5 Random - Cost Cutting

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5 Random Cost Saving Strategies

Some are BIG BIG MONEY!

(But a couple may just be a little here, a little there---but ALL WORK)

Alright, Time for 5 More!

(FYI - A few have micro-strategies within them as well, so buckle up)

Here's What We'll Cover:

*Tuition Assistance - COMPANIES Giving up to $5k or even a "Full Ride" for Entry-Level & Part-Time

*Grading Scales---Institution-Specific Standards

*Schools with Liberal "Credit-by-Exam" Policies - AP, CLEP, DSST, & Challenges

*The Key Players at The College to Get Assistance Others Don't Even Know to Ask About!

*Negotiation - Asking, Persuading, & Basically Making Your Case (for more savings)

But---Before We Get Too Far, We Need to Agree on the Differences Between:

"Overall Cost" vs. "Price" vs. "Out of Pocket Now"

So, "Overall Cost" Typically Includes:

*Price (Initial / Immediate)

*Full Monetary Cost Over Time

*Time Invested (Your Time)

*Lost Opportunity Costs

*Maintenance & Upkeep (not so much applicable for our purpose here)

***The Great Majority of the CollegeDawg site is focused on "Overall Cost"---but mainly Time & Money.

Simple right? Now...

1. Price is a little more nuanced - Some people mean how much is it per term? While others are REALLY asking...

2. "Out of Pocket"---How much do I need to pay right now or in the immediate future.

*Believe it or not, this is what the majority of consumers are most concerned about as related to their Higher Ed Endeavor (right or wrong)

So, why are we telling you this?

Because if you're most concerned with Price or "Out of Pocket"---the "College on the Cheap" Section will be your BFF

However, this section will have a good bit of info ON ALL 3...

Tuition Assistance - Actual Company Examples

*YES - ALMOST ALL INCLUDE PART-TIME (at time of writing)

This was one of the biggest revelations that popped up for CollegeDawg once we started on this project. We knew lots of companies had Tuition Assistance but did not realize how many included Entry-Level Positions & even PART-TIME employees. It was an awesome surprise.

However, we then ran across companies offering FREE TUITION via partnerships with "Education Groups" that have agreements with an assortment of affiliated Colleges. Generally, the Education Groups offer a package that allow Employers to add this to their overall Employee Benefits Plans. These are GAME-CHANGERS!

Anyway, after just a couple hours of research, we found A BUNCH OF COMPANIES that will give you a good bit of College Money with very little time at their company. Almost all include lower-level positions. The best ones range from 5k annually for the school of your choice, to those advertising TOTALLY FREE if you go to one of their Partner Schools. Just note: The vast majority of those Partner Schools are ONLINE but do include some big names like Purdue, Arizona State, Colorado Tech, Florida, Arizona etc...

Here are just a few of the National Leaders in this Benefit Category:

*Just Note: There are probably several dozen more Regionally & Nationally!

*TARGET

*BEST BUY

*AMAZON

*LOWE'S

*UPS

*HOME DEPOT

*WALMART

*STARBUCKS

*VERIZON

*SAM'S CLUB

*McDONALD'S

*CHIPOTLE

*PAPA JOHN'S

Again, most of them include Part-Time employees in one form or another (at time of writing).

So, Crew, Servers, Stockers, Drivers, Entry-Level Customer Service, etc... typically qualify IMMEDIATELY or after 6 months or so.

*Simply put---the list goes on and on. The Best Part---They Are COMPETING FOR YOU!

*Now, before we wrap up this section...remember, there could be greatly different nuances (and fine print) you'll need to dig into with each company before accepting the job. These deal with the Company itself or the Colleges involved.

For the Employers Offering FREE College Tuition

1. Some may limit courses ANNUALLY or per Term. Most seem to mention 2 classes concurrently as the typical pace.

2. Is there an actual Dollar Amount Cap per Year? This might help you determine which College to select if the prices they charge the Employers vary.

3. Many of the Colleges in the Group probably have VERY basic entrance requirements to get started, while some of the Bigger Names may make you apply. However, the standards are still likely lower than the ground campuses.

4. You can still get standard Financial Aid through the College to help cover things like Books, Fees etc... or if you need to subsidize your living expenses.

5. The Colleges will likely already be giving a discount of 20-50% off normal Tuition rates as part of the plan. If the Employer has caps per term or annually---you can almost always add additional classes getting that same Tuition rate (paying for them with FA) if you're focused on maximum Speed-to-Degree.

6. Here's a trick if you can pull it off. Some Colleges on the list offer 6-week terms, while others are 8, 10, & 12. If I was limited by the Employer to 2 per term (but w/ no annual cap on class count or total costs), I'd look to work the system w/ a 6-week term College---if an in-demand Major I wanted was there.

7. Keep in mind some Employers will have a list of Majors that qualify---as they may be looking to keep you for the long haul!

For the Employers Offering Cash for College Tuition

*Often at the School of Your Choice (locally or online)

1. They usually do it in the form of "Tuition Reimbursement". Essentially that just means you'll have to front it yourself via Financial Aid or other Methods, then turn in proof of your satisfactory completion each term to get the cash.

2. Typically, the max allowable amount tax free is around $5k---but doesn't mean it's necessarily the limit. Some companies can exceed that, but then anything over becomes taxable. Whatever---Champagne Problems.

3. Like "Free Tuition" Employers, companies offering this option can limit the Degrees to specific Majors. Just something to look out for.

4. Just in case you're wondering, this will have no impact on the traditional Financial Aid you will qualify for.

5. Both Tuition Assistance Models may require you meet certain Academic standards (i.e. grades), however it's a little more nerve-racking on this side since you laid out the cash in advance. Better Study!

6. Something to Consider: If you are selecting your College individually, you're still gonna pay full price. When selecting Employers---some on this side may have Colleges considered "Partners" where you might get a nice discount on top of your cash.

So, To Summarize Tuition Assistance:

These are Great Programs either way you go---even with any "small print"!

Now start your research... and go get that Resume ready!!!!

