Affordability Center
No one who is looking to better themselves through higher education should have to graduate with
unsustainable debt. Unfortunately, increasing numbers of students are taking larger and larger loans.
According to the Institute for College Access & Success, over a 10-year period “average student debt at graduation has risen 56%, from $18,550 to
$28,950, more than double the rate of inflation (25%).” Even in the facing of these rapidly increasing
numbers, students often feel that loans are there only recourse if they want a college education. We
established AffordableColleges.com’s Affordability Center to provide students with the information and
knowledge they need to finance their education without staggering debt. Here you will find the resources and
guides compiled by our expert research team that will show you how you can make your college education
affordable.
Affordability Center
Who It’s For |
How It Helps |
Why It’s Useful |
- Undergraduate students
- Graduate students
- Parents
|
We’ll walk you through the FAFSA step by step and make sure you
get the maximum aid award. |
FAFSA can be overwhelming, especially your first time filling
it out. We break the application down to help eliminate confusion. |
Who It’s For |
How It Helps |
Why It’s Useful |
- Minority students
- Parents
|
We provide a list of scholarships created specifically for minority
students, with information including eligibility requirements, deadlines, and application
directions. |
Searching through hundreds of scholarships online can be
stressful. We’ve sorted through the relevant ones and organized them so that you can easily
determine which scholarships you are eligible for. |
Who It’s For |
How It Helps |
Why It’s Useful |
- Students with disabilities
- Parents
|
This is a comprehensive breakdown of financial aid opportunities
available to students with disabilities, including intellectual, physical, and sensory
disabilities. |
Students with disabilities face unique challenges in college.
This list sorts scholarships based on specific disabilities to help you find the options that best
align with your needs and experience. |
Who It’s For |
How It Helps |
Why It’s Useful |
- Students who have served in the military
- Students who have parents in the military
- Students who are married to someone in the military
|
Our list includes general military scholarships, scholarships by
military branch, and scholarships for each branch of ROTC/JROTC. |
Service members and families of service members may not be
aware of all the funding available for their schooling. Our extensive list will almost certainly
include a financial aid package that applies to you. |
Who It’s For |
How It Helps |
Why It’s Useful |
- Incoming/undergraduate students
- Graduate students
- School financial aid offices
- International students
|
This guide applies to all students who have questions about choosing
an accredited school, filling out the FAFSA, seeking financial aid, and avoiding scams while doing
so. |
We answer all the questions you need to know before applying
for financial aid, including which types you should seek out and how to make sense of each
offering. |
Who It’s For |
How It Helps |
Why It’s Useful |
- Undergraduate & graduate students interested in applying for scholarships
- Organizations offering financial aid assistance to students
|
This is a go-to page for info, FAQs, and tips about scholarships for
all students. |
Knowing which type of scholarship to apply for can be
difficult. This guide is here to help you narrow down your choices. |
Who It’s For |
How It Helps |
Why It’s Useful |
Female graduate and undergraduate students applying for
scholarships |
Aside from general scholarships for women, we break down this list
into industry-specific scholarships, scholarships for minority women, and scholarships for special
groups. |
More women are earning degrees in higher education than ever
before. This extensive list of scholarships will likely include an option for women from all
backgrounds. |
Who It’s For |
How It Helps |
Why It’s Useful |
- Current students
- Prospective students
- Parents
|
Inside you will find details on completing the FAFSA, submitting
scholarship applications, and successfully repaying student loans. |
Both students and parents need to know the ins-and-outs of
borrowing money to pay for college. We provide information for both, clearly explaining the
benefits and pitfalls of financing an education. |
Who It’s For |
How It Helps |
Why It’s Useful |
- Parents
- Grandparents
- Legal guardians
|
Analyzes the most popular college savings plans piece-by-piece, so you
can easily understand the best option for your financial situation. |
Many families aren’t aware that there are number of
college savings plans that offer specific benefits when used to pay college tuition. Our guide
puts all of that information in one place. |
Who It’s For |
How It Helps |
Why It’s Useful |
- LGBTQ students
- Parents of LGBTQ students
|
Navigating the many resources and organizations dedicated to LGBTQ
students can be overwhelming. We have compiled and reviewed them here to make your college search
easier. |
Many LGBTQ students and their parents don’t realize the
