Excerpt from College Grad--No Debt, 2006, by Dr. Paul Ransdell
"While the financial aid package is the official offer from the institution, it may not be the final offer. Will a phone call help you win additional consideration, and hopefully additional discounts? Maybe, but it’s unlikely. A personal visit with the financial aid administrator, by appointment, is better. A letter in advance and follow-up ads strength to your request. Don’t expect special privileges just because you are you. Charm is nice, but it’s not the basis for financial aid packaging. You’re simply looking for an overlooked opportunity. Institutions sometimes under-award, and some monies remain available. Even after you enroll and classes have begun, some students didn’t matriculate, leaving available some financial aid. Do ask, never demand, only mildly anticipate, and always appreciate. Favorable results are more common than you might think."
Your Questions... (email: guidance@tuitiondiscount.com)
My oldest son is a rising 9th grader. When should I start considering using your service? Thank you for your help.
Your son could use our services as soon as now...or he could wait a few years. By registering now, your son will pop-up on the radar (that is to say, in the database) of the four colleges & universities to which our system matches him. That match is determined by the data he submits on the TuitionDiscount.com survey form, and the customized institutional profiles already in our database, using a mathematical algorithm for high compatibility.
The benefit of being in the institutions' databases now is that he will begin receiving mailings from colleges & universities, which will help keep him focused on college -- and that will help him make full use of his high school years in preparation for college.
Of course, he is more than welcome to try it now just to see what results he gets, and then to try it again in a couple years to adjust the results to more closely reflect his changing priorities and interests.
I am a 40 year old, who desperately wants to go back to school, to pursue a career in Medical Billing and Administration to better my life. Unfortunately like other students out there, I am not able to go to school, because there is no money to go. I am hoping that you can help me find the resources to be able to find someone out there that can help me.
You should pursue your goal with a wild passion.
By registering with the TuitionDiscount.com web site, our system will match you with four compatible colleges or universities, and they in turn will contact you with information about admission, and financial aid. In addition to federal and state aid, each semester you should also ask the financial aid officer at whatever institution you decide to attend about institutionally-awarded aid...how to apply...how to qualify...how to receive additional assistance!
You can do this, as I have seen a great many determined people make a challenging situation come together just by pursuing the dream with a firm commitment to succeed.
I am currently residing in the Dallas area in Texas and cannot find any college for graduate courses like MBA. Please help me out, as I have a family with three little children and I need some financial assistance badly!! Thank you for your time and God bless you!
The TuitionDiscount.com web site provides an online survey form that, when submitted, matches your data against a database of institutional profiles, and then displays those findings for you. By selecting Texas, Graduate Program, and business administration, you should get some pretty good results. Then, because of the high compatibility, you should contact those matched institutions about institutionally-awarded financial aid. There is a lot of money out there for graduate school, and I can tell you from experience, it tends to flow in the direction of those who ask the institution (department chairperson) for financial assistance.
My daughter has already been accepted at Towson University (Maryland)... She plans to major in graphic design. Can you help her identify tuition discounts at towson? The award letter she received only offered for us to apply for federal loans.
The best way for your daughter to pursue tuition discounts and scholarships at Towson University is for her to sit down with the financial aid office and ask a few key questions. Is there additional institutionally-awarded financial aid available? How can she qualify for additional assistance? If not now, what about next semester?…or next year? What must she do (accomplish) to win additional financial assistance in the future? She should ask these questions each semester for as long as she is at Towson. I would avoid student loans—that’s my best advice. She should work and save like mad, putting at least half of all her earnings on her student account at Towson. If she is what Towson seeks, they’ll likely assist her. If she is not, there are other institutions that can offer a more affordable high-quality education, and may be worth at least considering.
So much if this is in her hands! If she is intensely focused and determined, she will win in this endeavor. There is probably money out there for her, maybe at Towson, maybe elsewhere.
My son just graduated from high school and will be attending Bowling Green State University. I was listening to the Dave Ramsey Show and Mr. Ramsey spoke of your company. I am a single mom, and I was wondering about tuition discounts...