Grading Scales (Percentage Ranges & GPA Equivalents)

Nobody Considers This - BUT YOU WILL NOW

*This One's REALLY SIMPLE IN CONCEPT:

*40% of Freshman lose their Scholarships (with GPA requirements) after Year 1

*By the time some are Seniors that moves to around 60%

So. pretty easy to understand. More relaxed scales EQUAL:

Better GPA which = Continued Scholarship Money which = Staying in School.

However, shockingly we found our new Strategy of comparing GRADING SCALES at different Colleges to be

WAY MORE CHALLENGING THEN EXPECTED.

Why?

We'll get to that shortly. Just know this topic is in our Top 10 things of value that we can bring to anyone

who didn't spend a bunch of time looking for ALL THE ANGLES on this College stuff (so that's mostly everybody).

But no BULL, IT IS A GAME-CHANGER.

Why are Grading Scales so Important? Well, there are Several Specific Reasons:

#1 is Scholarships You Received

Say you lived in SC, are going to Coastal Carolina University (Public Regional Univ.), and

*Received the $5000 SC "LIFE Scholarship"

*Earned The $4000 CCU Automatic Merit Award

*Received the $2500 STEM "Enhancement" from the State (for years 2-4)

In most cases you'll have to maintain a full-time course load and a 3.0 GPA.

If you don't, you're out $11,500 a year---which for many students may result in having to TRANSFER.

What else can Grading Scales & Rigor Impact?

*Time Spent on Assignments

*Lost Opportunity Costs

*YOUR SANITY and in some cases YOUR SELF ESTEEM & CONFIDENCE.

(And guess what, Confidence is 1 of the Top 5 things Employers look for).

So, below we're gonna show you a few Charts with a mixture of Major Well-Known or "Football Schools", Regional Universities, & Private Universities. You'll find Colleges basically have 5 systems of grading (generalizing):

1. Those that use the "old school" flat 4.0, 3.0, 2.0, 1.0 GPA scale AND the old school percentage ranges like

(94-100 is an "A") and (85-93 is a "B") etc...

2. Those that apply THE SAME 1.0-4.0 GPA scale, but fortunately use the 10-point percentage range

(90-100 is an "A",) and (80-89 is a "B") etc...

3. Those that now use PLUSES & MINUSES as additional categories---so 93%-100% equals an "A" (4.0)

while 88-92 = A- or B+ (3.5 - 3.67) etc...

Anyway, those first 3 Grade Scale options were the mid-to-hard systems.

Now we'll cover the most Student Friendly...

4. Those that apply the PLUSES & MINUSES, but the scale can start at A+ for a (4.3), and work its way down like #3

5. Lastly, Our Favorite. The Colleges that are on the 10-point scales (i.e. 90-100, 80-89) but they've ADDED "PLUSES" within those ranges WITHOUT ANY MINUSES. Yeah, that's right----you can often get an 87% and get a (3.5 B+).

Just FYI---that's only 3 points away from a (2.0 "C") in our "old school" grade scale shown in #1.

PS: Those do still exist. Wouldn't you hate to find that out too late?

Set of Schools #1

(From NC, FL, SC) - 1 Private, 2 Public Major Universities. Vast Differences.

Hardest-to-Easiest "Grading Scales" - Left to Right

Set of Schools #2 - Very Similar

(From SC & LA) - 2 Public Major Universities, 1 Public Regional. Vast Differences.

Hardest-to-Easiest "Grading Scales" - Left to Right

Alright, you get it. It's important---and very few people think to research it.

So now you might be thinking "Cool, I'll check that out with my short-list of Colleges".

BUT WAIT---WE HAVE A PROBLEM:

Most Colleges ARE NOT listing the Grade Percentage Ranges online or in their catalog.

Perhaps 80%+ of Campus-Based Public and Private Universities are avoiding this. Some Community Colleges, Career Schools, or Private Accelerated Colleges show them a little more often---but even there we've seen a major shift.

So, AS IT IS TODAY, this missing info makes CollegeDawg's goal to help you consider

Grading Scales & Their Impact in YOUR DESICION MAKING PROCESS quite a bit more difficult.

But Why Would Colleges Do That? You'll Hear Things Like:

"We Want Our Professors to be Partners in Learning Outcomes"

"There are Many Factors in Determining Student Success"

"We want to let our Instructors apply Standards They Feel Are Appropriate"

"We feel it's the most Equity-Driven and Inclusive method"

*The actual reason is essentially Business 101..."We gotta keep our EXISTING customers & those customers need their price discounts (AKA scholarship/grant money) to continue to flow." Thus, Grade Inflation and Ambiguity

enters the equation. However---the details aren't important for our cause here. Just know it is what it is.

But, If You're Just Really Curious About Why... click here.

It's a mixture of Facts, Conjecture, & Common Sense & will keep you on the edge of your seat. But it's not at all necessary for what we're doing...

Anyway----so here we are. CollegeDawg's Top 10 Strategy for you to Save Money & Keep Getting that Scholarship/Grant Cash is not as easy as we thought it would be to put into action due to business-related ambiguity. All you gotta do is go online and look at a college's website or online catalog to verify what we're telling you. You're gonna see the GPA Scales with flowery descriptions of success levels and what they mean, but in most cases not the numerical percentage ranges associated to achieve those letter grades. WOW. Just wow.

So, What Steps Can You Take to Find this Information?

Well, You Gotta Go "Detective Style"

1. First off, you need the basics and THAT IS ON THEIR SITE---the basic GPA scale. "A" = 4.0, "B" = 3.0 and so on.

This is on nearly all College sites (or in their current catalog).

2. Ask students who go to that school to screen shot you the NUMERICAL PERCENTAGE RANGE Scales for several of their classes (it's on each individual course syllabi---almost always determined by the Professor/Instructor). I just received 10 of them a few weeks back.

3 Some of the Gen Z'ers have told me you can chat in forums like Discord, Reddit, University Chat-Thingies, etc... JUST DON'T ASK A.I.