number of opportunities available to them. Our guide outlines everything you need to know about
LGBTQ resources as you plan for your higher education. |
Who It’s For |
How It Helps |
Why It’s Useful |
- Prospective online students
- School financial aid offices
- Parents
|
We provide a list of online colleges offering free laptops, detailed
information on the types of deals offered at each school, and resources to help you choose the
right device and save money as an online student. |
A lot of free laptop offers come with a catch. We’ve
sorted through the fine print to let you know how each school’s policy works, which type of
device you’re getting, and other benefits that are included in the package. |
Who It’s For |
How It Helps |
Why It’s Useful |
- High school seniors
- Parents
- Students transitioning to college after a gap year
|
In our guide, we weigh the pros and cons of taking a gap year, discuss
the types of students who benefit from the experience, and provide an extensive list of gap year
programs and financial aid options to fund them. |
Many students shy away from the idea of taking a gap year due
to the associated costs. We provide students with a straightforward resource to help them plan an
affordable gap year that aligns with their academic goals. |
Who It’s For |
How It Helps |
Why It’s Useful |
- Incoming/Undergraduate Students
- School financial aid offices
- Parents
|
We provide a breakdown of ways students can pay for college without
the help of parents, starting with choosing the most affordable college. |
Paying for school is stressful, and even moreso for students
who aren’t receiving financial help from their parents. We want to help these students by
laying out the most practical options to pay for school, while leaving them with the least amount
of debt possible. |
Who It’s For |
How It Helps |
Why It’s Useful |
- Transfer students
- Parents
- School transfer offices
|
This guide helps walk students through the process of transferring
schools. Specifically, it focuses on the transfer process from a community college to a four-year
school. |
Transferring to a new college can get messy. We’ll make
sure you are prepared ahead of time, with advice on researching your credit transfers to making
sure your financial aid carries over. |
Who It’s For |
How It Helps |
Why It’s Useful |
- Incoming/undergraduate students
- School financial aid offices
- College graduates
|
We provide a list of job options for current students and soon-to-be
graduates who want to pay off debt as quickly as possible — whether that means working
through college or through a loan forgiveness program. |
Some students may be unaware of the opportunities available
to help pay off loans during school and after graduation. We’ve created this guide to help
you begin managing your student debt right away. |
Who It’s For |
How It Helps |
Why It’s Useful |
- Incoming/undergraduate students
- Parents
- Homeless or at-risk students
|
This guide will cover the advantages and disadvantages of different
student housing options, focusing on both financial and logistical considerations. |
The transition to college is stressful enough. We made this
guide to lay out the various options for college housing and to help make at least one big
decision a little easier. |
Who It’s For |
How It Helps |
Why It’s Useful |
- Students
- Parents
- Study abroad offices
|
We’ll walk you through the process of planning a study abroad
trip, from researching locations and filling out applications to paying for your trip with the
help of financial aid. |
Planning for an extended stay overseas can be stressful. We
provide checklists, resources, and step-by-step instructions to help keep you organized through
the process. |
Who It’s For |
How It Helps |
Why It’s Useful |
- High school students
- Undergraduate students
- Students who have served in the military
|
There are several methods of assessing prior learning to determine
whether to give students college credit for work experience. In this guide, we go over different
types of PLAs and discuss how colleges and universities use them to evaluate students’
experiential learning. |
Many students may be unaware that their out-of-classroom
learning can be worth college credit. We discuss the ways you can shorten your degree completion
time before you even begin college through exams, work training, or military service. |
Who It’s For |
How It Helps |
Why It’s Useful |
- International Students
- College Admissions Offices
|
This guide explains the federal aid process and helps international
students navigate the challenges and opportunities they will come across along the way. |
Finding ways to fund your degree as an international student
can be challenging. We provide a list of scholarships and other options to help pay for your
overseas education. |
Who It’s For |
How It Helps |
Why It’s Useful |
- Incoming Freshmen
- undergraduate Students
|
If you’re starting to research college programs and are
wondering whether a BA or BS degree is right for you, we can help walk you through the process.
|
We go over the similarities and differences between a BA and
a BS, providing example courses from real school programs to help you decide. |