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8 Tips for College Students Interested in Studying Abroad

January 3, 2011 By

Autumn in South Africa II
Creative Commons License photo credit: geoftheref

Studying abroad continues to be one of the top five interests of college bound students according to Brooke Roberts, an expert in international education and founder of http://insidestudyabroad.com. According to the Open Doors 2010 Report on International Education Exchange, an annual report published by the Institute  of International Education with funding from the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, 260,327 students studied abroad for credit during the academic year 2008/2009.

“Studying abroad is right for just about any student barring any health or physical restrictions. The real question is what program is right for you,” said Roberts. “Students need to think about the why, what, where and how of study abroad.”

In order to help students prepare for a successful study abroad experience, Roberts recommended the following tips for students during #CollegeChat.

1.      Contact your university’s study abroad office.  According to Roberts, a student’s study abroad office should be their primary source for study abroad information. After you research opportunities with your school’s study abroad office you should also research programs through online directories like GoAbroad.com.

2.      Make sure to investigate the full range of study abroad programs. College students have a multitude of study abroad programs available to choose from ranging from two weeks to a full calendar year. According to the Open Doors 2010 Report, 55 percent of U.S. students choose short term programs, 41 percent choose mid length programs while a little more than 4 percent choose a full academic or calendar year program. Short term programs are the most popular, according to the report, because they offer the greatest financial and academic flexibility.

3.      Select a study abroad program that is on your university’s approved list. Most universities’ study abroad offices maintain a list of university approved programs that guarantee students academic credit if attended and requirements met. “Don’t get stuck paying for a program that your university won’t recognize for credit. It’s a huge headache,” reports Roberts.

Also make sure that the program you are interested in has also been approved by your school for financial aid. “Universities typically limit the number of study abroad programs to which students can apply federal and institutional aid. By selecting a program that is approved for credit and financial aid students can save buckets of money,” said Roberts.

4.      Check in with your financial aid office. Once you have narrowed down your choices make sure to review them with your financial aid office. Make sure you understand how your financial aid award will apply to the program. In addition, check that your financial aid award factors in any other expenses you may have while studying abroad. “Students should also make sure to complete the FAFSA before studying abroad –even if they don’t think they will qualify.  Since studying abroad is often more expensive than staying on campus, students will often qualify for more aid,” explained Roberts.

5.      Consider exchange programs especially if finances are a concern. Exchange programs can often be the best financial deal for students according to Robert. Exchange programs are agreements between a American university and a university abroad. The agreement calls for students to swap places but continue to pay their home school costs. Exchange programs are best for independent, driven students since there is less support available to them.

6.      Talk with students who have participated in study abroad program you are interested in. A fellow student that has already been on the program you are interested in is generally a good place for advice. Make sure to find out about their experience and whether they would recommend the program.

7.      Search for scholarships. Study abroad scholarships are typically for students going to non- traditional locations such as South America, Africa, the Middle East, Russia and Asia. According to Roberts, it is more difficult to find scholarships for Europe since it’s the most popular destination. Robert recommends students check out GoAbroad.com for scholarships at http://scholarships.goabroad.com/index.cfm. Students need to begin looking for scholarships at least nine months before they plan to go abroad. Most scholarships have a deadline to apply a semester before the student plans to study abroad.

8.      Consider adding an internship to your study abroad program. Many study abroad programs that last at least a semester include an internship. “Interning abroad can be the one two punch that helps land a student a job after graduation,” said Roberts.

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8 Tips for Applying for Financial Aid for College Bound High School Seniors

December 15, 2010 By

Widening Perception
Creative Commons License photo credit: jurvetson

While January 1, 2011 marks the deadline to apply to college for many colleges across the country it also signals the beginning of the financial aid process for the 2011-2012 school year.  Increasingly, for many college bound high school seniors, what they are able to get for financial aid will largely determine what college they attend. During #CollegeChat, Sharon McLaughlin, a college planning consultant and financial aid expert and founder of McLaughlin Education Consulting (http://www.headforcollege.com) provided her best tips for college bound high school seniors to ensure the best financial aid package.