4. Some Colleges do have Syllabus Search Tools---but those are few and far between. But maybe one day....

5. You can also do what I would do to save time. Call the Registrar and ask typical ranges. They may try to be vague, but you can get them to assist you. It may take going a little higher in the "Academic" Dept to get a few Syllabi if necessary---but you can make it happen.

6. Now, if that makes you a little squeamish---just call Admissions (they have the most difficult "quotas", whoops, I mean "BENCHMARKS"). The lower level or newer reps may have to ask their bosses, but believe me if you ask for 10 Syllabi Grade PERCENTAGE RANGES issued recently by their Professors in varying classes you can get 10. I'd probably get 5 Gen Ed and 5 Major Related----and to have fun, I might ask for specific classes to ensure there's no trickeration. What we've found is that most Instructors are pretty close to one another on the scales within each Institution. We haven't seen a College where 4 classes are on 10-point scales and ONE is the Old School 94-100 = "A". They're typically within a point or 2 with a periodic instructor refusing to use the PLUSES & MINUSES, but the scales are still pretty close.

So---To Summarize the Importance of Grading Scales in your College Endeavor

Well, they can be fairly significant, as you might think you are comparing "Apples to Apples" when you're

checking Colleges out. Just imagine if you got that Tuition Assistance Money in our 1st section here. It

could be the difference between getting that $5k reimbursed or continuing on with your "Free Tuition"!

Not to mention all those Merit-Award Scholarships...

Convinced Yet?

Find Colleges with Very Liberal

Credit-by-Exam Policies

*This Can Save 1-2 Years of Your Time --- Seriously

OK...yeah, we get it. We talk about Credits-by-Exam A LOT. Bottom line, these are the fastest, simplest, and cheapest ways to knock out a Degree in short order---in most cases saving $1500-$3000 per class depending on the "Type" of School you select.

This section just shows you what to look for at Colleges to MAXIMIZE Speed-to-Degree if that's your thing. Basically, we're just looking to "GRADE" each College based upon how they'll apply CLEPs, DSSTs, & AP's.

So, what are we looking for?

1. Colleges who Accept the Most Exam Credits Incoming (most are limited to 30-60 Semester Hours)

2. CLEPs - Which do they take? What scores do they consider "passing"? & Do any provide credit for 2 classes or more? What course(s) do they count for specifically? (some colleges have several choices listed)

3. DSSTs - Do they OFFICIALLY accept them? Which do they take? What scores are considered "passing"? If not presently accepted "as policy", would they be open to approving some individually?

4. AP's - Do they use "3" (out of 5) as the passing score like most Colleges & are there any that will provide credit for

2 classes with a score of 4 or 5?

5. Your Specific "Degree Map" - Will you have "slots" available for all exams you want to take (or have taken), & will those tests meet the EXACT course required. (BTW: This also applies to your Dual Credits earned)

Note: Other terms for "Degree Map" include: Major Course Grid, Curriculum Guide, Academic Roadmap, Major Requirement Sheet, Program Plan etc...Just FYI

So, let's break them down in order of IMPORTANCE (to us at least).

1. Find Colleges that already accept DSSTs (the more the better)

Why? Well first off, these Colleges ALWAYS accept CLEPs as well---thus you might be doubling the opportunities (remember, each have

30+ exams). Next, they're a tad easier & have many subjects that are more of your "elective" or "lower-level requirement" types---thus filling those boxes on your Degree Map. From there you'll just need to ensure the College accepts the ACE recommended score of "400" and hasn't jacked up the required scores (most just stick with what ACE says).

Lastly---at a minimum (if not shown online) try to clarify if they accept SOME DSSTs, or if they accept "DANTES" Exams for the military related students. Like discussed in the "Speed to Degree" section, many know them by that name---but it's not technically accurate. Anyway, you're probably gonna have to call on that last part---as less than 50% of Colleges show a list of them online or in their catalog. Just start with the Admissions Department---then move on to Academics (& UP if necessary)---until you get a YES.

*Remember we got 6 approved for one student after multiple personnel told us they didn't even accept DSSTs...

2. Identify Schools that Accept the Most CLEPs Total (And the 5 basic "General Examinations" can be the most valuable)

This subject has been covered pretty thoroughly already, but here you're looking for Total Options---and how they're applied. Additionally, you'll want to make sure they accept the ACE recommended passing score of "50" IDEALLY. Some Colleges have been adjusting these slightly---typically up 10% or so. In our Data-Hub section you'll see a couple examples of the outlines Colleges provide online in many cases. Simply put, we REALLY WANT those with the "50" score standards.

Next, if you can find a School that accepts MOST General CLEP exams you've kinda struck gold. Why? In MANY cases they also give credit for

2 Classes (6-8 Semester Hours) for a test usually taking about 60-90 mins.

There are 5: College Math, Natural Sciences, Social Sciences & History, Humanities, and Composition.

Ex. Pass the 90 min Composition - get Eng 101 & 102

Ex. Pass the 90 min Science - get credit for 2 varying Science courses

Ex. Pass Social Sciences & History - get credit for 2 History or Western Civ. type courses

You get the point....

Now---although we didn't dig into this too much, we checked 25+ Schools over a day or so (BIG NAME Colleges, Regional, Online etc...).

MANY OF THEM are giving 2 classes for Composition. A fair amount are awarding 2 Course Credits for Natural Sciences or Social Sciences & History. And, although a decent percentage take College Mathematics & Humanities for credit (3 Semester Hours), it's much tougher to find Colleges still awarding credit for 2 classes. We did find a few though.

Additionally, there are several more exams that can OFTEN get you "extra credit". Many Colleges offer 2 course credits for several Individual Subject CLEP exams. As mentioned in other sections, most offer 6-16 Sem Hours for Foreign Language exams depending on how you score.

A good percentage of Colleges ALSO AWARD 6-8 Semester Hours for Biology, Chemistry, & Calculus. So, if you recently took the class in High School---why not get on one of the Study Guide websites we recommend and finish up your credit for College?

