By Lee Shulman Bierer Soaring student debt, it’s a hot topic. Every presidential candidate is talking about it and that’s because the average debt of a senior graduating from college is nearly $30,000. That figure is even more frightening since many families are able to send...
What do you need before you fill out the FAFSA? If you need financial aid to help you pay for college, you must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) form. The 2020–21 FAFSA form just opened this week on Oct. 1, 2019. You...
by Lee Shulman Bierer How much will it cost? More than you anticipated for sure, but evaluating the value of the investment for your child's college education can bring up a variety of issues. Please don’t be one of those parents who encourage their students to apply...
LEE SHULMAN BIERER Photo by Wofford College/Mark Olencki Last week, I started putting together a financial aid primer for families interested in the intricacies involved in paying for college. While many students won’t have to pay full sticker price for their college education, most families will need to evaluate...
LEE SHULMAN BIERER Photo by UNC Asheville If you’re the parent of a high school senior and you’re thinking about how to pay for college without going broke, it’s a whole new, expensive world. From my perspective, there are just two kinds of money: “great money,” or free...
LEE SHULMAN BIERER ECU student Luke Holloman works on his laptop in a study booth on the second floor of Joyner Library. Cliff Hollis, ECU News Services Should you fill out the FAFSA? In a word, yes. Many middle-class families have convinced themselves that filling out the Free Application...
Lee Shulman Bierer The first question students ask is: “Will I be accepted at college X?” The first question parents often ask is: “How can we afford to pay for college X?” With college tuition prices escalating annually – faster than the cost-of-living index – discussing what funds...
LEE SHULMAN BIERER D-Day, or Deadline Day, for Early Decision applicants and a variety of Early Action options is just a week away on Nov. 1. Just after that crunch deadline is when many high school seniors will hopefully take a breath and perhaps even take...
LEE SHULMAN BIERER Clemson color guard members take the field at Memorial Stadium in Clemson, S.C. File photo by The State/Charlotte Observer A few weeks ago, I wrote about the opportunities for out-of-state students to receive in-state tuition benefits at the University of South Carolina. This was...
By LEE SHULMAN BIERER University of South Carolina students return to the Columbia campus in August 2015. File photo by thestate.com “You shouldn’t have to pay sticker price.” That’s music to college parents’ ears, especially when that sticker price is now topping $70,000 per year at more...