1. Apply for Financial Aid early. In order to have the best chance to receive the best financial aid package possible, students need to make sure they apply for financial aid as soon as possible. College Financial Aid Offices have a fixed amount of institutional aid to dispense each year. In addition, many states have their own deadlines for students to complete the FAFSA in order to be eligible for state funds.

2. Understand what falls underneath Financial Aid. Grants, loans, institutional scholarships, and work study make up a typical financial aid package. Grants and scholarships are not paid back so are generally considered the most desirable forms of financial aid.

3. Fill out the FAFSA. In order to begin the financial aid process you must fill out the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid).  In order to be considered for any financial aid—even institution based scholarships as well as merit aid scholarships—families must fill out this form. Although the 2011-2012 FAFSA on the Web Worksheet isn’t available yet you can review the 2010-2011 worksheet to review the materials you will need to have to apply.

4. Find out your Expected Family Contribution (EFC). The EFC is what the government says a family and student should pay based on family income and assets. The EFC is determined by the information a family reports on the FAFSA application. Families and students need to understand that the EFC is merely a starting point and colleges can award money however they want.  If you haven’t filled out the FAFSA yet, you can get an estimate of your EFC through CollegeBoard.com online EFC calculator at http://apps.collegeboard.com/fincalc/efc_welcome.jsp?noload=Y . FinAid.com provides both a federal and institutional calculator at http://www.finaid.org/calculators/finaidestimate.phtml.

5. Find out if you need to complete the CSS Financial Aid PROFILE. A number of private colleges and universities require students to fill out a CSS Financial Aid PROFILE. You should be able to easily determine whether the college you have applied to does by going to their financial aid section on their web site. If in doubt, contact the college financial aid office directly.

6. Remember all students are eligible for financial aid regardless of income. “One of the biggest myths about financial aid is that my parents make too much,” said McLaughlin. “All students are eligible for financial aid even if it’s only Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loans. Families that make over $200,000 per year may qualify for loans and non need based scholarships and grants.”

7. What can you do if your parents refuse to fill out the FAFSA. “Parents who refuse to file the FAFSA only hurt the student,” said McLaughlin. “No FAFSA means no aid in most circumstances. Students should not try to get parent information on the sly. A parent signature is needed in order to file the FAFSA and falsifying the FAFSA is a federal crime.”

According to the FAFSA web site, “Under very limited circumstances, an otherwise dependent student may be able to submit the FAFSA without parental information due to special circumstances.” To find out if you fall under special circumstances you can review http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/faq002.htm#faq002_3 .

8. How to appeal a financial aid decision. In the event a family’s situation has changed financially due to a job loss or other reasons, a student should appeal to the financial aid office for a review. McLaughlin recommends the first step should be to call the financial aid office and explain what has happened and how to go about appealing the financial aid package.

Sharon McLaughlin is a former college administrator with more than twenty years of experience in student enrollment services. Sharon draws her expertise from her work at private and public colleges in New England, both as a college admissions and financial aid administrator. Sharon holds a MEd in Adult Education and was the first professional college planning consultant in Central Massachusetts the designation of Certified College Planning Specialist (CPPS) from the National Institute of Certified College Planers (NICCP).

About #CollegeChat

#CollegeChat is a live bi-monthly conversation intended for teens, college students, parents, and higher education experts on Twitter. #CollegeChat takes place on the first and third Tuesday of the month at 6 pm Pacific/ 9 pm Eastern. Questions for each #CollegeChat edition can be sent to Theresa Smith, the moderator of #CollegeChat via http://Twitter.com/collegechat , by entering questions online on the CollegeChat Facebook page at http://ht.ly/1XIqV , or by email. More detailed information about signing up for Twitter and participating in #Collegechat  can be found at  http://pathwaypr.com/how-to-participate-in-a-twitter-chat .CollegeChat can also be found on Twitter at http://Twitter.com/collegechat .

