College cost expert helping middle-class families pay less through smarter planning.
Sep 26, 2026
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1 min read
The beta period is over. The official 2027–28 FAFSA is live now.
Sep 22, 2026
The FAFSA has a sibling, and missing it can cost more than missing the FAFSA.
Sep 19, 2026
For one group of students, October's practice test is worth real scholarship money.
Sep 15, 2026
No essay. No committee. Some colleges post exactly what your teen's grades are worth.
Sep 12, 2026
3 min read
The moment your teen thinks does not count is usually the one that counts most.
Sep 8, 2026
The families who quit by October are the ones writing from scratch every time.
Sep 5, 2026
You asked. Here's the other half — the five things that make teachers' letters worse.
Sep 1, 2026
2 min read
The families who file in week one set up their accounts in September.
College Decisions
+1
Aug 29, 2026
The best letters are chosen in September, not asked for in October. Plus: the one-page cheat sheet that does the heavy lifting.
Aug 22, 2026
ED is a love decision. EA is a money decision. Most families need the second one.
Aug 18, 2026
4 min read
CLEP and dual enrollment turn high school time into college credit — here's the honest math.
Test Prep
Aug 15, 2026
There's a free way to answer this in one weekend, and it's sitting in an app most families never open.
Scholarships
+2
Aug 11, 2026
Scholarships are not a lottery. They're a filing system.
career exploration
Aug 8, 2026
It counts more than the expensive summer program. Here's how admissions readers see it.
Aug 4, 2026
More than 400 colleges charge nothing — and five great ones never have.
Aug 1, 2026
Inside holistic review, two things separate identical applications — and one takes seconds to read.
Jul 28, 2026
Before another college goes on the list, make it pass three tests. Not one.
Jul 25, 2026
A college can be a perfect academic fit and the wrong financial fit. The tour will never tell you.
Jul 21, 2026
The application list did not change. The family simply checked the fees, deadlines, and free opportunities before paying.
Jul 18, 2026
Let them practice now—before a missed payment costs more than a missed weekend plan.
Jul 13, 2026
Use this order before buying a laptop, calculator, test prep, or another expensive school-year item.
Jul 11, 2026
A tax-free weekend is only the first layer. Here’s how to lower the price even more.
Jul 7, 2026
Yours or your teen's. Most families never check either one.
College Search
+7
Jul 4, 2026
Before you choose a college, decide what you want life to look like after graduation.
Five Ps
Jul 1, 2026
Most families don't overpay because of tuition. They overpay because of one decision that happens much earlier.