Or, I suppose, you can just spend $3k-$6k extra because you didn't want to prep while the info was still fresh!

Regardless, just know the best place to see a College's Current CLEP Acceptance outline is ON THEIR WEBSITE. However, you can use this search tool to go through the CollegeBoard (we're just not sure how often the Schools update these). https://clep.collegeboard.org/clep-college-credit-policy-search

Anyway, you can search by College---or possibly more effectively, by specific test and state. It's a decent starting point---just PLEASE confirm the info.

3. AP's - Try to find Colleges that give Double Credit for Scores of 4 and 5

Now, this probably shouldn't be #3 on our list (since it's far more main-stream), but we wanted to get the concept of receiving 2 classes of credit for ONE EXAM established. Advanced Placement Exams (AP's), are often treated similarly at some schools. On a grading scale of 1-5 (3 typically being passing), MANY MANY MANY Colleges are giving 2 classes for 4's and 5's. If it was me, (and I was an average to above-average student) who wants a degree with high job demand/high average income---but understands that most employers aren't that concerned with which College my Degree comes from---I might REALLY pay attention to who's giving 6-8 Semester Hours for a 4 or 5 on these AP tests!

*On this---we've seen a bunch of variations. In fact, just recently we saw a "4" on World History earn credit for 2 courses at a Major University.

So, their policy alone just saved you $3000+ more if you're living on a Campus. Combine that with a few others from above and you would save yourself a Semester of Tuition, Room & Board, Books, and ALL THOSE FEEs.

4. Try to find Colleges that already allow 60 Hours of Credit-by-Exam credits (vs. the more restrictive 30 hours)

You'd think this woulda been the #1 most important topic here. So Why Not? Well, we've discussed that before. THIS IS VERY NEGOTIABLE. If you find a College that is great in #'s 1-3 in this section, and has your Degree Major that meets our main standards regarding the Career Field

(In Demand, Forecasted for Future Demand, Above Median Income, and Usually Requires that Degree or Training)---it's probably still a major contender even if the College's cap in the catalog is 30 hours.

Now, you may think reaching 40 or 50 hours with these exams is unrealistic but remember---if you get A FEW with double credit---you many end up getting to 50 hours with 4 "double-credits", 3 DSSTs, 3 other AP's and 3 other CLEPs (Not easy---but not crazy hard).

*Just remember, we got a Branch University to move from 30 hours max to 54 in just a couple days. You can too.

5. Consider Different Colleges that Essentially have the Same Degree (if their Employer Contact to Student Ratio is similar)

OK, we mentioned your "Degree Map" for that Major. Did you know that different Colleges can have fairly significant variations of class mixes to earn essentially the same Degree? Here's where you'll determine how your AP's, CLEPs, DSSTs, and Dual Credits will fit in. Remember:

*6-9 Slots for Electives would be ideal. This gives you the most space for random Credit-by-Exam tests accepted. AND, if you can't get an AP or Dual Credit you've already earned to apply as a "Required course"---it can often go here.

Important: Some Colleges & Majors have very limited elective slots on their Degree Outline---thus if you find one where 50 of your hours fit vs. 27 hours, you've got some serious thinking to do. I'm not sure if this is a Business 101 tactic on the College's part to get more classes out of you---but if so, I'm slightly impressed.

Lastly, just a gentle reminder that Guaranteed Acceptance does not mean Guaranteed Applicability for all Credit-by-Exam tests & Dual credits---however, there are always Negotiation opportunities. It doesn't always work with various Gen Eds---but it's definitely worth a shot.

Again---recently we got a College to say yes to a higher-level course substitution by combining 2 CLEPs (which alone would've just been electives he didn't need).

So, to Wrap up the Credit-by-Exam College Policy section...

Your research online and phone calls will tell you almost everything you need regarding CLEP, DSST, AP, & Dual Credit acceptance and application. Unless I was going into one of those specific high-level degree professions (Doctor, Lawyer, Engineer, Wall Street & Silicon Valley type jobs etc..) where the actual College Name matters to get into the game IMMEDIATELY (or to get into specific Grad Programs), there is almost no chance I would

select a school with limited applicability regarding the above opportunities.

Speed & Overall Cost count a lot---but perhaps even more valuable is Your Time & Potential Lost Opportunity Costs. Just make sure you take all that into consideration when making that Final Decision.

So, let's take a look at some actual examples showing all 5 models.

**KEEP IN MIND THESE SCALES HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH SCHOOL PRESTIGE OR RIGOR.

Some "Harder Schools" have friendly scales, while some "Less Rigorous Schools" can use the hard scales.

*Note: A couple of these are directly off 2025 Syllabi while others are from recent historical data.

**n

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College Key Players - (Departments & Bosses)

*Those Who Can Help You in All Areas & Move Things Along WAY Faster

Alright---this one is short. (sorta)

* First off---the goal here? To save you a ton of time, a lot of frustration, and MAKE THINGS HAPPEN.

* We'll cover who does what, the key players, and perhaps most importantly---how to be successful when dealing with them.

* Like all else "CollegeDawg"---we will try to generalize these, mixing Small College Players along w/ some from Big Universities.

Let's Keep it REALLY Basic

For the most part, a College's Departments generally break into

4 MAIN Categories in order of your experience with them.

1. Admissions & Enrollment

2. Financial Aid

3. Academics

4. Career Services

Makes sense right? Sign up, Get Funding, Take Classes, Then Get a Job. Simple.
*In reality though---it is a tad more complicated. We'll hit on each briefly,

but the key is to know THREE MAIN THINGS (before you start):

1. Admissions (& Enrollment in some cases) is the most Sales & Customer Service related. You can almost ALWAYS get someone on the phone via multiple numbers.

2. The Higher You Go Up in Each Department, the more they are TYPICALLY concerned with landing you as a student. Nobody wants to be the VERIFIABLE reason you chose another College. (Business 101)

3. Sadly, a large percentage of personnel just want to put you off, get rid of you, or hand you off. At many Schools it can be a little like the DMV or a Health Insurance Company (no offense).