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International Education Expert to Discuss What College Students Need to Know about Studying Abroad on #CollegeChat

November 11, 2010 By

Brooke Roberts, an expert in international education and founder of http://insidestudyabroad.com , will discuss what college students need to know about studying abroad on  #CollegeChat on Twitter on November 16, 2010 at 6 p.m. Pacific/ 9 p.m. Eastern.

During #CollegeChat, Roberts (http://twitter.com/instudyabroad), will address a number of issues to consider about studying abroad including:

  • How to determine if studying abroad is right for you
  • How do you begin the research for a study abroad program
  • How to make sure the program is safe, reputable and your college will accept the credits
  • How to pay for study abroad
  • Will study abroad be viewed as meaningful to future employers or graduate school
  • Should you include an internship in your study abroad program

Brooke Roberts is an expert on international education having studied abroad three times during college, worked in two university study abroad offices, consulted on international education, and worked for three study abroad companies. Brooke earned a BA in International Affairs & Political Science from Northeastern University and a MA in Higher Education & Student Affairs from Bowling Green State University. Since then she has taught English in China, helped students intern abroad with EUSA Academic Internships, worked on the Semester At Sea Fall ’08 voyage, developed the study abroad office at the University of South Dakota, and is now Marketing Manager with CIS Abroad. Brooke writes about international education at www.InsideStudyAbroad.com, and you can follow her on Twitter at http://Twitter.com/thenewdorothy and http://Twitter.com/instudyabroad .

About #CollegeChat

#CollegeChat is a live bi-monthly conversation intended for teens, college students, parents, and higher education experts on Twitter. #CollegeChat takes place on the first and third Tuesday of the month at 6 p.m. Pacific/ 9 p.m. Eastern. Questions for each #CollegeChat edition can be sent to Theresa Smith, the moderator of #CollegeChat via http://Twitter.com/collegechat , by entering questions online on the CollegeChat Facebook page at http://ht.ly/1XIqV , or by email. More detailed information about signing up for Twitter and participating in #Collegechat  can be found at  http://pathwaypr.com/how-to-participate-in-a-twitter-chat .CollegeChat can also be found on Twitter at http://Twitter.com/collegechat .

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Financial Aid Myths and Facts for College Bound High School Students and Parents on Next #CollegeChat

October 29, 2010 By

Sharon McLaughlin, a college planning consultant and financial aid expert and founder of  McLaughlin Education Consulting (http://www.headforcollege.com) , will discuss with college bound teens, college students and parents why it is important to know the facts about financial aid and not the myths during the next #CollegeChat on Twitter on November 2, 2010 at 6 pm Pacific/ 9 pm Eastern.

During #CollegeChat, McLaughlin ( http://twitter.com/shashmc) , will dispel the most common financial aid myths including:

  • My parents make too much money to qualify for financial aid
  • Applying for financial aid will hurt my child’s chance to get into a highly selective college
  • Financial Aid is not available for families making over $160,000 a year

In addition, McLaughlin will also address:

  • How to apply for financial aid
  • What financial aid consists of
  • Why it is important to file for financial aid as soon as possible
  • What to do if your parents refuse to fill out the FAFSA
  • How do you consolidate student loans and why is this important
  • What do you do if you can’t make your student loan payment due to a financial crisis

Sharon McLaughlin is a former college administrator with more than twenty years of experience in student enrollment services. Sharon draws her expertise from her work at private and public colleges in New England, both as a college admissions and financial aid administrator. Sharon holds a MEd in Adult Education and was the first professional college planning consultant in Central Massachusetts to receive the designation of Certified College Planning Specialist (CPPS) from the National Institute of Certified College Planers (NICCP). In 2008, Sharon was honored as a “Woman of Achievement” by the Center for Women & Enterprise in Worcester, Massachusetts.

