All parents want their student athletes to earn a full scholarship to compete at the college level. However less than 5% of the student athletes that compete in high school earn a full athletic scholarship. This (sometimes harsh) reality is hard to accept for some student athletes and their parents alike. However, just because a student athlete doesn’t earn a “full ride” doesn’t mean that parents have to be left with a huge tuition bill. Or, even worse, a student athlete has to take out enormous loans to cover the cost of their college tuition. It’s very important that parents and student athletes understand the financial aid process, and how it can help them when selecting a college.
There’s always more money available
Most parents dread the financial aid process. The FAFSA and/or CSS profile can be challenging, requests a ton of information, and can take hours to complete. After filling it out, many parents feel like their EFC (expected family contribution) is much, much higher than what they can really afford. Parents then receive a tuition bill and are left thinking, “there’s no way we can afford this.” However, what a majority of parents aren’t aware of is that college tuition is negotiable. Yes, it’s NEGOTIABLE!
Parents need to understand that in the current climate we live in, schools actually need students. Colleges around the country have lost a huge percentage of their international student population and a significant percentage of their out of state student population as well. This means that parents are now in a position of power from a negotiation standpoint. Schools NEED students! And, the best way to increase enrollment is to offer more financial aid, including larger academic scholarships, and more institutional grants.
About the author
Todd Kelly is a former college student athlete and has worked in higher education for almost 20 years. He has worked in several different areas within higher education. This includes athletics, admissions, financial aid, alumni
relations, career services, and student affairs.
These experiences led him to create Kelly College Consulting. Kelly College Consulting walks families step by step through the college selection and financial aid process. We help families save money on college tuition by showing them how to negotiate tuition cost, construct financial aid appeals, and have schools bidding against each other for their students. Feel free to visit us at kellycollegeconsulting.com.
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