*If Customer Service & Accessibility is a priority for you---the general rule is, the Smaller the School the better this is. (But no rule is 100%)

*So those are the basics. Here's a little more detail on each Department and

some of the roles you'll typically find within each category.

We'll just stick to the ones most useful for our case as a New Student.

*We'll leave Career Services out for now.

1. Admissions & Enrollment

(or "newbie" related)

Their main roles are to Recruit New Prospects, Sign those "Admitted", and Keep them On-Board until School Starts. They almost always have "start goals" (translation: quotas at many schools). They'll usually answer the phones or call you back quickly to ensure they don't mess up 1 of those 3 things.

*IMPORTANT: You can use these guys to get to "Key Players" & higher ups in Financial Aid and Academics---pretty much the other people you need with this CollegeDawg stuff. Don't feel bad harassing them if you're not getting call backs or follow-ups elsewhere...

TO KEEP IT SIMPLE: They are almost always "The Quarterbacks" in the process.

*And, the Director of Admissions is typically one of the Top 2-3 Departmental Leaders on Campus.

Depending on the School---they usually have LOTS OF PULL and can work with other Directors on your behalf.

2. Financial Aid - The Money People

The Financial Aid Dept. (FA) is going to be key for you for multiple reasons (we list them out below). Simply put, they control the money and your ability to pay for College in most cases. Within this Department they typically have Lower, Mid, and Director type levels. At the bigger schools they often also have "Screeners" which is one step above the automated menu you constantly yell "Customer Service" at when dealing with your favorite businesses.

Anyway, with Smaller Schools, you can often see them "same day" following Enrollment. In some cases, they'll even "war-game" scenarios with you BEFORE YOU ENROLL. Just generalizing, but these are typically the Private Institutions & Smaller Schools which are generally operated more like a Business (which can be a pretty good thing).

With most of the Larger Institutions (Public primarily), you may have a slight to VERY LONG delay in getting specifics. Many will make you wait for your "FA Offer Letter" to talk details---which is often several weeks after enrollment. Now, using the CollegeDawg Strategies,

you kinda need to know these ASAP. No Delays. Questions like:

* Am I getting any Grants (typically Federal/State)?

* Which Grants? & How do I get the full amounts (if lower income)?

* Do I qualify for any of your Merit Awards (Automatic Scholarships)?

* What does it take for a Professional Judgment (FA override of the FAFSA results)?

* Can I run a scenario for a "PJ" by you---that you can then confirm with your FA Director?

* Can you verify I'm getting this Scholarship/Tuition Assistance from the state?

* Are there other Scholarships or Grants FROM YOUR SCHOOL, I may be eligible for to close any gap?

* Does your school offer Institutional Loans?

* Can you provide some Guidance on other Options or Additional Ideas?

Sadly, almost everyone NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE SYSTEM will end up with one of these "solutions":

1. A link to their website and catalog that has lots of "helpful" answers

2. A support@yourcollege.edu email address to send your questions

3. A voicemail that says #1 and #2, but then says we'll get back to you in 24-48 hours if you need further help. Yeah, I'd say that's less than 50% accurate either on the within 24-48 hours, or just the "we'll get back to you" part. (w/ Larger Public Colleges)

So, Do You Want Help with All Your FA Questions---FAST? GO TO THEM.

1. Call and ask about Appts (but ignore if several days out). Move on to #2.

2. Walk-in and Wait. It works 90%+ of the time. Again, nobody wants to be "seen" as the team-member who lost you as a customer.

3. Type up all your questions - be ready with everything, in case you hit a snag (and you will). Then you can ask for the Director or Asst. Director of Financial Aid if you need additional assistance.

*Alright---let's use a recent real-world example on STEPS 1-3. We had a student who transferred Colleges and got his "FA Offer Letter". He got his standard Financial Aid and also qualified for a $4k Merit Award through the School. I asked the Student about the State's LIFE Scholarship ($5k annually)---and he said he didn't qualify. After looking at his transcripts, I was 100% sure he did. I told him to try to set a FA appt for the next day or so---but they didn't have anything available. We then told him to Go to the FA Office Today & SIT DOWN & WAIT. When he finally got in, we went on speakerphone w/ the Rep. As is often the case---the Rep was thrilled to help (eye-roll).

Anyway, I asked him about the situation---and he assured me the Student did not qualify---at which point I told him I was pretty much 100% sure the kid did. Instead of wasting time, I asked if he could grab the Assistant Director of Financial Aid. We laid out our brief

"case" very pleasantly and she said "she wasn't sure, but she'd check into it" (but without a doubt SHE KNEW we were correct---right then). From there we called or emailed every day for the next 4-5 days. Then we got the approval. No "whoops", No "our bad", just here you go...

Whatever. He got $5,000 for this year and will automatically get $5,000 next year if he keeps that GPA over 3.0. Should it be this hard? Nope---but it was a VERY LARGE Regional Public University. I felt like we were talking to Verizon. Nuff Said?

#4. If you get to the Mid or Upper Level Individuals:

Note: You'll have to adjust these slightly if you are out of the area and this is via phone

* Get their cards

* Ask if they have direct lines (or get their extension)

* Ask them (face-to-face) if you send follow up emails, can they get back to you pretty quick. It's kinda in your face "high pressure"---but now they're committed!

* If you do email, call and leave a message telling them you emailed them (sure it seems like a lot---but it's what

"make-it-happen" type people do)

* If it's important, get it in writing. But how---if you just talked on the phone? Tell them you took a lot of notes and want to make sure you're accurate. Ask if you can send a few bullets over for them to say Yea or Nay on the accuracy. Boom---now it's in writing!

* AND THE FAIL SAFE: Call Admissions---get your guy/gal to call on the "bat phone" line and get somebody. Or perhaps ask them to

WALK OVER and grab someone & call you. Don't feel bad, it is what it is.

