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Your child has finally been accepted to college and its only a few months until your little bird flies the nest. Even so, the college planning isn't over yet. Going to college can be both an exciting and nerve-wracking experience for students and parents, especially if your child will be living on campus. College orientation, which is mandatory at some schools and optional at others, is intended to help your child make a smooth transition into college. 

College is expensive and comparing college loans can be a bit tricky, especially when you're just getting started. That's why students and parents need to carefully consider their funding options based on crucial factors such as total cost, future earnings and ability to pay. 

Finally, it happened! Your child received his or her acceptance letter. And with it came what you were waiting for - the financial aid award letter. Lots of parents are surprised to see what the school offered and sometimes were excepting to contribute less to tuition costs than indicated on the financial aid award letter. If you fall under this category, you don’t have to just accept the award as it. The award letter is just an offer. You can accept, decline or appeal any part of the financial aid award.

You've been accepted! Now what? Making an enrollment decision may seem like a no brainer if you got into your number one choice school. But with the high costs of colleges these days, you better think twice and compare costs and financial aid awards before sending in your enrollment decision. 

Understanding your child’s financial aid award is probably more daunting than completing all the admission requirements to get him or her into college. Basically, the financial aid package includes the state and federal funds to pay your tuition as well as any awards the college is giving you from their own funds. Keep in mind that the money in the award may not (and usually doesn't) cover the entire tuition or even your family's Expected Family Contribution, as determined by the Federal Department of Education when you submit the FAFSA. So you and/or your child may have to figure out how to pay the remaining balance.