financial aid Archives

The Real Cost of College: What Parents Wish They Knew Sooner

Your student got accepted. The dorm is picked. The excitement is real. But as you start ordering bedding, reviewing the book list, and booking that plane ticket home for Thanksgiving,…

Regan Blume July 2, 2025

College Life FAFSA Federal Aid

What to Do If You’re Not Eligible for the FAFSA

For many students, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the gateway to essential financial assistance for college. But what happens if you find out you're not eligible?…

Regan Blume February 14, 2025

Financial Aid

What Happens if You Receive Too Much Financial Aid? (Over-awards)

Financial aid is essential for many college students. But what happens when you receive too much? While over-awards might sound like a great problem to have, it’s an issue that…

Jane Cooper December 20, 2024

Scholarships

Financial Aid for Study Abroad Programs? Sign Me Up!

I’m gonna be honest with y’all: I didn’t think I could afford to study abroad. By the time my senior year of college rolled around, I had given up all…

Jane Cooper December 13, 2024

Financial Aid

First-Generation Financial Aid

In Part 1, Red Kite took an in-depth look at Lesley Bello’s identity as a first-generation college student. We explored her undergraduate journey, the unique challenges she faced, and how…

Regan Blume July 5, 2024

Financial Aid

My Experience Being a First-Generation College Student

Kite Writer Jane Cooper interviews Lesley Ann Bello, a first-generation college student who balances working three jobs with attending graduate school. This is part one of two. A Love Letter…

Jane Cooper June 21, 2024

Financial Aid General Preparing for College

The Essay that Won Me $406,000

Jane introduces us to her multi-scholarship-winning essay. Sitting pretty with a 2.7 GPA in your junior year of high school doesn’t exactly scream “scholarship.” The year before, my older sister…