So, is all this Overkill? Perhaps

But that is how Go-Getters make things happen in life! Not only will you get answers FAST,

you've now learned a skill/mentality as valuable as anything you learn in college.

*What it takes to win*

It's in the Top 5 most important skills you could ever master.

3. Academics

First off---let's save some time.

You know all those Skills/Processes we just gave you to "handle your business"? Just Rinse and Repeat here.

OK, so this one can be tricky, especially at the really Large Universities. At the risk of extreme "over-simplification", we're gonna say for the most part you're looking for 2 people. The Registrar and someone at the Asst Dean/Director of Education level (eventually).

These are typically the individuals who can answer questions related to CLEPs, DSSTs, AP's, Transfer Credits, Max Credit-by-Exam Hours, Appeal/Exception Processes, Course Substitutions, Life Experience Credits, Course Challenges, Independent Study etc...

*Simply put---almost everything related to "Speed to Degree"

Who else might you run into here: Student Services, Academic Advisors, Transfer Credit People, Program Chairs, etc... Don't get overwhelmed. The main 2 are listed above and the best part is they can get you to almost anyone else you need (typically pretty quick)!

At the larger Schools, Student Services can point you in the right direction and get you some names/numbers, but they're not gonna be handling that "Speed to Degree" stuff. In contrast, at a lot of Smaller Institutions a "Program Chair" is usually another person who can help get you where you need to go (The Director of Education, Asst Dean, Dean etc...).

*Now, don't forget!

You can use Admissions to get to any of these people if you have a specific Rep

you've been working with (or their boss). Until you start school---they're usually gonna be your BFF!

*One Last Thing Related to Academics

You'll Need to Know as a Newbie.

Both the Academic and Financial Aid Offices will want your OFFICIAL Transcripts for different reasons.

Be it for credit transfers, scholarship eligibility, or academic advising amongst several other things...

But Contrary to what MOST STUDENTS THINK

Registrars don't order these (nor do HS's typically just send them)!

*OK---perhaps in 98% of cases they don't

This should save you some time:

1. You gotta order them from the High School

2. If you took Dual Credits in HS, you gotta order them from the Community College/Tech School

3. If you passed some CLEP exams you have to order them from CollegeBoard

4. If you passed some DSST exams you'll have to order them through their site---they will link you to Parchment

Yup---You're welcome again. Believe me, many Colleges will only do certain things using Official Transcripts

(not those un-officials the HS sent initially or the copy you have in your email). Nope.

But now you know! One less thing.

So, to Summarize---It's Great to Know Who The Key Players Are

Just don't fool yourself. You're still likely gonna need to use those new "Skills"

& some version of a "Process" to ensure you make things happen effectively.

We wish there was an easier path! But we've been doing this a long time...

Best of Luck! (but actually, luck has nothing to do with it)

Negotiation - Now We're Talking!

OK, Let's Soften This To:

Asking, Persuading, Debating, Influencing, & Applying a Little Pressure

The Goal: Get Your Requests Approved or,

High Enough Up the Food Chain Where "Numbers Matter"

So Here's What We're Gonna Cover:

First, we'll quickly recap those areas mentioned in the Speed-to-Degree Negotiation section, then follow that up with the New Tactics more specifically related to the Cost-Cutting section. These include:

* Negotiation Topics under "Speed to Degree":

-Transfer Credits

-Credit by Examination Policies

-Max Allowable Incoming Credits

-Life Experience Considerations

* New Negotiation Strategies from "Cost Cutting Tricks":

-Professional Judgements

-Dependency Override

-Additional Scholarships, Grants, or Reduced Prices on Things Like Room & Board

-Institutional Loans for Gaps in your Financial Aid

Used Car lot. Add words _Used Cars_ on image.jpg

a folder with _We'd Like to Appeal_ written on it.jpg

Negotiable Areas ALREADY Covered Under "Speed to Degree" (quick recaps):

For the Full Info (again): Click Here

*Transfer Credits - Getting Credit for Classes or Exams taken elsewhere even if they have to be "Substituted" for a Required Class or Elective on your "Degree Map" (or Major Outline). Believe us, it's amazing what you can pull off with a little "Honey"---and a dash of persistency.

*Credit by Examination Policies - This subject was obviously initiated under "Speed to Degree" with explanations of what these tests are and their overall importance (with few specific nuances). Annnnnnnd obviously the Strategies & Suggestions are really detailed above.

The Lesson: BE INFORMED IN ADVANCE. And---remember, a lot of low-level policies or guidelines are not set in stone.

*Max Allowable Incoming Credits - Along the same lines as above, just know what their limits for TOTAL SEMESTER HOURS ACCEPTED are. Make sure you know it for Total Overall AND for Credits-by-Exam. Some of you may be coming from other Colleges or completed a good bit of HS/College Dual Credits.

*Life Experience Considerations - Under "Speed to Degree" we discussed how to make your pitch, and what to expect. For "Adults" who have been in the workforce for a while (or Veterans), you may find yourself with 30-40+ Sem. Hours of credit, while even a Recent Grad who held a

part-time job for a year or 2 could end up with credits for a couple College Courses. Lastly, keep in mind, if you got a Certification or Diploma beyond HS, this is the main way of circumventing "The System" to get credit for those classes that typically don't transfer as "College Credits".

*ADDITIONAL Negotiable Areas

(Purely related to the "Cost Cutting Tricks" section):

1. Professional Judgments - THIS COULD BE THE #1 Negotiable topic related to the Financial Aid Dept. If I am Coaching You as a Mentee---this would be one of the first things we would consider if the scenario were right.

Why You Ask?

*This is part of THE BIG BOY GAME we discussed earlier. Another chance for us to use the rules to TO OUR BENEFIT for once.

Anyway, first off you have to remember what "Professional Judgements" are (we covered them under "FA Basics").

Essentially, these are OVER-RIDES your Financial Aid Team can make related to your FAFSA & SAI. These include: Income Changes, Situational Life Changes, Unique Individual Circumstances, Cost of Attendance adjustments (yours specifically), and Dependency Status--just to name a few.

