Paying for college these days can take more planning than ever before, which means that parents and students need even more help and guidance than they once did. Navigating today's confusing sea of Pell Grants and income protection allowances can be tricky, so it's important to start early and investigate all your options. The Complete Idiot's Guide to Financial Aid for College, Second Edition, helps you find your way through the maze of options.

Most futures depend on it This comprehensive, fully updated edition shows readers how to get scholarships, find the best financial aid packages for academic or sports skills, improve one's chances of receiving financial aid, take advantage of the new tax laws to build a college savings plan, and much more. Also includes a newly updated yellow-pages directory with names, addresses, and information on where to inquire and how to apply for financial aid. • A must-have purchase for anyone considering budgeting for or financing a college education

A higher education without falling deep in debt. With the lack of financial aid, grants, and scholarships available today due to the economic climate, parents and students need serious help in finding ways to pay for college. Savings plans and resources have disappeared. Loans seem impossible to pay off. That's where The Complete Idiot's Guide® to Paying for College steps in. It helps develop an action plan for people to budget and pay for college right now, and if necessary, strategize repayment after graduation. It also explains how to: • Find ways to lower the cost of tuition and room and board • Find honest–to–goodness free money • Discover more affordable options like college credit for military service, peer–to–peer lending, or attending nontraditional colleges and universities

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Financial Aid for College helps parents and students create a plan to pay the costs of a college education. It is filled with practical advice about where to find low-interest loans, how to take advantage of tax laws, how to negotiate the best aid offer, and how to improve the chances of receiving financial aid. A special feature is the information directory, the names and addresses of places to inquire about and apply for financial aid. The book also contains up-to-date aid forms and explains what credit history information to include.

The grown-up’s guide to higher education. Adults make up 41% of students on campus today, but the truth is many enter college feeling lost, uncomfortable, and “too old” in the traditional class structure. This book provides information that is unique to the adult learning experience, including selecting the right school and courses, online enrollment and advisement, school for the full-time parent, juggling classes and a job, and more. - Author Dolores A. Mize, PhD, is a higher education leader who received her doctorate as a single parent. - Covers every unique challenge for the adult college student.

Cruise your way to the Ivy League! It's no secret that it's harder to get into college these days. Ivy League and other selective schools have record numbers of applicants, making the competition even steeper. This must-have guide carefully explores the to-do's to gain admission to a top-tier school. Students and parents will learn about choosing the right school, what college admissions officers really consider when making their decisions, early decision versus early action, and what being on the waitlist means. • Provides sample essays, recommendation forms, resources, and websites • Includes advice from guidance counselors and admission officers of top colleges • Between now and 2015, there will be more than 3 million high school graduates each year