The College Investor Audio Show

The competition to get into medical school is intense, and you need to be prepared. Start your planning with our medical school admissions guide. Learn more.

Financial aid consists of loans, scholarships, and grants that help cover the cost of college. Depending how much you need to pay for books, tuition, and housing, you may have some money leftover in your bursar’s account. What should you do with unused financial aid money? Should you spend it or save it for the future? More importantly, can you return it if you don’t need or want it? Let’s dive de...

If there’s one thing you’re certain to encounter in college, it’s group projects. Some students love the collaboration, while others dread the challenge of coordinating and communicating with classmates. And while many might warn you to prepare yourself for uneven workloads, unclear expectations, and endless group chat notifications, it’s not all bad. Group projects don’t have to feel like a chore...

Graduate school is an opportunity to advance your education and further your career . While post-pandemic applications are up, actual enrollments are down, so right now is as good a time as ever to send in your application. One huge perk of graduate school is that your career earnings are likely to be higher than if you only had a bachelor's degree. For 2022, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reporte...

In today's world of data breaches, online banking, and online shopping, it's essential that you take practical steps to keep your financial information secure. Unless you’re an unbanked person, most of your personal and financial information is online. That means it could be accessible to hackers and thieves who can cause headaches (and financial loss) as you try to clean up their mess. Keeping yo...

You’re reading this because it is likely that a year from now, you will be getting ready to attend a college to pursue a major you’re excited about. But how does the college admissions process even work? At this point, you’re on an information highway that all seems confusing and blurry because of the number of things you have to think about in order to attend college next year. PSATs, SATs , lett...

Borrowers often believe that student loan servicers get to keep the interest on the loan. But it doesn’t work like that. Servicing companies collect payments of principal and interest on behalf of the loan holder (the Department of Education in the case of federal loans). In exchange, they're paid a monthly fee for each loan serviced. So how much do federal student loan servicers make per loan?

With tax season quickly approaching, you’re probably seeing ads for refund anticipation loans. Refund anticipation loans (also known as refund advance loans or tax refund loans) are a form of secured debt. A lender (usually a tax preparer) will give you an advance on your tax refund (often up to $3,000). In exchange, the tax preparer will pay the loan back (both principal, interest and fees) when...

Student loans are back in repayment, and starting in 2025, that also means that collection activity has resumed on student loan debt. Could your student loans cause you to see your tax refund garnished? According to data from the Department of Education, around  seven million borrowers  have defaulted on their student loans. Those who are in default could risk having their tax refund sei...

Deciding what college to attend is a big decision. It could potentially affect your entire life. But will it? Does what college you go to actually matter? Prestigious schools definitely have some benefits, such as networking opportunities and name recognition on your resume. But do the benefits outweigh the costs? Public schools and community colleges can both offer a high quality education at a f...

529 plans offer a dedicated way to save for education costs. Generally, parents or grandparents open up 529 accounts to build up a war chest for the beneficiary to eventually use on college or other educational costs. Since the primary contributor to a 529 isn’t the beneficiary of the account, the ownership rules might feel a bit murky. We get clear on 529 plan ownership rules in this guide. 

It’s almost tax refund season, and if you’re anything like the average American, you’re excited to get your hands on your refund check. But how are you supposed to cash your tax refund check if you don’t have a bank account? Using a  check-cashing outlet  can involve expensive fees. Plus, it’s risky to walk around with thousands of dollars in cash in neighborhoods that are often dangerou...

If you or your family have saved money for your education within a 529 plan , you can use those funds to pay for qualified education expenses without tax implications.  But how about students who opt to attend a trade school instead of a traditional college or university? Can you still use the funds in your 529 to cover college costs. We explore what the funds in your 529 can be used for, whe...

The student loan problem is complex and has multiple underlying causes. Rising college costs, increased student borrowing, complicated repayment options, and a lack of adequate oversight have all contributed to the problem. Several stakeholders share responsibility for this crisis: federal and state governments, educational institutions, loan servicers, private lenders, and even individual borrowe...

Curious about how AI answers work in personal finance? Hint: not very well. In fact, so bad that you could really hurt your finances. Robert joined the Stacking Benjamin's podcast to discuss AI in Finance, including sharing the results of The College Investor's recent AI Study . Check out the full interview here!

We break down the potential average net worth of Gen Z by age, based on available data from the Federal Reserve, as well as other assumptions.

How much ​your student loan interest rate really matter when it comes to repaying a student loan? What is the impact of interest rates on loan payments? The truth is: not that much. One of the most popular "alternatives" to blanket student loan forgiveness has been the argument that the federal student loan interest rate should be set to 0% . But given the wide array of student loan forgiveness pr...

According to a new report from John Burton Advocates for Youth (JBAY), College Cash Uncovered, there are significant discrepancies between colleges’ published cost of attendance (COA) budgets and the actual expenses students face. These discrepancies contribute to college affordability challenges and inadequate financial aid. This leaves some students with financial gaps of $10,000 or more. John B...

Today's episode is an interview Robert had with Shellee Howard from the College Ready podcast. He talks about financial literacy for teens and parents, the ROI of college, how to think about student loans, 529 plans, and more! We hope you enjoy the episode. If you want to learn more about the College Ready podcast , check it out on your favorite podcast platform.

Being placed on a college admissions waitlist can create a mixed bag of emotions for applicants. On one hand, it isn’t an outright rejection, but on the other, it can feel as though you're being left on the sidelines. After all the effort you’ve put into essays , interviews , and extracurriculars , being placed on a waitlist can be discouraging and frustrating. But understanding how a waitlist act...

Many people wonder just how much money they actually need to retire. In fact, it’s actually one of the most common questions people ask in regard to retirement.  However, it may not be the easiest question to answer, as there are so many variables—many of which are unknown. You can begin to grasp how much you will need to retire, though, by considering the following questions.

Debt settlement is widely talked about as a way to get out of debt, but not many people truly understand how it works. You may have recently experienced a financial hardship and are strongly considering consolidating your debts to relieve some pressure. Before bankruptcy, there are two main debt consolidation options to consider. The first is a debt consolidation personal loan . This is often for...

Here's our financial checklist of the best money moves you can make by the end of the year to maximize your savings and investments while minimizing your taxes. The end of the year can be a whirlwind. But the actions you take over these final months can have large impacts on your tax bill next April and your long-term financial health.  By taking proactive steps now, you can ensure that your...

Embarking on the journey to higher education is a life-changing decision. One of the first and biggest challenges many prospective students encounter is whether to pursue a college education in-state or out-of-state.  As you know, the average cost of tuition has been on an upward trajectory since sometime around the 1980s. College tuition at a public four-year university increased 9.24% betwe...

This Halloween’s most terrifying stories have more to do with your money than goblins and zombies. In light of this spooky season, we’re sharing some scary financial statistics and facts about money that could happen to you. But no need to run screaming, we give you a few recommendations to help you if you’re ever caught in any of these situations.