3,500 profiles include information on award amounts, eligibility requirements, application deadlines, contact information, and more. Easy-to-use indexes allow students to search for awards by criteria like academic fields/career goals, sponsoring organizations, employment/volunteer experience, military service, nationality or ethnic heritage, corporate or religious affiliation, talent/interest area, and location of study. Quick-reference chart lists programs offering awards ranging from $50 to $150,000 Informative articles offer tips on winning a scholarship with a winning essay, guidance on getting in the minority scholarship mix, ways to use social media to help pay for college, strategies for searching for and finding awards, and more.

Information on 1.5 million scholarships, grants, and prizes is easily accessible in this revised directory with more than 300 new listings that feature awards indexed by career goal, major, academics, public service, talent, athletics, religion, ethnicity, and more. Each entry contains all the necessary information for students and parents to complete the application process, including eligibility requirements, how to obtain an application, how to get more information about each award, sponsor website listings, award amounts, and key deadlines. With scholarships for high school, college, graduate, and adult students, this guide also includes tips on how to conduct the most effective search, how to write a winning application, and how to avoid scams.

A SMARTER WAY TO PAY FOR COLLEGE. Take control of your financial aid experience with this essential guide--the only annual guidebook with line-by-line instructions for completing the FAFSA aid forms! Financing a college education is a daunting task no matter your circumstances. With line-by-line instructions for filling out the FAFSA and consumer-friendly advice to minimize college costs,