"Senioritis" and How to Beat It

We all know how the story of the tortoise and the hare ends, don't let that be you!

Discover the Benefits of a Summer Internship

Uncover the advantages of participating in a summer internship program and how it can boost your career prospects. Summer ...

The Ultimate Guide to Writing a Scholarship Essay

Time to Search for Scholarships - Search Local

If you think your opportunity to get a scholarship has passed, think again. Many local scholarships are still accepting ...

College Financial Aid: Gift Aid vs Self Help Aid

Do you receive gift aid on your birthday? Graduation? Special Occasions? No, birthdays and holidays are not applicable for ...

THE NEW FAFSA IS READY: What You Need to Know

Federal Student Aid has announced that the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®️) is once again available to ...

College Planning Tips for October

Fall is here, and so are corn mazes, pumpkin-spiced lattes, and apple-flavored desserts. Don't get too caught up in all of ...

Free tools to help you prepare for the SAT

You Should Attend a College Fair and Here's Why

My bet is that a college visit may have been on your summer to-do list, or any to-do list for that matter. But summer passes ...

College Planning Tips for August

August is considered the "kick-off" month for applying to colleges because the Common Application is released on the first ...

Dorm Room Design on a Budget

As we get further into the summer, it's time to start thinking about moving into college. For some, it might only be a month ...

College Planning Tips for July

Summertime is finally here, and the beach is most definitely calling your name, but it doesn't mean you should slack off ...

Making the Most of College Campus Visits

Choosing a college can be a daunting task, with so many options available. It can be overwhelming to narrow down the choices ...

Federal Student Aid Rundown - What you can get by filing the FAFSA

Many college-bound students and their families have fallen for the dangerous myth: "I won't qualify for aid so I'm not going ...

4 Tips for Your Scholarship Search

Scholarships are like buried treasures. Some harder to find than others, but they are worth the time and effort to conduct a ...

Compare Financial Aid Offers with Caution

7 Steps on How to Apply for Financial Aid for College

Follow this simple step-by-step process to make sure you qualify for as much college financial aid as possible.

Have you had the "COLLEGE TALK" with Your Guidance Counselor Yet?

If you are a junior or senior in high school, NOW IS THE TIME to have one or more discussions with your guidance counselor ...

Responsible Borrowing is the Key

Is the PLUS Loan really a plus?

As parents begin to consider how best to support their son or daughter in their pursuit of a college education, consider the ...

PSATs and SATs Are Going Digital

The Next Big Thing:  Employer Student Loan Repayment Assistance

You’ve attended college, completed an internship or two, updated your resume and now you are on a job search to enter the ...

FAFSA Verification? Do I Need To Do That?

The simple answer is, only if you are asked to.

Winter Break To Do List for High School Seniors

FINALLY, winter break is here! Just a reminder that in between exchanging holiday gifts, trying out a new video game, or ...

What You Need to Know About your Federal Loan Servicer, Now! and Why!

Change is on the horizon for many borrowers in repayment on their federal student loans. Here are some helpful tips to help ...

FAFSA and Financial Aid Myths

What do Student Loan Repayment and the Jeopardy Game Have in Common?

What to Consider When Considering a Parent Loan to Help Fund Education Expenses

Parents have choices when it comes to borrowing for college. Outlined below are details for you to consider when researching ...

6 Ways to Get Your Tuition Bill Paid

Many students and families cannot write out just one check in order to pay the tuition bill in full for each college ...

Why Volunteering Matters

People choose to volunteer for a multitude of reasons. For some, it gives them a chance to give back to the community or ...

College Courses Future Employers Will Love

For new grads, employment hinges on just a few variables. What type of work experience do you have and what have you learned ...

Scholarship Searches - Do's & Don'ts

Work-Study: What It Is and Isn't

Filing the FAFSA - It's really not that hard

Being Your Own Boss and the Importance of Self-Discipline in College

Gone are the days when your parents told you when it was time to wake up, do your homework, clean your room, or do your ...

Common Application Tips & Reminders

Don’t let the thought of completing your college applications stress you out. Think about it as an opportunity to write ...

RISLA Ranked in Top 3 Student Loan Lenders by Forbes Advisor

At RISLA, we have some exciting news to share with our community. Last week, Forbes Advisor ranked RISLA in the Top 3 of the ...

How Tuition Payment Plans Can Reduce Borrowing Need

If you’re headed back to school in the fall or are already enrolled at a college or university, it’s time to start thinking ...

What You Need to Know Before You Borrow for College

Remember to borrow only what you really need! For every dollar you borrow, you will have to pay back more than that dollar ...

A Smart Scholarship Search Strategy for RI Students

Didn’t get as much merit or financial aid as you were hoping for and want to decrease the out of pocket expense coming due ...

Does Paying Your Loans While in School Make Sense?

Sounds like a crazy theory, right? I bet your thinking “If I had the money, I wouldn’t have needed a loan!” Well, let’s ...

Adjusting to a New Semester

There’s nothing better than vacation, right? Hopefully your winter break was restful and you are recharged and ready to get ...

Can Refinancing Your Student Loans Save You Money?

While some borrowers refinance their loans just to simplify their monthly repayment, remove a parent from their existing ...

Financial Aid 101 - The Highlights

'Tis the season to talk financial aid, and the experts from our College Planning Center have been talking about financial ...

CSS Profile - What is that and why do I need to know about it?

In simplest terms, the CSS Profile form is an additional requirement for many private schools when applying for financial ...

8 Need to Know FAFSA Facts

It's time to start applying for financial aid for college. Which means, FAFSA season is here and can be overwhelming to ...

5 Reasons to Refinance Student Loans

Student loan refinancing is a hot topic in the news these days. Legislators are making proposals to bring refinancing in at ...

How to Start Building Credit in High School-

The credit conundrum when starting out: You need good credit to borrow You need to have borrowed to establish a credit ...

5 Reasons Why Your Child is Saying "NO" to College Tours

Excuses, excuses. Preparing for college is a time-consuming task. Evidenced by the many online and other forms of checklists ...

Internship Scams

Ahh, the internet – the best friend, and worst enemy, of every job-seeker. A world of information at your fingertips, and an ...

Top 10 Interview Mistakes

The most exciting and terrifying moment of your career can be the call back for an interview. Interviews of any nature can ...

How to stay organized while interning

Being a college student can feel a little overwhelming. Classes, homework, exams, extracurricular activities, and a ...

3 Myths About Internships

One thing we love about internship programs is that it is beneficial for both the employer and the intern! An employer gets ...

Who Should Write My Letter of Recommendation?

College and university admissions committees are looking for evidence that students can make the grade, so to speak, and ...

Designing the perfect dorm room on a budget

You’re going to be spending a lot of time in your dorm room, so it needs to feel like home! The problem with that is that ...