About #CollegeChat

#CollegeChat is a live bi-monthly conversation intended for teens, college students, parents, and higher education experts on Twitter. #CollegeChat takes place on the first and third Tuesday of the month at 6 pm Pacific/ 9 pm Eastern. Questions for each #CollegeChat edition can be sent to Theresa Smith, the moderator of #CollegeChat via http://Twitter.com/collegechat , by entering questions online on the CollegeChat Facebook page at http://ht.ly/1XIqV , or by email. More detailed information about signing up for Twitter and participating in #Collegechat  can be found at  http://pathwaypr.com/how-to-participate-in-a-twitter-chat . CollegeChat can also be found on Twitter at http://Twitter.com/collegechat .

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Parents Countdown to College Coach to Detail What High School Juniors and Sophomores Need to Do Now for College Admission Success

September 19, 2010 By

Suzanne Shaffer, founder of Parents Countdown to College Coach, (http://www.parentscountdowntocollegecoach.com/) a web site dedicated to helping parents navigate the college maze by providing the right tools for organization and success, will provide parents and teens with a list of strategies they need to deploy to help ensure success with college admissions on #CollegeChat on Twitter on September 21, 2010 at 6 pm Pacific/ 9 pm Eastern, Theresa Smith, principal of Pathway Communications (http://pathwaypr.com)  and moderator of #CollegeChat announced today.

According to Shaffer, author of “Parents Countdown to College Toolkit”, by planning early college bound teens can get a leg up on the college process. During the upcoming live #TwitterChat, Shaffer ( http://twitter.com/SuzanneShaffer)  will address and help prioritize high school junior and sophomore’s action items including:

  • Tips for how teens can stay organized with college information
  • How to ensure teens are taking the right college preparatory classes
  • When should students start building a resume and why is it important
  • When should students first take the SAT or ACT
  • What tests should sophomores take
  • How long should students study for test
  • Should students take AP courses
  • When should students start visiting colleges
  • How early should students be looking into scholarships; what resources are available

For over ten years Shaffer has been coaching parents on the college journey and how to find the funds to finance that education. She has counseled parents in admissions, scholarships, financial aid, and the importance of early college preparation. Having been successful in guiding her children and many others to fulfill their dreams of college educations, she is committed to equipping other parents with the right tools necessary for them to become their own “parent coach”. With these tools they will be confident and prepared to guide their college-bound teen in the pursuit of their college dreams. Shaffer is the founder of the highly regarded site Parents Countdown to College Coach.

New to Twitter?

In order to participate in the chat, attendees will need to have a Twitter account.  To sign up for a Twitter account, go to http:// twitter.com. The easiest way to follow the chat is to use TweetChat (http://tweetchat.com). Simply log in to TweetChat with your Twitter information (email or username followed by password) and then enter in CollegeChat without the “#” and you will be placed into the chat room with only those participating in #CollegeChat. More detailed information about signing up for Twitter and using TweetChat can be found at http://pathwaypr.com/how-to-participate-in-a-twitter-chat .

About #CollegeChat

#CollegeChat is a live bi-monthly conversation intended for teens, college students, parents, and higher education experts on Twitter. Questions for each #CollegeChat edition can be sent to Theresa Smith, the moderator of #CollegeChat via http://Twitter.com/collegechat , by entering questions online on the CollegeChat Facebook page at http://ht.ly/1XIqV , or by email. CollegeChat can also be found on Twitter at http://Twitter.com/collegechat .

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College Admissions Expert Provides High School Seniors with 8 Action Items to Help Ease the College Admissions Process

September 13, 2010 By

With Labor Day marking the un-official end to summer,  high school seniors are now back in school gearing up for what many students consider the grueling and stressful college admissions process. But according to Mark Montgomery, PhD, a college admissions expert and president of Montgomery Educational Consulting (http://greatcollegeadvice.com/), the college admissions process doesn’t need to be so stressful. On the last #CollegeChat, a live bi- monthly conversation intended for teens, college students, parents, and higher education experts on Twitter, Montgomery shared his tips on what students can do to prepare for college admissions.