My first recommendation is that your son should attend a college that is within his (and your) budget...one that won't require student loans to pay for his attendance. BGSU is probably a very reasonable decision, financially...as reasonable as college costs can be, anyway. Next, he should apply for any and every scholarship he can, and the financial aid office will advise him on which ones are appropriate. In the meantime, he should work, work, work...and save, save, save...paying on his student account out of every paycheck (frequent small payments shows effort...and effort sometimes wins favor with those who can award any yet unawarded financial aid).
My son is signed up to go to Sam Houston University in the fall, how can he get discounts on going to the college? I heard about your website, I think it was on Dave Ramsey’s radio program.
There are three things to consider. He can and should have a serious conversation with the financial office at the university. It could lead to additional assistance from the institution. If it does not, then he still has a financial aid package, so he knows his expected family contribution, and he could look for more affordable alternatives in the area. And of course, getting expenses down and keeping them down is always important. Living on less than he makes is key. In the end, it is a matter of doing all he can do--looking under every rock, so to speak--and asking the institutional officials for help in the process, without resorting to student loans!
My daughter has been accepted to the University of Texas at San Antonio. Can your company provide information about financial assistance from this specific university?
While we cannot and do not speak on behalf of the institution, we do know college and university personnel are upstanding and universally benevolent people. Humanitarians at heart, they will help your daughter if they can. College choice is always the most important consideration. Cost first, everything else second. Like with most major purchases, Americans tend to buy as much as, or a little more than, we can afford. This university may not be out-of-reach, so to answer your question, the university's financial aid office can help you explore all avenues of additional financial support. I say avoid student loans--they hinder a career and family for years to come. But all other avenues could be viable for you, and the financial aid office will help you explore. There is perhaps additional institutionally-awarded financial aid available (scholarships, waivers, or discounts) based on merit, need, or her unique skills or circumstances. It starts with a conversation.
My son attends the University of Dayton and is a returning Senior this fall. He only lacks one semester but my funds are spent. Would you have any ideas on him getting some type of aid (besides FASFA) at the University of Dayton ( Ohio)?
While I cannot speak on behalf of the university, I can tell you financial aid administrators comprehend a pretty complex set or rules and policies, many unique to the institution. So I recommend scheduling a visit with the financial aid director or his/her designee. Your goal is to tap into any pocket of funds for which he may qualify. He could do this without you, but if you are carrying the burden of his tuition, you really should be the one. You are simply asking for help first, and ideas second (don't ask this question until you've thoroughly explored the first question). If there are pockets of funds available for which your son may qualify, you should feel comfortable knowing they are not intentionally withholding it...they want to award it to its fullest, as their aim is to genuinely help students pay for college.
My son has already been accepted to Theil College in Greenville, PA and has received an award for academics and early registration. Is there anything else that can be done now or is it too late?
It is never too late to sit down with the financial authorities of the institution to discuss your situation. I have seen it happen to the student's benefit, and I have experienced favorable results first-hand as a graduate student. I recommend having the conversation now, have it next term, next year, and every step along the way. You're looking for any residual unclaimed institutionally-awarded financial aid for which he may qualify. Or for a special service he can perform...a special need he may have, and so on. If the results do not pan out the way you want, use the meeting to make a friend, and have the conversation again down the road.
I've got a son starting at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville this fall. He'll be a freshman. We are trying to find ways to pay for this. The federal aid worksheet says we'll have to cover most of the cost, but I don't know how. You folks got any info that might help us?
While we are not agents of the university, so our information is not institution-specific, we have some ideas and encouragement. It is hard, but doable. College is important, so we have to ask ourselves, "How important?" Is it more important than driving a nice car? (And if your son has a car, how much additional tuition could be covered if he had no car...no gasoline, no insurance, no maintenance?) Is it more important than a cell phone, cable TV, a family vacation? I am not implying anything about you personally, or your ...I am only suggesting that at times in our lives, sucking in hard and tightening our belt is necessary, in whatever ways possible. If the math just simply does not work, then like any major purchase, we have to ask ourselves if this is the right decision. Are there more affordable higher education options in your area? Could two years at a community college (it likely costs less) set him up for a transfer to the university?...meanwhile, he and the family might be able to back up some money.
