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At the College Planning Center, we often hear the same question from parents and students: "How much
financial aid can I get?" 

The sticker price on a college education is much higher than most families can pay out of pocket. But fortunately, there are billions of dollars in financial aid available each year that are awarded to help make college more affordable. So, how do you get your piece of the pie and how do you know how big that piece will be? 

How much financial aid you get comes down to two things:

1. How much you are eligible for
2. Where you go to college

Once you have achieved your goals of graduating college and pursuing a fulfilling career, the last thing you want to deal with is the stress of poorly managed student loan debt. 

Your personal expenses alone can seem daunting. When you add a student loan payment that you haven't thoroughly accounted for, you may be headed for financial disaster. Managing your student loan debt is not an insurmountable task. Avoiding to deal with your student loan debt will not fix the problem. Face the problem head on. Here are some options to help you stay on top of student loan payments so that you can enjoy life in your new career.  

Poor money management in the early years of adult life can wreak havoc on credit causing high interest rates and higher insurance premiums in the long run. Many graduates face debt problems from their college days that may take years to recover from. Unwise spending can cost a lot more than the balance on the bill. Don't let your child fall into bad spending and borrowing habits that could get them into trouble.