Nearly 70% of students graduate with close to $30,000 in debt. But you don't have to be one of them! In these pages, acclaimed author Kristina Ellis walks you through the wide world of college-finance options, presenting tips, secrets, and strategies so you can develop a personalized plan. A plan to overcome obstacles and get your degree debt-free. With Kristina as your mentor, you'll discover how to: -Establish a winning money mindset -Save up and cut costs before you get to campus -Figure out the dollars and sense of financial aid -Secure your share of free cash for college -Earn money to pay as you go -Choose a school and a major that's worth it -Stretch your funds when every penny counts With determination, the right information, and a well-planned strategy, you can earn that career-advancing degree and graduate from college debt-free. #NotGoingBroke

Every parent wants the best for their child. That’s why they send them to college! But most parents struggle to pay for school and end up turning to student loans. That’s why the majority of graduates walk away with $35,000 in student loan debt and no clue what that debt will really cost them.1 Student loan debt doesn’t open doors for young adults—it closes them. They postpone getting married and starting a family. That debt even takes away their freedom to pursue their dreams. But there is a different way. Going to college without student loans is possible! In Debt-Free Degree, Anthony ONeal teaches parents how to get their child through school without debt, even if they haven’t saved for it. He also shows parents: *How to prepare their child for college *Which classes to take in high school *How and when to take the ACT and SAT *The right way to do college visits *How to choose a major A college education is supposed to prepare a graduate for their future, not rob them of their paycheck and freedom for decades. Debt-Free Degree shows parents how to pay cash for college and set their child up to succeed for life.

Take this journey with us as we share our best tips and tools to graduate without any student loan debt. This book provides the unique perspective of the HBCU and PWI financial experiences in one source! You will learn from two young Black women from the inner cities of Chicago and Detroit that graduated from college debt-free as first-generation students. Hint: it wasn't with just one large full-ride check. We weren't athletes or brainiacs! This book tells you how to get access to the excess so you can pay off debt and/or stay out of debt completely. "The total amount of outstanding student loans reached an all-time high in 2020, at $1.57 trillion... Based on the current rate of growth, aggregate student loan debt could reach $2 trillion by 2024 and $3 trillion by 2038." This statistic, along with many others, confirms that there are not many resources out there that provide practical steps on how to obtain a debt-free degree. We live in a society where it has been normalized to carry the burden of debt at a young age, and that is NOT ok. Let us help you make your dreams a reality. It's time to GRADUATE TO FREEDOM! - Nia Hill and Angel Stallings

This book can save you more than $100,000. These days, most people assume you need to pay a boatload of money for a quality college education. As a result, students and their parents are willing to go into years of debt and potentially sabotage their entire financial futures just to get a fancy name on their diploma. But Zac Bissonnette is walking proof that this assumption is not only false, but dangerous-a class con game designed to rip you off and doom your student to a post-graduation life of near poverty . From his unique double perspective-he's a personal finance expert (at Daily Finance) AND a current senior at the University of Massachusetts-Zac figured out how to get an outstanding education at a public college, without bankrupting his parents or taking on massive loans. Armed with his personal knowledge, the latest data, and smart analysis, Zac takes on the sacred cows of the higher education establishment. He reveals why a lot of the conventional wisdom about choosing and financing college is not only wrong but hazardous to you and your child's financial future. You'll discover, for instance, that: * Student loans are NOT a necessary evil. Ordinary middle class families can- and must-find ways to avoid them, even without scholarships. * College "rankings" are useless-designed to sell magazines and generate hype. If you trust one of the major guides when picking a college, you face a potential financial disaster. * The elite graduate programs accept lots of people with non-elite bachelors degrees. So do America's most selective employers. The name on a diploma ultimately won't help your child have a more successful career or earn more money. Zac can prove every one of those bold assertions - and more. No matter what your current financial situation, he has a simple message for parents: "RELAX! Your kid will be able to get a champagne education on a beer budget!"

You'd love to get your kids through college debt-free-but your kids aren't getting any scholarships, you haven't saved for college, and you make too much to get government financial aid. Is there still hope? Yes, but you'll need someone to guide you. In LAUNCH, academic strategist Jeannie Burlowski lays out clear, step-by-step strategies that empower parents to get their kids through high quality, best-fit colleges debt-free-and then directly into jobs they love afterward. Experts rave about LAUNCH: "The checklists at the end of each chapter in this book are fabulous. They're golden. Well worth the entire price of the book." -Bob Shorb, former associate dean of admissions and financial aid and director of student aid and family finance, Skidmore College "Students who go through college without career direction are, as Jeannie Burlowski says, 'like archers who pull the arrow back on the bow string, shoot, and then years later look around for the target.' This book helps parents set their kids up to take aim early and fire a sure shot, whether that's at medical school or at some other worthy endeavor." -Dr. Paul Amble, MD, assistant clinical professor, Yale School of Medicine "I'm a Morgan Stanley wealth management advisor, and after I read this book cover to cover I purchased 30 copies for clients. Every financial advisor needs to know the information in this book. It's valuable for all types of families-from those that think their income is too high to qualify for aid, to those that worry they'll go into debt paying for college. We utilize this book in our financial planning practice as we guide our clients to the things that matter most in their lives. If you're confused about how FAFSA works or what your kids should contribute, this book will provide clear answers. I was especially impressed with the way the book breaks down the pertinent information with chapters that align with the age of your kid. And the checklists for each chapter allow families to pick and choose the advice that best works for their family. My favorite part of the book is that it is truly a parenting book-with tips and insight for raising strong, thoughtful people who care about improving the world. The focus is on the outcome: your child becoming a successful and happy adult. If you're going to choose a financial advisor, you need to make sure that they know the specific college planning information in this book and are utilizing these ideas in their practice." -Alix Magner, financial advisor, Morgan Stanley, Minneapolis, MN "I'm a certified financial planner who cares deeply that parents are able to send their kids to college without risking their retirement. You can be sure I'll be recommending this book every chance I get." -Mike Branch, CFP, Focus Financial, Minneapolis, MN "High school guidance counselors have a difficult time covering the intricacies of the college admission and financing process in the small amount of time they have to work with a large number of students. This book fills in all the gaps-and more-for parents." -Josie Robinson, author and former high school guidance and career counselor, White Bear Lake Area High School And here's what parents like you say about LAUNCH: "We only used a small fraction of the ideas in this book, and our daughter graduated from an excellent private university at age 20 and went straight to her dream job at Disney. Read chapters 1 and 2 when your kid's in middle school!" -Liz and Tim Weatherhead, Bloomington, MN

To properly manage college costs, you need to understand the real price tag of a higher education, including hidden fees that surprise students after they enroll in a college or university. College Secrets and its companion book, College Secrets for Teens, reveal the true costs of earning a college degree – and then provides hundreds of money-saving ideas to help students and parents reduce or eliminate these expenses. College Secrets can save you $20,000 to $200,000 over the course of a four-year education. In this book, you’ll discover: · 22 hidden costs that college officials never talk about · 24 tricks to slash in-state and out-of-state tuition costs · 7 tips to keep room and board expenses under control · 13 strategies to save money on books and supplies · 14 lifestyle costs that students must manage wisely · 6 do’s and don’ts to avoid credit card debt in college · 12 steps to boost your odds of winning scholarships · 15 common mistakes that reduce your financial aid … and much, much more! The College Secrets series is your roadmap to paying for college the smart way – with some sanity, truth and planning in the process, and without going broke or winding up deep in debt.

Presents a guide to controlling college costs that furnishes helpful tips on the financial aid packages available, filling out application forms, educational loans, updated tax regulations, and additional sources of revenue.