The Decision to Approve or Deny typically rests solely with the College's Financial Aid Dept. (using "The Honor System" with the Government).

Basically, if it is related to you getting Financial Aid, what you qualify for, the parameters of your benefits, or the info used to determine those benefits---they fall under a Professional Judgement (aka---a "PJ"). This is the main way to change a FAFSA Decision or SAI rating---possibly qualifying a student for Federal and State Grants, or Higher "Direct" Student Loan Amount Limits.

Now---Speaking of Changing Direct Student Loan Amounts "Offered"...

Why as a Parent would I want a "PJ" disputing my ability to participate in the

Parent PLUS Loan program even if approved? Well simply put, I'd like my kid to have access to a

GREATER AMOUNT of the loans with the most favorable terms (6.39% in 2025-2026) and the payback

& forgiveness advantages---while also having the responsibility to pay put ON THEM.

Even if you're gonna help later, this keeps the ball in your court.

*But how can you get out of these Parent PLUS loans WHILE ALSO GETTING ALMOST DOUBLE

the loan amounts available for the Student Individually? (reference again on the right)

*Now, we're assuming you have decent credit---because fair or not, we've already covered that

those Parents with bad credit get WHAT WE WOULD CONSIDER "an advantage" already (their kids

automatically shift to the Independent Student loan amounts).

But of course, that's an opinion---which brings up another point:

*If you as a Parent WANT access to the $20k annual Parent PLUS Loan program, no problem.

Just have "average credit" and you are a shoo-in. If that's the case, just skip the rest of this

section & move on to Dependency Over-Ride as that variation may apply to someone you know.

We're just talking to those that don't want to be forced into it, to cover more College Costs.

So, the Strategy:

The Parent PLUS approval process is pretty flawed. They run the Parents' credit, and if it surpasses VERY LOW REQUIREMENTS, pretty much

anyone is approved (resulting in no access to "Independent-Level" Direct Student Loans). The approval doesn't consider what you owe elsewhere, personal hardships, or potential financial consequences once payments become due. And guess what? You can't opt out (or at least that's what they tell you).

That's where a Professional Judgement comes in. A very low percentage of parents try this, but believe us, it works. The more the School NEEDS additional students, the more likely they'll put this through. For the most part it doesn't put the Institution at risk unless they did TONS of these that were questionable, or they helped assist with a little "fraud". Either way, these issues typically only pop up via audits. In most cases where they were just too lenient/liberal in a great number of cases---it would typically result in a probationary period or increased scrutiny moving forward for the School. Obviously, fraud is a different story. But you're not asking for anything questionable----just logical.

*The "PJ" Approval can Secure a New Student for Their School---While Also Being a Game-Changer for You Financially.

But let's take one step back. We're gonna show you how absurd these Parent PLUS Loan approvals are.

To qualify for a MORTGAGE (which is secured debt for a lender), they usually require a "back end" debt-to-income ratio (DTI) of around 45% or below. You can typically get up to 55% DTI with excess reserves (Savings, Checking, 401k, IRA's etc...). The calculation includes any normal credit related payments due each month (House Payments, Car Payments, Credit Cards, Personal Loans, Student Loans, Home Insurance, Property Taxes, etc...) and those payments along with your new mortgage cannot exceed the debt-to-income percentage of your gross income. This is to reduce the risk that you won't be able to pay the loan back---or fall behind. This is why so many people today do not qualify for a home...it's simple math.

WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?

The Parent PLUS Loan Program doesn't care about this, which is kinda crazy. However, if you're above those DTI percentages---you can get out of this (depending on the College), with a little effort & creative writing (i.e. "making a case" with a little common sense "persuasion").

* If your debt ratio is going to be above 60%+ after payments begin----you can convince FA for a Professional Judgement at many schools.

* If you have medical expenses that impact your ability to repay (or a condition that will limit you) - you can get a PJ.

* If the Loan Payments will keep you from fully covering Health Insurance, Co-Pays, Deductibles, etc... make a case for a PJ.

* If the Loan Payments will negatively impact the lives or limit the necessities of your other kids, you can get a PJ.

* Lastly, any letter including a statement that this may cause a potential bankruptcy, credit counseling, foreclosure, or a repossession in the future---can have a big impact. Remember, it's just math and common sense. If it will make things difficult, don't fall for it.

Simply put---this is only limited by your creativity. Obviously, we're not gonna lie---we're just gonna point out a few current or potential hardships. If successful, the Student will IMMEDIATELY BECOME ELIGIBLE for roughly double the amount of the lowest rate loans (like an Independent Student does). See the chart just above for 2025-2026 numbers if you missed it the first time.

One final note on these "PJ's" that VERY FEW people know about. Depending on the College, you'll OFTEN be able to get a Mid-Year do-over if your circumstances change (job, divorce, medical, baby etc...). Even if a FA Rep says no---don't quit there. Push it to the Director Level. Remember, they have better things to do than mess around with you on a simple issue like this. The easiest path for them is to tell someone to "get it done".

Moving on...Next We Have:

2. Dependency Over-Ride - This is just a high-level PJ. This makes the student totally Independent even if they don't meet the true parameters "officially". If the Student can get a few support letters saying they have been on their own financially and have had no contact with their parents or VERY LITTLE contact and the parents refuse to participate, a student can be deemed INDEPENDENT with all its benefits

(i.e. possible federal and state grants, and access to MORE of the lower rate loan options etc...)

Obviously, it's not easy, but "Marginal Cases" can be approved. Essentially, the more the school wants you---the easier it is to get approved.

*Note: Different Colleges use different terms for the request (forms, application, paperwork etc..). They'll get the drift when you ask, but just so you know, you may hear terms like: Independent Status Petition, Dependency Override Request Form, or Special Circumstances Form.

You'll typically just need a couple letters (from Family, Teachers, Counselors, Clergy etc..) along with a little more documentation in most cases. Once this is approved---you might now be looking at up to $15k annually in Grants, and almost double the access to those crazy-low-rate Direct Student Loans (with all their unbelievable repayment advantages). So yeah, I would absolutely give this a try in certain circumstances.

