Sallie Mae How to Pay for College: A Practical Guide for Families [Paperback]

Gen Tanabe (Author), Kelly Tanabe (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 2005 | Series: Sallie Mae How to Pay for College: A Practical Guide for Families

Aimed at parents who are footing their children's college tuition bill, this guide explores everything from financial aid and scholarships to student loans and work-study programs. Sallie Mae, the nation's leading provider of education funding, has assembled an elite group of financial aid officers at respected colleges to provide a behind-the-scenes look at how financial aid works and what parents can do to maximize the amount they receive. This comprehensive guide is filled with useful tips, strategies and advice to help all families create a plan to pay for college.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"The ultimate resource for families with children...teach[es] you how to save for, finance and facilitate your child's college education." —BookPage

About the Author

Gen Tanabe and Kelly Tanabe are Harvard graduates and the authors of nine books on college planning, including 1001 Ways to Pay for College, Get Free Cash for College, and Money-Winning Scholarship Essays and Interviews. They have appeared on more than 100 television news programs, including CNN Financial News and Fox Morning News. They live in Palo Alto, California. Sallie Mae is the leading provider of educational funding, currently managing more than seven million student loans. They are headquartered in Reston, Virginia.

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Supercollege, Llc (June 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1932662049
• ISBN-13: 978-1932662047
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 6.9 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,698,867 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Gen Tanabe and Kelly Tanabe are the authors of 1001 Ways to Pay For College, Accepted! 50 Successful Business School Admission Essays, Accepted! 50 Successful College Admission Essays, Adult Students, Get Free Cash for College, Get into Any College, How to Write a Winning Scholarship Essay, and Sallie Mae How to Pay for College. They live in Palo Alto, California.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the Best Books on College Planning, September 2, 2005

By 

J. Arnold (Houston, TX) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sallie Mae How to Pay for College: A Practical Guide for Families (Paperback)

As a certified financial planner I work with families who are struggling to save for college. I am always on the lookout for new resources and this book by Sallie Mae is at the top of my list. While there is too much to describe in a short review, let me just say that each chapter contains succinct, easy to understand, and top-notch advice. The book contains many examples and the explanations are written so even a non-expert can understand. The tips and anecdotes from the financial aid officers which appear on many of the pages are invaluable and give the reader a view of financial aid that we don't normally see. Sallie Mae should be commended for putting out a terrific book.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Resource - Lots of Useful Information, August 16, 2005

By 

June Sibliski (New York, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sallie Mae How to Pay for College: A Practical Guide for Families (Paperback)

As the mother of three children high school aged children I knew that I needed help paying for college. What a relief it was to read this book! I'm no expert on financial aid but after reading Sallie Mae How to Pay for College I feel much more confident about getting through the process. In fact, as crazy as it sounds I am actually looking forward to applying for aid since I now know how much I should get!

Not only does this book explain the financial aid process better than anything else I have read but it also addresses important topics like scholarships and college savings. The scholarship chapter is a real standout in my opinion and I made it required reading for my children who will need to do their part to help pay for their educations.

Throughout the book are interviews with financial aid officers from different colleges. These really helped me to see how that college can actually help.

While we still have a lot of hard work ahead I am confident that we can meet the challenge. I highly recommend this book to every family who is struggling with the cost of college.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Earns a Permanent Spot on my Bookshelf, November 22, 2005

By 

K. Johnson (Pittsburgh, PA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sallie Mae How to Pay for College: A Practical Guide for Families (Paperback)

I've been a college counselor for 15 years and each year I'm responsible for helping 200 seniors find the right college. I have witnessed many changes in admission but by far the most difficult challenge today is helping families pay for the great colleges that their children get into. What good is it to get into a college if you can't afford to go? This is why I was particularly interested in this book when one of my colleagues gave me a copy to review.

Over the years I have read hundreds of books on college planning. Of those only a very small percentage make it into my permanent collection of useful references. This book not only made it into my collection but I consider it to be the "best of the best."

Why? Because it honestly lays out the challenges of paying for college faced by most families and then systematically presents realistic solutions. The authors do not present their solutions in a dogmatic fashion but give the reader all of the options to let the individual family choose the best solution for their situation. This is very important since many books give cookie-cutter solutions, which just do not work in the real world.

Is it ironic that one of the best books on paying for college comes from Sallie Mae - a provider of student loans? Maybe. But the fact remains that Sallie Mae has put together a terrific resource. You won't find "plugs" for loans. In fact, you get just the opposite. The book makes it clear that loans are your last option and it encourages you to find scholarships, apply for financial aid, and perhaps the most underappreciated way to pay for college - save money. The one chapter on student loans is very informative and like the rest of the book presents options rather than directs you into a preconceived direction.

"How to Pay for College" earned a permanent place on my bookshelf and I recommend it to the students and parents at my school.