Financial Aid: Apply Early
Plan ahead to get the jump on applying for financial aid for college.
College Planning
How Much Does it Cost to Go to College?
Tips to use online price calculators to predict the cost to attend a specific university or college.
Set the Course for College Success
Examine college options and start planning early for student's best success.
Year-by-Year College-Planning Calendar
Use this grade-by-grade outline to get on track for college during middle school and high school.
Charlotte National College Fair
Students can gather information, attend workshops and talk to representatives from more than 160 schools at the Charlotte National College Fair.
5 Tips for College Savings
The best time to start saving for college is now.
Top Online College Planning Resources
We make college planning a breeze with this helpful list of online resources.
10 Tips to Get Ready for College Applications
Steps students can take to help make the college application process smoother.
Social Media Do's and Don'ts When Applying to College
Tips to polish your teen's online image when applying to social.
Teacher Talk: Saving for College
Teachers discuss saving for college, reading levels and textbook aids.
College Application Essay Tips
Tips to how a college essay should be written and what it should include.
College Savings 101
There’s an interesting juxtaposition when a child goes to college. The child celebrates the successful culmination of years of academic pressures, while the parents grapple with a different kind of pressure: how to pay for a higher education.
Cash for College Tips
The College Foundation of North Carolina advises:
1. Open a N.C. 529 college savings plan. In addition to federal tax advantages, the state offers a tax deduction for contributions.
Editor's Letter: College Guide
Our College Guide Editor shares her personal story of navigating college applications and lets us in on a few tips on making the experience memorable.
The Two-Year Attraction: Community Colleges
David Lombard Harrison graduated with an associate’s degree from a community college more than 30 years ago. "It was the perfect transition from high school boredom to the rigors of college curriculum," he says of his experience.
Paying for the Future
North Carolina’s college system seems like a great deal. There are plenty of really exceptional schools and the tuition and fees for in-state (or "resident") students range from approximately $3,000 to $5,500 per year.
High School to College: Making the Leap
College Bound for Success, a North Carolina-based series of workshops, helps parents and students prepare for the transition to college.
Having the Talk: Credit Cards and College Students
In 2006, the national Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Education sent a survey to 305 high schools nationwide to find out how financially literate 12th graders were. The results were disappointing.
Online Career Exploration Tools Make Planning Fun, Easy and Free
Bridges career planning tools, a leading provider of online career exploration and education planning services, are now available directly from College Foundation of North Carolina (CFNC).
Ten Tips for Lowering Out-of-Pocket College Costs
Even if you've been saving since your child was born, chances are there’s still not enough to cover four or five years of college. What’s a parent to do? Follow some of these tips and strategize ways to help cover out-of-pocket costs.
SAT Prep Classes - Should You Pay?
Where does your child want to go to college? What will it take to get him there?
Taking a Year Off Before College
Some teens want and need a year off before heading to college. We take a look at options available for teens today.
Best Books For the College-Bound
N.C. High School Counselors recommend top picks for college-bound students.
Finding the Funds
The College Foundation of North Carolina Offers Tips During Tough Financial Times
