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Posts by category
- Category: Blog
- College Admissions vs. Enrollment Management: How Colleges Really Decide Who Gets In—and Who Pays Less
- What to Do if You’re Late Starting the College Planning Process
- Financial Aid Pitfalls for High-Income Families—and How to Avoid Them
- How Colleges Use Your Home Equity in Financial Aid Calculations
- What If You Haven’t Started College Planning Yet? It’s Not Too Late.
- Should You Use a 529 Plan for College? Pros, Cons, and What Families Overlook
- Why Early Action Isn’t Just for Elite Students Anymore
- The Truth About “Full-Ride” Scholarships—and What You Should Do Instead
- Why Sophomore Year Is the Smartest Time to Start Planning for College Aid
- What Rising Seniors Need to Do Now to Maximize College Aid
- Senior Year Timeline: What to Do and When to Do It
- FAFSA Tips for Business Owners
- Why SAT and ACT Scores Matter More Than You Think
- What the College Net Price Calculator Doesn’t Tell You
- How Divorce Impacts Financial Aid—and How to Plan Around It
- Middle School Families: Why 8th Grade Is the Best Time to Start Planning
- Why Net Cost Matters More Than Sticker Price
- What to Do If You Started College Planning Late
- How a Lower SAI Can Lead to Big-Time College Aid
- What Business Owners Need to Know About FAFSA and College Aid
- How Divorce and Custody Impact College Financial Aid
- The Most Expensive Financial Mistake Parents Make Junior Year
- What Sophomore Families Should Be Doing Right Now to Save on College
- What Private School Families Need to Know About College Financial Aid
- How Rising Interest Rates Could Impact Your Financial Aid Eligibility
- Why Most College Aid Offers Are Misleading—And How to Decode Them
- How to Prioritize Merit Aid When Choosing a College List
- How to Talk to Your Teen About College Without the Stress or Eye Rolls
- How to Appeal a College Financial Aid Offer (And Win)
- 5 FAFSA Mistakes That Can Cost You Thousands
- How High-Income Families Can Still Qualify for Financial Aid
- How to Avoid Emotional College Choices That Lead to Overpaying
- How 529 Plans Affect Financial Aid—and When to Use Them Strategically
- The Surprising Impact of Student Summer Jobs on Financial Aid
- College Planning Tips for Families with Multiple Children
- How Colleges Track Demonstrated Interest—and Why It Can Impact Your Student’s Admissions
- How to Spot Merit Aid Traps That Look Better Than They Are
- What Sophomore Families Should Be Doing Right Now to Maximize Aid Later
- How Colleges Use Your Home Equity in Financial Aid Calculations
- How to Compare Financial Aid Award Letters the Right Way
- The Truth About Merit Aid for B Students
- Why Your Student’s GPA Matters More Than You Think for Financial Aid
- How to Avoid the “Aid Cliff” Between Freshman and Sophomore Year
- The Hidden Value of Applying Early Action (Even If You’re Not Ready for Early Decision)
- What the “Cost of Attendance” Really Means—and Why It’s Often Misleading
- College Planning for Blended Families: What You Need to Know
- The FAFSA, The CSS Profile, and the Forms No One Talks About
- How to Tell If a Private College Will Be Affordable for Your Family
- What Parents of Rising Seniors Must Do This Summer
- How to Help Your Student Stand Out Without Overloading Their Schedule
- How High School Freshmen Can Start Preparing for College the Right Way
- The College List Mistake That Costs Families Thousands
- Why Starting College Planning in Middle School Can Pay Off Big
- How to Use Net Price Calculators Without Getting Misled
- How Athletic Families Can Maximize College Aid—Even Without a D1 Scholarship
- College Planning for First-Generation Families: What You Need to Know
- How Test-Optional Policies Can Still Cost You Thousands
- How to Protect Retirement While Paying for College
- Why Career Clarity Matters Before Choosing a College
- The Biggest FAFSA Mistakes Families Make—and How to Avoid Them
- How Sophomore Families Can Set the Stage for Massive College Aid
- Don’t Overpay for College: What High-Income Families Need to Know
- How Junior Families Can Still Maximize Aid—Even If They’re Behind
- What Seniors Can Still Do to Save on College Costs
- What to Do If You Miss the FAFSA Deadline
- Should You Use a 529 Plan to Pay for College?