Hello; I’m pastor Lawson from Africa (Third world countries), l have a yearning desire to continue school in US but l ;m looking for scholarship to attend the school, please l need your help.
Thank you
I have forwarded your email to a few institutions that I think might be interested in hearing more about your situation. In the meantime, by registering and completing the free College Search questionnaire on TuitionDiscount.com, you will be scientifically matched with four institutions that are looking for students like you. While this might not address all of your scholarship needs, because these matches are based on compatibility, it should increase you odds. Hand in there and keep pursuing the institutions with which you match...and they should be pursuing you also.
Dear Staff,
I heard about your information from the Dave Ramsey radio show. We have had one child who graduated from college. One in her second year at Capital University for nursing. Another is enrolled at Bowling Green for social work.
We are lost in the midst of all the financial whirlpool. If anyone can help guide or offer some suggestion, it would be appreciated.
This is tough. I can read between the lines, and I want to help you, if I can. If I were in your shoes, this is what I think I would do... This may sound nutty, but I have seen something similar work before. If you could get a financial aid officer from one of the institutions your kids attend(ed), and a financial advisor (your banker or accountant), and perhaps even a deacon or pastor from your church...and invite them all over for a conversation. You could meet at the church, the bank, the public library, or your home. Serve them coffee and cookies. You want them to come over so they can sit down with your other trusted advisors and help you think through a growing problem before it gets totally out-of-hand. It is just like preventive medicine, so these folks do not have to help you fix a nightmare or a crisis...instead, they are helping you avoid one. Just confide in them, tell them you are inviting the people you trust--this person, that person, and the other person--with hopes of developing a good plan for getting your kids through college. (Don't let the banker sell you a student loan or mortgage refinance.) The financial aid expert is key to this get-together...he/she knows the system better than the others. But caring people with creative minds can develop a great plan. If for some reason you cannot get them together, get as many as you can, but do get all of them talking with one another by phone or email. The aim, they must understand, is to help you...it is not about retaining a student or making a loan--it is all about what is best for your family. My bet is that they will help you.
I attend National American University in Albuquerque, New Mexico. I heard about your website on the Dave Ramsey show, so hopefully you will be able to help me out. I am enrolled in the BA program and have a 3.50 GPA. I will finish the program in Aug., 2008. Thank you for your help and look forward hearing from you.
Assuming that what you seek is advice on securing additional institutionally-awarded financial aid, I always suggest starting with the financial aid office at your institution. You are probably well into the program, so shopping for alternatives may be out of the question. Are there discounts of which you are unaware? Here's what I mean. Competitive scholarships, discounts for referring new students, work-study jobs on campus, employer reimbursements, reduced cost for summer classes...these are examples of discounts typically overlooked. Your financial aid office can help you think this through. But how you frame the question is important: "If you were in my situation, what creative and overlooked ways would you implement to pay for your college?"
Good Morning! My wife is currently in graduate school at Auburn University-Montgomery. She is completing her second semester going part time because she teaches school during the day. Is it possible for her to get any tuition discounts or scholarships given her situation? She is an excellent student and can provide references as well as transcripts to back that up.
Merit-based financial aid is not necessarily exhausted all at once. Faculty are often heavily involved in these awarding decisions, primarily at public institutions. Therefore, there are probably scholarships, fellowships, and assistantships for which she can qualify and compete. A mentor once told me "there is a lot of money out there for graduate school." He was absolutely right, and I fell into a big slice of it, simply because I went in and asked the question. At the graduate level, a department chair or influential faculty member is a great point of contact. "Are there any funds available that I don't know about?...for which I might qualify?...If not right now, for next semester, or next year..." That's the question I asked, and because I had found the right decision-maker, I received a generous award.