“Even if high school seniors are busy, it’s not too late to get started. There is plenty of time to get everything done. Seniors just need to get organized,” said Montgomery.

Montgomery recommends the following tips to ease the college admission process.

Decide if you are going to take any more standardized tests. High school seniors need to quickly determine if they want or need to take the SAT, ACT, or SAT II subject tests. Both the SAT and ACT have only two test dates left to register for in 2010. More information about test dates can be found http://sat.collegeboard.com/register and http://www.actstudent.org/regist/dates.html.

In addition, Montgomery recommends that students not take any of these tests more than three times. “I usually say three times and you’re out. For some students I tell them once is enough.” According to Akil Bello, (http://twitter.com/akilbello) the vice president of Educational Development for Bell Curves, “Kids who do it right take four to eight practice tests and one to two real tests.”

Students also should assess whether the SAT or ACT is best for them. Bello commented that the best way to choose between the SAT and ACT is to take a free practice test of each. For students that don’t test well no need to panic. Sharon McLaughlin (http://twitter.com/shashmc) , founder of McLaughlin Education  Consulting, pointed out that an increasing number of colleges are  test optional. A list of these schools can be found at http://www.fairtest.org/university/optional.

Don’t drop your challenging course work and keep up your grades. Senior year matters and students need to be careful about both keeping their grades up as well as not pulling any senior pranks that might negate their college acceptance letters.  “Seniors need to keep going all the way to the finish line. Don’t let up senior year and beware of senioritis. It can be detrimental to your future,” advised Montgomery.

Many colleges review the first semester of senior year transcripts before making their admission decision.  In addition, McLaughlin said, “Colleges will ask for the final high school transcript and have been known to revoke offer if student’s grades slipped.”

Matt Impink (http://twitter.com/goal2025) of the Lumina Foundation for Education,  remarked that keeping up challenging course work senior year is very important because “it’s about preparing for the rigor of college.”

Determine your EFC. EFC is expected family contribution. It is what the government says a family and student should pay based on family income and assets. The EFC is determined by the information a family reports on the FAFSA application http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/index.htm. FAFSA stands for free application for federal student aid. In order to be considered for any financial aid—even institution based scholarships—families must fill out this form.

There are two ways of calculating EFC: the government’s way via the FAFSA and the “institutional” way. According to Montgomery, the institutional way is basically how colleges tell students their price. No two institutions are exactly the same. “Colleges use the EFC as a starting point , then they decide how much they want you by lowering the price,” explained Montgomery.

“I think every family, once their child is in high school should obtain their preliminary EFC,” said Lynn O’Shaughnessy (http://twitter.com/collegeblogs), award winning college author and blogger.

CollegeBoard.com offers a free online EFC calculator at http://apps.collegeboard.com/fincalc/efc_welcome.jsp?noload=Y and FinAid.com provides both a federal and instiutitonal calculator at http://www.finaid.org/calculators/finaidestimate.phtml.

“It’s important to understand that EFC is only a starting point for schools. They can give money to whom they want,” said Russell Golowin, (http://twitter.com/Russell_Golowin), estate planning lawyer and financial aid adviser.

Go after schools where you are in the top quarter academically. If cost in an important factor “students should choose ones where you are at the top of the academic heap,” said Montgomery. “A reach college is rarely the best financial choice unless it’s one of the most wealthy and selective colleges.” Reach schools are schools that are probably out of reach for a student to be accepted to based on SAT scores and a student’s high school resume including their GPA and course work.

Janson Woodlee,( http://twitter.com/IvyEyesEditing) founder of  Ivy Eyes Editing, a writing and admissions consultancy,  added that  “Collegeresults.org is a great place to start by comparing graduation rates and other good data.” Students can also gather good information about colleges at http://www.collegeboard.com/.  At CollegeBoard.com students can search for colleges based on a number of factors including cost, location, and majors.

