Fact of the month
From the National Center for College Costs (NCCC) – "Results show that after controlling for background characteristics and college experience variables, students who filed a FAFSA have 72% higher odds of persisting (in college) than their peers who do not file. The effect of filing a FAFSA was even more significant among lower-income Pell Grant eligible students, as these filers have 122% higher odds of persisting compared to their peers who do not file a FAFSA. These results emphasize the critical need for targeted public policies and institutional practices aimed at increasing FAFSA completion rates." From: McKinney, L. & Novak, H. (2011). The Consequences of Leaving money on the Table: Examining Persistence among Students Who Do Not File a FAFSA. Journal of Student Financial Aid, 41(3)
College Vibe Reverb
Providing Indiana families with a powerful resource to determine the cost of college through the formula applied for all need-based aid available through FAFSA. Free! To receive an estimate of your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) as well as estimates of financial aid at Indiana colleges and universities, you will need to complete five screens of information. The more fully and accurately you complete each screen, the more accurate the EFC estimate and the estimates of net cost for a chosen institution.
Link: http://www.indianacollegecosts.org/calculate-your-college-costs
Student Costs
Link: http://www.collegecosts.com/nccc/whats-new/monthly-features/?id=ff6279be-c051-4242-a2dd-c974ae32e1bf
529 Savings Plan
I frequently access podcasts of APM: Marketplace Money – a recent search with key words “529 Savings Plan” produced some great articles and resources. Among the resources listed – SavingforCollege.com which provides performance rankings information on college savings programs.
Link: http://www.savingforcollege.com/articles/2012-plan-performance-rankings-q3
