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Many college-bound students and their families have fallen for the dangerous myth: "I won't qualify for aid so I'm not going to apply." The reality is, everyone should file the FAFSA, even if they think they may not qualify. The FAFSA is absolutely free to fill out and it can give families money to help cover the rising cost of college. Below is a quick rundown of what you could be eligible for by filing the FAFSA.

Approximately 20 million students choose to attend a post-secondary institution every year.  Many students and their families struggle with where to start in the college planning process. Figuring out which schools might be a good fit, which career path to take, and how to pay for college are just a few of the many things that worry families. Rhode Island might be a small state, but it has a large amount of free resources available to help Rhode Islander's plan for college.

Students should be open-minded as they start their college searches and learn as much as possible about all types of colleges so they are making informed decisions about where to apply and what kind of schools are the best match for their personal goals. It's important for students to identify schools that are good matches both academically and financially. Colleges fairs are a great way to learn about a lot of campus cultures in a brief period of time, so they are definitely worth your time in the early stages of college planning.

For years, the RISLA College Planning Center has teamed up with the Pawtucket Red Sox to host one of the largest college fairs in all of New England! This year will be the 9th year that the CPC, the Pawtucket Red Sox, B101, and Coast 93.3 have worked together to host this event for college bound students and their families!

Mother nature thought that our April showers meant snow here in RI, but that won't get in the way of us helping you plan for college. Seniors have a lot on their plate this month. Top among their stresses: which school they are going to attend in the fall. Juniors, on the other hand, are starting to explore colleges and figuring out what they want in a school. Check out our college planing tips for April below!

Seniors

This is a big time of year for high school seniors! College decisions must be made! A big deciding factor for students when deciding which school to attend is how much each school awarded to you in financial aid. Comparing those award letters is never an easy task which is why the RISLA College Planning Center is here to help. Schedule an appointment with us to get help comparing your award letters!

If you are a high school student - or parent of one - college is likely on your mind. We regularly give advice about best college planning practices through the lens of the RISLA College Planning Center. But this month, we had the rare opportunity of gathering most of Rhode Island's high school guidance counselors in a single room, and we wanted to take advantage of that! Below, we have outlined five of today's most pressing college planning questions, rounded up the best answers from our state's school counselors, and aggregated some common themes to help you on your journey to college.

We are excited to announce that effective March 5, 2018, the RISLA College Planning Center currently located at the Boys & Girls Club of Cumberland-Lincoln will be moving to a new location at 652 George Washington Highway in Lincoln, RI.

Fall is here and so are corn mazes, pumpkin spiced lattes and apple flavored desserts. Don't get too caught up in all of the fall fun though; it's time to get serious about applying to college!

Not sure what you should be doing for the month of October? You've come to the right place to help keep you on track.

School is back in session and whether you are getting ready to take your SATs/ACTs, edit down your college essay, or are in the process of filling out your college applications, you should be aware of all the types of college admission options available to you. The earlier you become knowledgeable about the admissions process, the better. Knowing this important information can help you prepare to apply for whatever admission type you prefer, without scrambling around at the last minute.

You may be at the height of college planning stress right now, but let us assure you that before you know it, you will be selecting a school to enroll at and packing up the car to head to college! Use the below admission descriptions to help you determine which road to college admissions will be the best fit for you.

 

Now that the college acceptance letters are pouring in, the waiting game is over. Getting accepted to college is a great honor that generates lots of excitement. However, once you come down from cloud nine, it's time to make some serious decisions.  Here are some tips on how to make the right college enrollment decision.