“I like to tell my students to think like Cinderella, let the suitors bring you gifts to attract you to their kingdoms,” said Montgomery.  And the most effective way of attracting colleges, is to be in the top quarter of admitted students reported SAT  and ACT scores as well as GPA. This information is readily available on college websites.

In an online post  “Ten College Planning Tips for Tough Economic Times” http://greatcollegeadvice.com/ten-college-planning-tips-for-tough-economic-times/ Montgomery wrote, “So if  Elmer Fudd College reports the middle 50% ACT range of 22 to 26, this means 25% of students scored lower than 22, and another 25% scored 27 or higher.   An applicant to Elmer Fudd College with an ACT of 29 has a much better chance of receiving a solid financial aid package than the applicant with a 22.”

Fine tune your college wish list and don’t eliminate schools with a high sticker price. Don’t eliminate expensive colleges from your list. Montgomery recommended that students keep in mind that the price of college is “like airline fares. Everyone is going the same place, but everyone on the plane is paying a different price.

O’Shaughnessy  recommends students use the Federal College Navigator website http://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/ and research a college’s Common Data Set to research the real price of a school. Recently, O’Shaughnessy wrote about how to research Common Data Set at http://thecollegesolutionblog.com/2010/09/02/common-data-set-101/. She also recommends Collegeboard.com for some quick stats such as average financial aid package and the ratio of loans to grants.

Understand what makes up financial aid.  Talk to your family about the college fund. Financial  aid includes grants, scholarships, loans and work study. “But I can’t really think of loans as financial aid. Loans are really just you paying the same amount later,” said Montgomery. “Colleges will brag about how much money they offer in “aid” but a big chunk of that “aid” is really loans.”  Obviously the most desirable forms of financial aid are grants, scholarships, discounts and work study—aid that does not need to be paid back.

In the event a student is not happy with their financial aid package it is possible to try to have it reviewed. However, Montgomery said, “Renegotiating aid can work, but only in some circumstances. The college has to really want you.”  O’Shaughnessy agreed, “Colleges will negotiate for the kids they want bad.  Those who barely got in will not get more generous aid.  And most elite colleges often don’t negotiate because their financial aid packages are generous to being with.”

However, in the event a family’s situation has changed financially due to a job loss or other reasons, a student should appeal to the financial aid office for a review recommended McLaughlin.

Montgomery also stresses the importance of a family sitting down and talking about how much money is in the family budget for college. “In tough economic times, students and parents need to think about their financial future.”

Make sure you understand the difference between Early Action versus Early Decision. If you apply to a college early decision it means if accepted you are “bound” to attend that college provided that the college provides an “adequate” financial aid package. A student can only apply to one college “early action” but may apply to other colleges through the regular admission process. If the student is accepted “early decision” all other college applications must be withdrawn. This means that a high school may only send the final transcript to the “early decision” school.

Montgomery explained that early decision means, “If you accept me, I promise to attend. The problem with early decision for financial aid is that it’s harder to get the lowest price when you promise to get married if he asks.”

Early action plans, while similar to early decision, are not binding. Students can also apply to more than one school early action. “Consider early decision or early action if you really don’t worry about financial aid and if you are positively in love with that school,” said Montgomery.

Finish by Halloween. Last but not least, Montgomery recommends to the students he advises to finish all their college applications by Halloween. Then, in order to meet this deadline, they just back up the timetable to accommodate this deadline. That means if you haven’t started your college essays and applications  you need to get started now.  Hopefully, you have already asked for your teacher recommendations. If not, politely request them now. After all, it’s six weeks to Halloween.

