The College Essay Guy Podcast: A Practical Guide to College Admissions

414: A Crash Course in Paying for College & Common Affordability Myths

Dec 28, 2023

Financial aid specialist Amanda Miller joins the host to discuss paying for college, winning scholarships, avoiding debt, and finding affordable colleges. They debunk myths about financial aid appeals and out-of-state tuition, providing valuable tips for navigating college affordability and financial planning.

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ADVICE

Tools for Assessing Affordability

Use net price calculators, college scorecard, and resources like TuitionFit to assess affordability.
Check college websites for specific scholarships.

ANECDOTE

Financial Aid Appeals

Appealing for more aid works best after significant life changes, not just wanting a better deal.
Use professional judgment appeals for FAFSA-only schools and additional information for CSS profile schools.

ADVICE

Debt and Alternatives

Explore alternatives like community college, AmeriCorps, or military service if debt is a concern.
Consider financially viable substitute colleges with similar qualities to your dream school.

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On today's episode, Ethan is joined by Amanda Miller, who got her start in financial aid through the College Advising Corps at Davidson College in 2014. A few thousand students, several resources, and dozens of financial aid presentations later, Amanda's an independent financial aid specialist and college adviser who also serves as the financial aid go-to lady for the Matchlighters program and someone we consider to be a part of the extended College Essay Guy family.

Ethan and Amanda discuss:

How do people identify the best ways to pay for college?
What are some things that people who win scholarships do differently?
What's the most important thing a student can do to make college affordable and avoid going into tons of debt?
How can you learn which colleges are likely to be affordable to you?
Myths on topics ranging from financial aid appeals to applying out of state

Play-by-Play

1:45 - Intro
2:49 - How do people pay for college?
4:39 - Where does most of the money come from when it comes to paying for college?
5:28 - What are the three types of scholarships?
7:28 - How do students win scholarships?
10:38 - How does the FAFSA help students pay for college?
15:21 - How do students avoid taking on too much debt?
19:23 - How do students figure out what kinds of colleges will be affordable?
27:30 - What are some of Amanda's favorite affordability tools for students and parents?
29:43 - Amanda busts some college affordability myths
37:33 - How can families determine if college is truly worth the cost?
41:42 - What is the difference between "cost of attendance" and "net cost"?
44:04 - Why should most people still complete the FAFSA?
47:57 - What is a reasonable amount of debt to graduate with?
50:21 - What steps should students take to figure out their financial plan for college?
51:52 - Closing thoughts

Resources

Financial Aid Advising with Amanda Miller (The Counselor Lady) Meeting Request
Crash Course on How to Pay for College
How to Make College Affordable Mini-Course for U.S. Students and Families
How to Make College Affordable Mini-Course for College Counselors and Educators
College Scorecard – US Department of Education
TuitionFit – Mark Salisbury
CollegeXpress
The College Finder: Choose the School That's Right for You! Fourth Edition – By Steven R. Antonoff, Ph.D.
Podcast Episodes:
121: Which Schools Are the Most Generous With Financial Aid? (US Version) – Jeff Levy, financial aid expert
122: Which Schools Are the Most Generous With Financial Aid? (International Version) – Jennie Kent, international financial aid expert
411: Finding Your Why, What a Liberal Arts Education Really Is, and How to Figure out What You Actually Want – Ann Marano (Colleges That Change Lives)