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  Common Admission Mistakes That Get Your Application Rejected

  Admissions Officers – - – If you want to avoid the “rejected” pile, you must avoid these common mistakes: Missing the Deadline Obvious right? but you’d be surprised how many st...
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  Did you know that Colleges could require up to 5 separate financial aid forms?

  Here are the 5 forms that are required (or can be) for filing for financial aid: FAFSA – Free Application for Federal Student Aid – Federal government form used to determine your EFC. CSS...
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  The cost of a college education has increased more than 330% over the last 20 years!

  Since 1975, college inflation has been consistently higher than the consumer price index (CPI) or regular inflation.  What does this mean to a family considering sending their child to college? Accor...
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  70% of America Believes That In The Near Future…

  They will not be able to afford a college education! The cost of a 4 year college education (if the student gets out in 4 years!) is likely to cost in excess of $180,000.  When you have more than one...
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  Tax Efficient Ways to Pay For College

  Good news, there are many tax efficient methods of paying for college! After getting your child accepted into school, the main objective (of course) is paying for it.  Paying for it tax efficiently w...
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  Will You Qualify for Need-based Financial Aid?

  To help you answer that question, you will want to use a financial aid calculator that will produce your preliminary Expected Family Contribution or EFC. The EFC (Estimated Family Contribution) is wha...
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  We are your FAFSA Financial Aid Advisors

  Let us help you review and file your FAFSA financial aid applications. Avoid costly mistakes that could cost you thousands. ...
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  Affordable College Admissions Planning For Every Budget.

  Learn more about our service and products we offer for college parents and students for college admissions. ...
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  We Make Your Educational Dreams Come True.

  Let our professional college advisors help you with your FAFSA financial aid applications, CSS profile reviews and college funding. ...

Your Source For College Planning, Admissions, FAFSA and College Funding Solutions

College and Retirement Solutions is a private consulting firm that helps families with college planning, college admissions, FAFSA financial aid, funding, CSS Proflie review and consulting services. We are located in Chatham, NJ and provide a personal touch, tailoring a unique program ideally suited for your student that will guide your family through every step on the journey to college. Our advisors appreciate that this journey is different for every family.  We offer a suite of affordable solutions ranging from full-service packages, resources and robust do-it-yourself college tools.  Our tools are proprietary technology that was built on the expertise we have acquired over the last 15 years working with many thousands of clients. Visit our resources page to read our articles, tips and other helpful college planning information.
Our College Planning Services And Tools Make It Affordable for Every Budget! One of the most rewarding achievements in life is the knowledge that you’ve prepared your children for the future. Providing them with a quality education is one of the best ways to accomplish that goal. Find out what can we do for you and how you can benefit from our services. You Know The Power Of Education It’s a common hope for parents to see their children complete some degree of higher education. A university or college education has been shown to have a significant impact on employment and earnings throughout a graduate’s life. Do You Know The Real Costs? The cost of education is increasing rapidly – in fact the cost has gone up more than 330% over the last 20 years. It is safe to assume that parents will need to carry a significant portion of that expense. It is estimated that the average family will dedicate at least 30% of their income to paying their share of the college costs. How Will You Close The Gap?
Coming up with a minimum of $90,000 for a four year degree is a challenge for most households, and with more than one child enrolled you can expect an even greater burden. There are several possible ways to close the gap: Scholarships and grants offered to students who are desired by a college for academic standing, athletic prowess, a special talent and even fulfilling a schools geographic or demographic need. Use existing savings and cash-flow at the time of college. Borrow the funds when your child is ready to go to school. Financial help is available to students and will vary from institution to institution. While these sources can make a difference they will not cover it all.