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'Tis the season to talk financial aid and the experts from our College Planning Center have been talking about financial aid with students and families, one-on-one, as well as in group presentations at local high schools almost daily since September and are still going strong.

EFC is the acronym for Expected Family Contribution, which answers the question, how much will college cost my family? This is not an easy figure to arrive at, without knowing the factors and figures needed for the formula, but with the help of our EFC Calculator we can walk you through this step-by-step in just a few minutes so you can arrive at an early estimate before receiving your award package.

The RISLA College Planning Center will once again be hosting FAFSA Completion Events across the state of Rhode Island to help students, parents, and adult learners with completing the FAFSA. The FAFSA, formally known as the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, is the first step to applying for college financial aid. All schools use this application for awarding federal student aid dollars and many also use it for awarding their own institutional funds. EVERYONE should complete a FAFSA to be considered for financial aid.

In simplest terms, the CSS Profile form is an additional requirement for many private schools when applying for financial aid. The CSS Profile administered by the College Board is required by about 400 colleges and universities to determine aid eligibility for non-government financial aid. Click here to see if your school requires a CSS Profile and be sure to check the school’s deadline.

FAFSA season is here and can be overwhelming to many. So, let’s break this down into the basic need to know facts one-by-one.

FAFSA, FAFSA, FAFSA! If you are applying to college next year, you have likely heard way too much of this acronym. The FAFSA, or the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, is your gateway to college financial aid. You may be sick of hearing about it, but now is the time to put the FAFSA to work in your favor. 

Did you know that nationally unused grant and aid money averages $________ per year? (Answer at end of post)

A. Over $1 Million

B. Over $50 Million

C. Over $2 Billion

Applications, Essays, Financial Aid, OH MY!

How do you get started, you ask? The RISLA College Planning Center, a free service of the non-profit Rhode Island Student Loan Authority (RISLA) will host a series of events through the Fall to help you navigate through college planning and to help spread awareness for Rhode Island students and parents. These events are no cost and open to the public. See a complete list of dates and times throughout the state.

Great event for High School Seniors, Juniors, Sophomores, & their parents

Student loan refinancing is a hot topic in the news these days. Legislators are making proposals to bring refinancing in at the Department of Education, and a day doesn't go by without some big headline about soaring student debt levels. But is refinancing a good idea for everyone? That is a definitive no.

So when does it make sense to do? Here are 5 reasons you may want to consider refinancing your student loans.