Affording College Archives - College Countdown

Affording College

The Importance of Late-Stage College Savings

Between your child’s packed schedule plus the daily demands of your family’s life, it can feel like there aren’t enough hours in the day or enough dollars to cover today’s…

Patricia A. Roberts, J.D.September 14, 2025

Affording College Parenting

Teaching Your Student Financial Intelligence

Too much, and they never learn the value of a dollar. Too little, and they’re stressed instead of studying. The right number isn’t one-size-fits-all, but there is a right way…

David Q. Hao, MA, JDAugust 31, 2025

Affording College Using Your 529

The Power of the First Step: Open a 529 and Build Your Future

It sounds simple. That’s because it is. And that’s exactly why so many families wait. We wait for a raise. For the “right” account. For the moment when everything else…

David Q. Hao, MA, JDAugust 17, 2025

Affording College Using Your 529

6 Smart Steps for Parents of Rising Juniors

This is the year when post-secondary pursuits will likely start to feel more “real” -- and a growing sense of what's next may start preoccupying minds. As such, junior year…

Patricia A. Roberts, J.D.August 17, 2025

Affording College

When 529 Funds Are Not Needed As Planned

The reasons parents find themselves no longer needing to fully utilize the value of their 529 account most typically relate to the student’s receipt of a full or partial scholarship,…

Patricia A. Roberts, J.D.August 11, 2025

Affording College Junior Student Senior Student

What Can Get in the Way of Your Student’s Financial Aid?

While your student should be enthusiastic, feeding off this contagious vibrancy as they prepare to embark on a new academic year, it may be that this momentum of beginning or…

Richie Gebauer, Ed.D.August 2, 2025

Affording College

Insider Tips for Parents Navigating Financial Aid

1. Start your scholarship search early. The best time to search for scholarships is during your child's junior and senior high school years. Most scholarship deadlines fall between January and…

Anna PetersJuly 22, 2025

Affording College

Worried About College Costs? Read This First.

If you're like most families visiting College Countdown, you've been saving for years. Now, you're approaching a moment of truth— that point when a voice in the back of your…

Cassandra DiBenedettoJuly 10, 2025

Affording College

8 Ways to Help Your Student Stretch Every Dollar in College

We’re talking books, housing, mystery fees, and $7 coffees your student swears are “essential.” For low-income students, every dollar has to work overtime. But here’s the secret: with a little…

Cassandra DiBenedettoJuly 7, 2025

Affording College Junior Student Senior Student

Paying for College in California

Despite best efforts to save and utilize cash flow, many of us face a shortfall when it comes to paying the tuition bill. Fortunately, the state of California offers a…

Bright Horizons College CoachJuly 6, 2025

Affording College

4 College-Saving Tips from a Seasoned Pro

Developed from more than two decades of experience in the higher education financial aid space, these tips may make paying for college more bearable. Start Saving Early. Higher education is…

Anna PetersJuly 1, 2025

Affording College

Preparing for the Unanticipated Costs of Freshman Year

If you’re like many families, you spent a significant amount of money this past school year on college applications and senior year events. And when thinking about the upcoming cost…

Patricia A. Roberts, J.D.May 31, 2025

Affording College

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