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Eight Tips for College Students to Save Thousands of Dollars on College Costs

July 27, 2009 By

Disclaimer-Client news release

LA CANADA, CA, July 27, 2009— Over the next month nearly 19 million students are set to return to college campuses across the country during the worst economic crisis in more than 70 years. Making matters worse, over the last 25 years, tuition and fees have risen four times faster than the rate of inflation. But according to Steve Loyola, president and founder of Best Book Buys (http://www.bestbookbuys.com), a leading online comparison shopping service for textbooks and books, students can save thousands of dollars off their 2009/2010 college costs

“These are very challenging times for students and their families,” said Loyola. “But, with a little planning, research and good bookkeeping, students and their families can save thousands of dollars off expenses including textbooks, room and board, taxes, car expenses, health insurance and cashing in on AP credits. You just need to get started now and not delay.”

Loyola recommends the following tips:

  • Buy textbooks online. According to the College Board’s Annual Survey of Colleges, students spend more than $1000 per year on books and supplies. By comparing the cost of buying textbooks at an online comparison shopping site like BestBookBuys.com, students can save up to 76 percent off the list price of their textbooks. BestBookBuys.com compares the cost of renting or buying used, new, and international textbooks across thousands of online sellers and online stores including eBay, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Abebooks, Powells, Textbooks.com, Chegg, half, Overstock and many others. BestBookBuys compares the cost of more than 6 million book titles and also enables consumers to compare the costs of books via their cell phones at http://m.bestbookbuys.com
  • Compare the cost of meal plans. Meal plans vary widely in price and the number of meals allowed.  For example, at Occidental College meal plans range from $1,790 to $2,615 per semester and at Vassar College meal plans range from $2,140-2,742.50 per semester. By selecting a mid range plan, students can save hundreds of dollars annually.
  • Consider making a financial aid appeal. If your family’s finances have taken a detour in 2009 compared with 2008, do consider filing an appeal with your financial aid office. Check your college’s website for instructions. If you can’t find instructions, call your college’s financial aid office. If one of your parents lost their job or the family income was reduced, explain in detail. If you haven’t applied for financial aid, do so by filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
  • Don’t forget to claim the new higher education tax credits made available by the stimulus plan signed in February. Under the credit, taxpayers can get a reduction in their 2009 tax bill of up to $2500 per student provided the tax filers have an adjusted gross incomes of less than $80,000 a year (if single) or $160,000 (if they file jointly). An eligible family with two kids in college could get a tax credit of $5,000. In order to get the credit, you will need to fill out IRS form 8863.
  • Check your health insurance. Many colleges charge a built-in fee for health insurance through the college. If you are already insured on your parent’s policy, appeal this amount. At the University of California Irvine, for example, you could save $671 per year if covered under a separate health insurance policy.
  • Leave your car at home. By leaving your car at home you will not only save on the amount you pay in car insurance but also on parking permits ($711 annually at UCLA and $568 annually at the University of Arizona), gas, oil and other upkeep. Check out instead if your college town offers free public transportation to students, many do.
  • Make sure to claim your Advanced Placement (AP) credits. By now, incoming freshmen have received their AP scores. Check out www.collegeboard.com/ap/creditpolicy to see if your score may have earned you college credit. In addition, if students received scores of 3 or higher on at least three or more AP Exams, they should check with their college to see if they have sophomore standing. If you have sophomore standing and attend a public university you may have saved yourself at least $6,585, the average tuition and fees at a four year public university according to 2008 Trends in College Pricing from the College Board.
  • Consider going to summer school. By attending summer school at a junior college, students can potentially save hundreds if not thousands off their college expenses. Just make sure to take the description of the course(s) you are considering to your college advisor to make sure they will accept the credits.

Best Web Buys first made a name for itself twelve years ago with the launch of one of the first online price comparison sites- Best Book BuysÒ. Best Book Buys has been helping college students from more than 1500 colleges across the nation find the best prices for their new and used textbooks since 1997. Best Web Buys’ five product specific sites — Best Book Buys, Best Music Buys, Best Video Buys, Best Bike Buys and Best Electronic Buys — compare prices, shipping and availability of more than six million titles and items at hundreds of online stores and thousands of Alibris, eBay, half.com and Amazon marketplace sellers. Steve Loyola, a former Jet Propulsion Laboratory computer scientist, founded the company.

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