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Answers to what students and parents ask me most — scholarships, testing, majors, and paying for all of it.

Testing · August 1, 2021

ACT, SAT, CLT: Which Test Should You Take?

Most colleges require entrance exams again, and your score is often tied straight to your aid package. Here's how the three compare.

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Planning · February 26, 2020

Pros and Cons of Taking a Gap Year

Between 30,000 and 40,000 American students take a year off before college. Whether it helps depends entirely on the plan.

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Scholarships · October 23, 2019

More of My Favorite Scholarship Websites

More of the sites I keep coming back to when I'm hunting for scholarship money on the road.

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Essays · March 6, 2019

The Scholarship Essay Mistake to Avoid at All Costs

One mistake shows up in scholarship essays over and over, and it costs students real money.

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Scholarships · March 6, 2019

Athletic or Academic Scholarship — Which Is Better?

My brother had 53 full-ride athletic offers and academic offers to match. Which kind is actually worth more?

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Scholarships · November 12, 2018

My Favorite Scholarship and College Help Websites

The scholarship and college-planning sites I recommend most often, and what each one is actually good for.

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Majors · September 24, 2018

Tips for Choosing Your Program of Study

The question I ask students at college fairs isn't what they want to study. Here's what I ask instead, and why.

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Applications · September 4, 2018

What Scholarship Judges Look For

An interview with an actual scholarship judge on what makes an application stand out of the stack.

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Choosing a College · August 23, 2018

College Choice: Do Your Homework (Part 2)

Part two: cost. What student debt really looks like after graduation, and how to weigh a school's price honestly.

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Choosing a College · August 16, 2018

College Choice: Do Your Homework (Part 1)

My dad told me college would shape me through my professors and my friends. He was right — start with fit.

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