How to Craft a College Budget That’ll Set Up Your Student for Success

It’s May! Congratulations to all our graduating seniors!

Our students have received offers from so many great colleges all around the U.S., including Bucknell, Cal Poly, Claremont McKenna, Grinnell, Macalester, Penn State, RPI, Smith, Syracuse, U. of Hawaii, U. of Oregon, UC Berkeley, UC Riverside, Virginia Tech, Whitman and many more. Another decided to take on a gap year program called LeapNow.

Every student has found a college that’s a great academic, social and–very importantly– financial fit for their family!

As your family preps for graduation and beyond, creating a college funding plan will be a critical step to your success. A key portion of that is the college budget. For some tips, check out our featured article Making and Sticking to a College Budget, where a current college student offers a practical quick-start guide on budgeting from her experiences scrimping and saving at UC Irvine.

Speaking of California, if the cost of living is making you second-guess college choices, you’re not alone! Opting for a low-cost city could save you $6,000+ dollars per year. Check out the 20 Cheapest US Cities for College Students to learn more.

Summer is almost here, and it’s a good time for college planning! Join us for one of our upcoming webinars: Student Loan 101: Using Student Loans to Help Pay for College will guide you through basics of private loans, federal loans, repayment plans, and everything in-between. How to Survive Paying for College gives you the steps to figuring out the “paying for college” process.

Let’s kick-start your college funding process this summer with a webinar, or schedule a college funding consultation with me today!

“Broke” and “college student” are often paired together when discussing the typical student’s financial situation. Between struggling with a part-time job (or several) and academics or waiting until your next financial aid disbursement, you might find yourself struggling to get by at one point or another during your college years.

College is stressful enough, but the worry about whether or not you’ll be able to pay rent if you spend money on both your groceries and credit card bill before your next paycheck shouldn’t add to the endless list of worries.

In order to feel less stressed about your financial situation during your college years, try to make and stick to a college budget that will help you control your spending and saving so that your financial situation falls to the bottom of your list of worries.

Student loans can be a headache, but they don’t have to be!

In this special webinar, Beatrice explains student loans, from federal to private to repayment options, to help guide your family and piece together a plan. Every family is different, so let’s work together to find the best option for you.

When comparing colleges, many students focus on the cost of tuition and fees. But room and board can cost just as much — or more — than your actual education. The cost of room and board averages $10,800 a year at in-state public four-year colleges and $12,210 at four-year private nonprofit schools, according to College Board.

As a student, choosing a college in an area with a low cost of living can help you keep expenses low. Below, we highlight 20 U.S. cities that offer college students affordable prices on essential living expenses.