*****AGAIN, you're not lying---just making your case to GET A BETTER DEAL (and it is definitely within the rules)!

On To #3...

3. Additional Grants and Scholarships - Let's talk about 3 basic versions...

1. If you qualified for FULL PELL, you can make an argument to receive the FULL AMOUNTS of FSEOG or State Need-Based Grants. If you've been paying attention, we've constantly said, "UP TO" $4000 FSEOG or "UP TO" $3500 SC Need-Based Grant---which means some people can get left out, or don't get the full amount. MAKE SURE YOU ASK. Kindly let them know it could be a deal-breaker for you if you don't get all or at least a portion of these additional Grants that you think you qualify for. These can be in limited supply, and if you did not apply to the School in the early window, a large portion of this money could already be allocated.

*But these 2 approaches to the situation usually work. (Example statements)

A. "Receiving these will likely make a big difference regarding my ability to attend your College."

B. "I understand you might have used all the funds available in your "FA Offer Letters" to other students. However, I'm guessing a good bit of students "accepted" to your school will not actually enroll. Can you check to see if you have any of those responses already? If not, can you put me at the top of your list when you do the next round? Pretty Please... I'll be your BFF."

(Humor, Compliments, & Reinforcing someone's "Power" almost always works).

Note: This is always best to have in writing. If you talked to them, send a thank you note confirming what you discussed. Yeah, you'll almost assuredly get some or all of what you're eligible for. Why? Like most of our strategies---very few people do this, AND they really don't want to deal with you anymore. THE SQUEAKY WHEEL really does get the grease-----OR THE GRANT IN THIS CASE.

2. Additional Free Money - JUST ASK. This works even better when you're talking to multiple Colleges. Both Pell Eligible & Higher Income Students (or families) can try this. Just note on these, we're talking about FROM THE SCHOOL, not applying for various Scholarships they might recommend, although we would 100% do that as well (later). Here we're just looking for "Special Treatment" without much work.

Now, this is typically only going to work at Private Universities and Colleges---they just have a lot more latitude and are far more BUSINESS ORIENTED. The good news is, there are many more of these than there are Public Institutions. With Private Universities/Colleges, it can be fairly simple. Think like a business. If you had a student that was receiving all Federal & State Grants (say $15k annually), State Automatic Scholarships of $5000-$10,000 annually, & maybe even some Tuition Assistance money from their Employer---do you think you wouldn't want to lock all that CASH down? You could be talking $25k+ per year. Many Colleges will do just about anything to ensure you attend. A few more thousand thrown your way will often be no problem!

3. Additional Free Money - VETERANS. Consider the last paragraph, now let's add in your GI BILL Money. Even if you get none of the Grants or Scholarship money listed above---the GI BILL IS GOLD to Private & Public Universities. They know you'll always have the cash to pay, making you one of their FAVORITE STUDENTS!

As we're sure you know, you will generally get your Tuition Fully Covered at about 90% of Colleges, but why not try to get FREE Room & Board as well? This WILL WORK at MANY-MANY-MANY lesser-known Private Universities. If you don't get the full amount, you will ALMOST ALWAYS get a Very Generous offer---which of course you can take elsewhere to compare. Your success here is only limited by your creativity! Those who do not ask---do not receive. Just like REAL LIFE!

Lastly, #4 of Negotiation Topics (related to "Cost Cutting Tricks"...)

4. Institutional Loans - OK, if lack of money is going to keep you from going to a certain school, let them know. If told there is no other "free money" you qualify for available from the College, why not inquire about borrowing money from the School directly. Now, we're definitely not talking about Public Universities here though. This is a Private Institution thing. It's not all that widespread, but is available in some cases.

We don't have a ton of info here beyond this---but know that some Schools have set up different Offices, Divisions, or Non-Profits to make this available. Some even offer 0% rates, forgiveness under certain circumstances after graduation, or generous Income-Based Repayment programs.

But, why would they offer these?

As we discussed in the last section, would you as a BUSINESS OWNER---let $20k-$30k annually walk out the door (if you're still technically "profiting")? Almost no chance. The funny part is---if the Colleges do offer these Institutional Loans, many are expecting a really high default rate (people not paying them back)---but again, that doesn't matter so much if they netted the money above. To be honest, if the payback percentages are halfway decent---it's just gravy.

Lastly, IF YOUR SCHOOL DOESN'T OFFER THESE (which most don't---yet), you may just find yourself in a situation where they find a way to throw more free-money at you if they feel this could be a deal-breaker for you. Win-Win. (And psst---that's a big reason why we showed you this)

ANYWAY: To Wrap Up this Institutional Loan Stuff:

The number of Higher Ed Institutions offering these will likely increase greatly in the future due to demand and competition offering it. They'll see the massive benefit. It won't be totally unlike the evolution of Online College Degrees & Classes. It was only 25 years ago when main-stream Universities were literally saying these weren't real colleges, and the degrees were worthless. Now they're one of the biggest "Cash Cows" for

"The Football Schools" and other Big & Small Colleges. Just wait---you'll see.

So that's it for our 5 Random Strategies

At this point you should all be "Quasi-Experts" in multiple areas. You've been exposed to 30+ ways to Speed up

your Degree and Save Tons of Money. Put those to work---and do a little Negotiating on "fine print" stuff and you'll

be miles ahead of your Neighborhood and Facebook Know-it-Alls.

Bottom line, we've all heard individuals, major news organizations, politicians, & uninformed "sympathizers" talk

about the fact that getting a degree for a large portion of America (particularly lower income) just isn't feasible.

Hopefully now you KNOW WITHOUT A SHADOW OF A DOUBT this is not even remotely true. I'm the dude

standing up and yelling at the TV (or iPhone 7) when I hear this stuff.

You are now one of those "in the know"! Make sure you share THE LOVE.

GAME ON TEAM! (Let's move on for more detail on the "8 Types of Schools" you're gonna run into!)