We asked financial aid administrators at three different Massachusetts colleges how they would respond if a perspective student appealed for more financial aid. Answers ranged from not matching another school's offer to potentially granting more moderate requests. …

Tips include creating a spreadsheet, starting local then expanding, searching scholarship databases, and creating an account. …

Students complete steps to earn a chance for a scholarship of up to $40,000, including building a college list, practicing for the SAT, improving SAT scores, strengthening their college list, completing the FAFSA, and applying to colleges…

Next steps include signing the MEFA Loan Agreement (MLA) and Self-Certification Form, having the college certify the loan, setting up an account with our servicer American Education Services (AES), returning excess funds, and making voluntary payments if you wish to do so. …

MEFA is excited to be a part of ForYouNotForProfit.org, which includes information on financial aid and scholarships, guidance on establishing a college savings account, and a streamlined search engine to help students and parents find education loans through non-profit and state-chartered organizations.…

Learn how to use the Student Loan Payment Calculator to find out your projected monthly payment and total loan cost based on the amount you plan to borrow, the interest rates for all five repayment options, and the length of repayment.…

Our checklist includes checking the College Scorecard to learn about affordability and value, using a school's Net Price Calculator to determine the financial aid you could receive, and reading through admissions and financial aid websites to learn about merit scholarship and different financing opportunities. …

Learn what scores students must receive on their MCAS in order to qualify, what the scholarship covers, how to apply the award, how to maintain the scholarship, and how much the scholarship is worth at each Massachusetts school. …

A UMass Amherst graduate breaks down his plan - including tackling private loans first, consolidating federal loans, switching to an income-based repayment plan, and factoring loans into an overall monthly budget. …

Find out how the application process works, who the borrower is, how the total cost differs, what the grace period is, and how borrowers can get help with financial hardships. …