Larry Slater

Fast Track to FAFSA
Introducing the FAFSA: Let the Funds Begin
Getting financial aid starts with the Free Application for Federal Student Aid or FAFSA.
By filling it out, you apply for the U.S. Department of Education’s federal student aid programs, the largest source of student aid in America. In many cases, you’re also automatically applying for funds [...]

Get the Most Bang for Your Buck
Money Management Tips: Spend with Care

Make a budget and stick to it. A budget is just a self-imposed guideline for how much money you can spend and what you can spend it on. You will be amazed at how much farther your money goes when you have a [...]

Get The Correct Match
There’s so many important factors in choosing a college that will work for you. The atmosphere at the university and the community that it’s in and the people that are there. What city is it in? What part of the country is it in? What’s it like to live there? But it’s [...]

Spend with Care

Make a budget and stick to it. A budget is just a self-imposed guideline for how much money you can spend and what you can spend it on. You will be amazed at how much farther your money goes when you have a budget.
Avoid credit cards. In college, you’ll get tons of credit [...]

Endless Possibilities
Going to Work: Create a Career
Some people simply have “jobs,” while others have “careers.”
What’s the difference? With a career, the kind of work you do is based on your interests. It’s a path you’ve chosen. College can help you turn your passions and interests into a career you love.
Fast Fact: Choosing a college major [...]

Financial Aid 101
What It Costs:  See The Big Picture
Many students worry that tuition and the other costs of continuing their education will be out of reach. But don’t let the price tag stop you. It’s only part of the picture.
Most students receive some kind of financial aid to help pay for the cost of their [...]

Don’t Go It Alone
New People, Places, Ideas: Learn out of Class
College is about more than training for a career. It’s also about discovering yourself and learning to think and live independently. A lot of that occurs outside the classroom. The new people you meet. The new environments you visit. The new ideas you find. This [...]

Making Opportunities Affordable
Paying for It: Be Open to What’s Possible

When it comes to dealing with the cost, there’s no need to get stressed out, because for most families, financial aid resources are available. It will probably take a combination of research, preparation, planning and persistence, but paying for college is possible. Cost should never prevent [...]

Scholarships, Grants, Loans And More
One of the best ways to learn about all the available federal loans, grants and work-study opportunities is in Funding Education Beyond High School: The Guide to Federal Student Aid.
Scholarships: Earn to Learn
Scholarships are gifts. They don’t need to be repaid. There are thousands of them, offered by schools, employers, individuals, [...]

Create A Legacy Of Success
Benefits to Your Family: Now and for the Future
If you go to college, statistics show your children and even their children are more likely to go.
Families with higher levels of education tend to have a better standard of living. Plus, higher education enables you to help your family. With more earning [...]

You Can Succeed
You Are College Material: Believe It to Achieve It
At some time or another, many students have doubts that they are college material. A lot of the students you see on this site said they had these doubts.
But once they started putting in the effort to go to college, they realized that they could [...]

Tips And Guidelines
What They’re for: Show Your Stuff
High schools vary from place to place, so colleges can’t look at grades alone.
Standardized tests provide a consistent way for colleges to evaluate students. Most colleges require you to take one of the most common tests, the SAT® or the ACT®. Check with the colleges you plan to [...]

Be A Partner In Their Progress
In the Open: Talk to Your Child
When it comes to your child’s hopes to continue his education, communication is key. If you haven’t had this conversation yet, bring it up, the sooner the better. If he initiates the conversation, be a patient and attentive listener. Ask questions. How much research [...]

A Better Life Is Within Reach
More Education: Realize the Benefits
Helping a child get more education is the greatest gift you can give.
Today, education beyond high school is practically a necessity to build a better life. Whether it’s a 2-year or 4-year college degree, or a trade or technical certification program, more education opens doors to [...]