- What High-Income Families Don’t Know About Financial Aid
- Don’t Rely on Net Price Calculators Alone
- What Parents of Sophomores Should Be Doing Right Now
- Should You Apply Early Decision? The Pros, Cons, and Financial Impact
- Why Most Families Underestimate the Cost of College
- How to Build a College List That Maximizes Aid
- 4-Year Graduation Rates Matter—Here’s Why
- How Test-Optional Policies Affect Merit Scholarships
- How to Avoid Using Retirement Savings to Pay for College
- Why Most Families Miss Out on Merit Scholarships (And How to Get Them)
- How to Compare College Aid Offers (And Negotiate for More)
- The FAFSA is Changing—Here’s What Every Family Needs to Know
- Why a Strong Major Matters More Than a Big Name
- Don’t Forget This Crucial Step in the College Planning Process
- The Hidden Costs of the “Dream School”
- When Should You Appeal a Financial Aid Offer?
- How High School Juniors Can Get Ahead in the College Process
- The Hidden Costs of Choosing the Wrong College
- What High-Income Families Don’t Know About Financial Aid
- What Colleges Are Really Looking For (It’s Not Just GPA)
- When Should You Start Planning for College? (Hint: It’s Sooner Than You Think)
- The Truth About College Rankings: Why “Top” Doesn’t Always Mean Best
- How Families with Middle Schoolers Can Get Ahead on College Costs
- Why Junior Year Is One of the Best Times to Start College Planning
- The Financial Aid Mistake Sophomore Families Can’t Afford to Make
- The College Search Is Broken—Here’s How to Fix It
- Mistakes That Could Cost You Thousands in College Aid
- The Cost of Waiting: Why Starting College Planning Late Can Cost You Big
- How to Help Your Child Choose a College Major With Confidence
- Over 30,000 Families Helped—And Over $1 Billion Saved on College Tuition
- The Surprising Cost of Choosing the Wrong College
- What Is the CSS Profile—and Do You Need to Fill It Out?
- The College Search Mistake That Costs Families Thousands
- What to Know About College Net Price Calculators (and Why They’re Often Misleading)
- How to Spot Colleges That Offer the Most Free Money
- How to Compare Financial Aid Packages the Right Way
- The Financial Aid Timeline Every Family Should Follow
- Is College Still Worth It? Understanding ROI in Higher Education
- Should You Choose a College Based on Rankings?
- The Truth About Sticker Price vs. Net Price in College
- Understanding Merit Aid: What It Is and How to Qualify
- The Truth About “Sticker Price” vs. What You’ll Actually Pay
- When to Start Planning for College—and Why Sooner Is Always Better
- What You Don’t Know About Merit Aid Could Cost You Thousands
- How to Appeal a College Financial Aid Offer—and Why Most Families Don’t
- Why Private Colleges Can Be Cheaper Than Public Universities—If You Know Where to
- How to Build a Smart College List That Maximizes Aid and Opportunity
- What Colleges Look For in Admissions—and Why It Impacts Financial Aid
- How to Use Net Price Calculators—And Why Most Families Don’t
- Understanding the CSS Profile—And Why Some Families Pay More Than They Should
- How Merit Aid Really Works—And Why Some Students Get More Than Others
- How to Compare Colleges by Cost—Not Just Reputation
- How to Fill Out the FAFSA Correctly—And Why It Matters More Than You Think
- What Is the Net Price of College—and Why It’s All That Matters
- Why Most Families Overpay for College—And How to Avoid It
- The Two Prices for College: Which One Will You Pay?
- The Hidden Cost of College Rankings—and What You Should Look at Instead
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About the Author:
Mike Dusombre, CLTC, CRPC (NPN 20689693), is a Family Financial Aid Expert at Diversified College Planning with more than 4 years of experience guiding families through complex college funding decisions. Mike focuses on financial aid strategy, Student Aid Index (SAI) reduction, and identifying merit-based scholarships.
He helps families evaluate college affordability, build a college list that maximizes aid, understand how financial aid formulas work, and keep student debt to a minimum.
Last Reviewed: September 29, 2025 |
Reviewed by: Jarad Stolz, CLTC, CRPC
College Funding Advisor, Diversified College Planning | NPN: 17371953
Fact Checked by: Mike Dusombre, CLTC, CRPC
Family Financial Aid Expert, Diversified College Planning | NPN: 20689693
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Editorial Standards: Diversified College Planning maintains rigorous editorial standards to ensure accuracy, clarity, and independence in all content. Learn more about our editorial standards and commitment to transparency.