Ask your question... (email: guidance@tuitiondiscount.com)
See Below for more answers to common questions:
Here’s a link to a popular guide for studying in the U.S. I hope this resource helps you.
http://www.edupass.org
We do not actually offer scholarships or grants…what we do, however, is match individuals with compatible institutions, thereby maximizing an individual’s consideration and likelihood of receiving institutionally-awarded financial aid (scholarships & discounts).
I recommend any and every institutionally-awarded scholarship the Univ of Houston can offer. She should meet with the financial aid office, her advosor, or the chair of her department and ask these questions. “Are there any scholarships for which I can apply to help me pay for college? Are there certain times of the year when classes are cheaper (summer, for example)? What can I do now to become highly competitive for additional scholarships next semester, or next year? Can we meet again next semester to look at my financial needs to see what else we can do at that time?”
You get the idea. Make sure you’ve caused them to think about every possible scenario or fund, by asking a whole host of questions, and posing different scenarios.
I have some advice for you. Be sure to read the email below, as it is a situation very similar to yours. I am recommending that students assume a heavy mantle of responsibility for their own education expense…working, saving, paying on their student account out of every paycheck. I recommend doing without a car, no cell phone, avoid credit cards (a BIG no-no anyway). Going to college without these things saves a lot of money, while borrowing for college while owning (or borrowing on credit) these things is a big waste of money. Your son can carry probably a lot more load than anyone knows, and the burden will build his strength, stamina, and character in immeasurable ways that will serve him well for a lifetime. Parents too often deny their children the growth opportunities that come through difficult challenges, and I think that’s unfortunate.
Okay, be there as a safety net for your son, but put the challenge (opportunity) on his shoulders and let him find out what he’s really made of. You can match his contributions…that will motivate him to earn and contribute more.
I would hate to see you sell your home or borrow against it to fund college for your daughter. Option 2 looks like the best scenario to me--your wife landing a full-time job. The extra earnings could be divided between tuition for your daughter, saving for your other child's college tuition, and whatever else needs paying (debt, if any).
However, the cost of college won't be entirely on your wife's shoulders...she could match whatever money your daughter can earn/save, dollar-for-dollar, or two-to-one, or three-to-one...whatever ratio makes sense. But, speaking from experience, your daughter needs to assume a HUGE mantle of responsibility for her own education...not just in grades, but in labor. Sure, we all want the idyllic college experience for our kids--join a sorority, car on campus, all the amenities like nice clothes and cell phone, etc. But I can tell you, I see college students hustling every day to-and-fro on bicycles, with working two jobs, no cell phones, plain looking clothes, pulling themselves up by the proverbial bootstraps.
In addition to pursuing all the federal, state, and institutionally-awarded financial aid she can leverage, she too needs to fund her education through earning and saving like nobody else! She will have grown in character, through dedication and persistence, far more than a mere college education alone could have offered her.
TuitionDiscount.com does not offer student loan consolidation, although there are many good companies that do. One in particular with which I am personally familiar and very much recommend is Academic Loan Group (http://www.academicloangroup.com). Ask for Angie or Angela, I think…and tell her Paul Ransdell from Berea, KY referred you.
To answer you question, I am not personally familiar with in-state online degree program in Business Administration there in North Carolina. But here is an online degrees guide that lists a number of in-state institutions offering online degrees. Perhaps one of these offers an online degree in Business Admin.
http://www.onlinedegreesguide.com/northcarolina.html
First, I would schedule a meeting with the graduate admissions people at NEUCOM, if you haven't already done so. The purpose would be to seek their thoughts about your grades as pertains to the possibilities for institutionally-awarded financial aid (scholarships, assistantships, fellowships).
I would ask: For which specific scholarships and other financial aid can I apply? What specifically can I do to maximize my likelihood for receiving financial aid?
Also: Make a point to introduce yourself to the dean or department chair, the graduate admissions person, and the graduate financial aid person...just so they know who you are.
In the end, you are right about avoiding studet loans...save as much as possible now and pay as you go.
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