Free Resources

Booklets
Pocket Guide to College Financial Aid
College Financial Aid refers to money from a variety of sources used to help pay college costs. Our 10-page Pocket Guide helps you understand Financial Aid Lingo, Forms, Formulas, and Sources. Get started on your way to navigating college financial aid with confidence! Download PDF
My Profile
My Profile is a workbook developed to put at your fingertips all the information about yourself you need to select colleges, develop your application message, complete your application, and harvest inspiration for essays. My Profile is a comprehensive organizational tool and Insightful guide to discovering what you are looking for in your college experience. Download PDF
Pocket Guide to College Success for Students with Learning Differences
More than 6 million students have been diagnosed with some sort of barrier to learning that makes school more difficult for them. Low college graduation rates among students with LDs are caused, in part, to both financial difficulty and how well the particular school serves the needs of an individual student. This guide supplements our blogs and other free resources with information specifically aimed at helping students with learning differences understand how to match the level and types of services and assistance they need with schools that can provide the bedrock for their college success. Download PDF
Mini-Courses
How Colleges Build Financial Aid Packages
Learn the secrets of college financial aid before you apply to college. This 12-minute video shows you how to estimate your likely net price at any college of interest. This understanding will help you develop strategies that can save thousands, even tens of thousands of dollars, in overall college costs. Watch Now
What Do Reach, Match, and Safety REALLY Mean?
A successful list of colleges to apply to is built on realistic expectations of your acceptance into each school. This 18-minute video helps you assess your application the way admissions officers do, and sensibly gauge whether a college of interest is a Reach, Match, or Safety for you. Watch Now
Infographics
Understand Net Price
Net Price is the amount of money you are responsible to pay annually towards the cost of attending college. Learn about Net Price, what goes into it, what affects it, and how to calculate it, with our handy infographic. Download PDF
How to Assess Reach, Match, Safety
Reach, Match, and Safety have to do with the likelihood of your acceptance to a college. Learn what these terms mean and how to realistically measure your odds at any college of interest with this useful infographic. Download PDF
Estimate of EFC Based on Parent Income Alone
EFC is “Expected Family Contribution,” and the minimum amount of money your family is expected to pay each year toward college costs. This infographic provides a snapshot of EFC estimates based on parent income alone. Download PDF
Other Resources
Making the Most of Your College Fair
College Fairs are a great opportunity to gather information and talk with Admissions Counselors from a wide range of schools. But don’t go to one before checking out our 9 tips to help you make the most of this experience. Download PDF
Guide to The Common Data Set
There are many sources of college data on the internet, but the most comprehensive information about a college can be found in its most recent Common Data Set. This guide outlines how each participating college’s data is presented in the Common Data Set. Download PDF
Application Expenses Worksheet
Application costs can add up fast, but you can control them with thoughtful planning and budgeting. This worksheet helps you keep track of, and evaluate at a glance, the application expenses you may be facing. Download PDF
Financial Aid Award Comparison Worksheet
Financial aid award letters can look different from each other making it hard to figure out your net price at each school. This worksheet will help you decipher your letters and compare your awards dollar-for-dollar. Download PDF
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Paying for college shouldn't be harder than going to college!
This no-nonsense, user-friendly book by College Admissions HQ reveals a host of strategies that empower families to significantly reduce college costs.
The 2023 Edition is fully updated for the 2023-24 school year and includes a chapter that prepares you for the big changes coming to the FAFSA and college financial aid in the 2024-25 school year.
Available on Amazon