Paying for College without Going Broke, 2009 Edition (College Admissions Guides) (Paperback)

~ Princeton Review (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

As the cost of college steadily increases, paying for it requires insider strategies to maximize financial aid and minimize college costs. Paying for College Without Going Broke 2009 is thoroughly revised and updated to take the stress, confusion, and guess-work out of applying for financial aid.

The only book to include the latest financial aid forms and lists of annual changes in tax laws, it also shows students and their parents how to calculate their aid eligibility before applying to college and plan ahead to improve their chances of receiving aid. The book also includes advice on how to negotiate with financial aid offices, handle special circumstances (for single parents or independent students), and receive educational tax breaks. It is a must have for anyone concerned about the soaring costs of college tuition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Princeton Review (October 14, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0375428836
• ISBN-13: 978-0375428838
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 7.8 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #322,133 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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  #28 in	Books > Business & Investing > Personal Finance > College & Education Costs
  #53 in	Books > Reference > Education > Financial Aid

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Insightful book written by a long-term financial aid expert, December 16, 2008

By	Eric Tyson "Eric Tyson" - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Chany explains upfront that the most financial aid goes not to the "neediest" but to those who best understand the financial aid process. This happens for many reasons including the many financial aid loopholes. Structuring your finances to maximize aid awarded to your children entering and in college is legal and ethical says Chany. He argues that just as making decisions to legally minimize taxes is ethical, so too is maximizing aid so long as you tell the truth in aid applications.

Colleges and their financial aid officers don't explain the often mysterious process and formulas by which financial aid awards are determined. Chany has filled this void in his comprehensive book.

Chany is one of a handful of nationally recognized experts on how the college financial aid process works and what you can do to maximize your child's aid. His book, which has been in print since the early 1990s, is updated annually. Chany also discusses the college selection process, how state aid works, and he walks the reader through how to complete all the major aid forms.

For a more detailed summary of this book, please see my website (www.erictyson.com)

- Eric Tyson
Best-selling author of Personal Finance for Dummies

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent even for the procrastinator, May 29, 2009

By	Quaker Annie "reader" - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

I wish I'd found this book 15, 10 or 5 years ago but even so, with my son in his junior year of high school (a CRUCIAL year in preparing your financial aid info), I am very glad I found this book! Why you ask?

Because it has detailed and easy to understand information about filling out those FAFSA application ~ yes! BUT MORE than that, because it tells me what to do in this year, the base year that the college where my son will be going and the FAFSA people will be using to determine how much the financial aid should be for the four years of college.

No, this isn't for students and it doesn't give you a list of places to apply for financial aid - this is mostly about the FASFA application, although it touches on others and goes over common ways to put money aside.

This book gave me sound advice on what to do and not to do with the assets I have now (I'm a low income self employed single parent - but it also tells what many other parents in other situations can do), explains what will and won't count and how differently FAFSA assesses your assets and values than the government does when you fill out your tax forms. I think reading this book and using it when I fill out the forms next year could save me thousands of dollars and a lot of time and heart-ache.

If you are the parent of a child heading off for college within the next 1 - 15 years, this book is VALUABLE in terms of telling you how to strategically, legally and ethically plan to do so -- how to play by the rules.

Crucial, excellent, valuable -- I can't say enough! I am eagerly waiting for October when the 2010 edition comes out, as it will help me fill out the forms for that year, but even on my tiny income, this edition was one of the best investments I made toward my son's college education.

4.0 out of 5 stars Good overview, May 13, 2009

By	BillyB (NY) - See all my reviews

The book gives a solid step-by-step detailed walk through the financial aid forms with helpful hints. It should prove to be very useful when the time comes to fill out the forms. The timing may be hard to believe, but it makes sense that this book would be even more helpful if read the 2d half of sophomore year/1st half of junior year, which is earlier than most people would think of it.