From One Parent to Another: Money Issues Venice CA

From One Parent to Another: Money Issues

They say hindsight is 20/20. In this series, you can find out what other parents learned while going through the process of finding, selecting, and paying for their student's education!

Check your options
Dave, a guidance counselor whose sons both attended private colleges on merit scholarships advises, ""Start doing your homework about colleges and their academic and merit-aid programs early, and as you narrow down the choices, make a personal contact and/or visit with the admission office. Having a support person on the college campus is a real plus when it comes to staying abreast of individual scholarship requirements and deadlines.""

Talk openly about money
Sue, a mom and financial aid officer regrets, ""I wish I had done a little more about making Kate more responsible for understanding her bill, her financial aid, and her obligations. She pretty much understood her obligations regarding working in the summers to earn her own book and spending money, but she didn’t have a clue about her bill, how it was paid, and what her loans were. I gave her the information, but I should have been a little more forceful in making sure she understood.""

Meredith, a financial aid director and a mother of a college senior explains, ""Families should have honest discussions with their children about family finances and how educational costs figure into the larger picture. This is probably a very new type...

Author: Alan Frost

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