YLS Financial Aid Blog

Tonight's Top Ten Categoy ... Things You Need to Know About Using Your Financial Aid ...

jstone — Wed, 15 May 2013 20:42:00 GMT

Okay, I couldn’t resist adding one more to the myriad of over used Top Ten Lists out there (David Letterman what have you wrought in our society!!). But this is a pretty important one to at least take a look at because it’s all about what...(read more)

The Price of Solitude ... the cost of living with or without a roommate

jstone — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 16:32:00 GMT

I know that this is the time of the year when our new admits are scrambling to find housing and put deposits down before someone else snatches up a good apartment. Lots of pressure to insure that you have a place to actually “land” when you...(read more)

Apples to Apples (or at least Granny Smith to Macintosh): Comparing Aid Award Letters

jstone — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 16:36:00 GMT

This is the season when our office gets a lot of requests to match aid awards from other Law Schools. But as a need-based institution we can only review or change an aid award if there is a change in financial circumstances which affects need. The existence...(read more)

"Delicious" Money Saving Tips And Tricks From One YLS Student

jstone — Sun, 17 Mar 2013 17:49:00 GMT

Inspiration for the blog comes in many forms. Take my change meeting with 2L Christina Coutu this past week who happened to see me with a container of my favorite Greek yogurt. Bonding over our mutual love of yogurt, Christina shared how in a purely cost...(read more)

Beware of Student Loan Debt Management Scams...

Kellie — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 17:39:00 GMT

I am writing to make you all aware of what is out there. I was reading a whole bunch of financial aid information which I receive daily through my email and an article sparked my attention. It was about so-called debt management companies claiming that...(read more)

Beyond Loan Repayment- "Big Picture" Financial Planning

jstone — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 16:52:00 GMT

Any of you who have ever been in my office may have noticed that I have two watercolor prints on my walls both of which are beach scenes. Why? It keeps me focused everyday on "the" goal…the little beach house in South (or North) Carolina...(read more)

Loans and Literacy

jstone — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 18:14:00 GMT

In December, the Federal Reserve Bank reported that student loan debt had increased to $956 billion, more than auto loan debt or credit card debt. For many, it was the culminating benchmark in the ongoing student loan crisis which sees (as reported by...(read more)

The Means To Live Within Your Means

jstone — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 19:17:00 GMT

I could give a million and one euphemistic quotes on saving money. My personal favorite: “if saving money is wrong, I don’t want to be right” from that wise sage William Shatner (presumably as the Priceline Negotiator and not Captain...(read more)

The "Execution" of YLS Financial Aid- A Welcome Message for the Class of 2016

jstone — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 15:41:00 GMT

With our Class of 2016 beginning to take shape, I thought it was appropriate to reach out and extend a welcome on behalf of the YLS Financial Aid Office. You’ll find our office tucked in the York St./Grove St. corner of the Law School in M13. In...(read more)

Deck the Halls and Pay Your Rent

jstone — Sat, 10 Nov 2012 17:23:00 GMT

As we approach the holiday season, I wanted to throw a very blunt reminder out there that holiday shopping and gift giving were never a part of your student budget. There is no denying that those Black Friday sales after Thanksgiving or even cyber Monday...(read more)

Pay Attention to the "Pay As You Earn" Loan Repayment Option

jstone — Sat, 10 Nov 2012 17:01:00 GMT

Hot off the press from the Department of Education is a new addition to your loan repayment plan options. And pleasantly this plan has a much more descriptive and understandable name that the other plans (i.e. Standard, Extended, Graduate Extended etc...(read more)

Scholarships and the Bewares...

Kellie — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 13:24:00 GMT

How often do we read or hear about something and think, "Come on, that is too good to be true!" Well... All scholarships are a form of gift aid, money that does not need to be repaid (a wonderful thing) and it reduces debt (another wonderful...(read more)

The Big Payoff- should you take care of student loan debt as soon as possible?

jstone — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 15:45:00 GMT

A very interesting (and timely as you will see below) article on the AP this morning which I wanted to share … “Should you pay off your student loans quickly?” … detailing the story of one recent Grad School graduate who felt...(read more)

"Upgrade" With Help from A YLS Technology Loan

jstone — Mon, 20 Aug 2012 17:24:00 GMT

In April, I made the big leap and ditched my dinosaur of a home PC for an IPad (such are the dangers of working a block away from the allure of the Apple Store). But for all of us there comes a time when no matter how trusty the old computer has been...(read more)

Memories of Generic "mac and cheese"- (Or How to Make Your Financial Aid Refund Stretch)

jstone — Thu, 12 Jul 2012 13:59:00 GMT

So the reference to the generic "mac and cheese" may not make sense but has a personal connotation for me when it became the staple of my post undergrad life style (at the ridiculously low price of 5 for $1.00 at the local A&P supermarket...(read more)

What Still Needs To Happen To Get Your Money Or The "Never Ending" Financial Aid Process

jstone — Thu, 21 Jun 2012 13:53:00 GMT

So I like to think we are in the home stretch of the financial aid process, applications have been processed, award letters are out and award acceptances (Notification and Confirmation forms) have come in. So very close… but the reality is there...(read more)

Translating the Award Letter - the COA

jstone — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 19:44:00 GMT

It has been said that financial aid folks have their own language speaking of FAFSAs , EFCs, COAs, SARs and other strange terminology. Sometimes we take it for granted that students will just understand this “jibberish”. But seeing that our...(read more)

How 3Ls Can Achieve "Low Debt, High Gain" (Workshop Series)

jstone — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 22:00:00 GMT

Beginning in April, the Financial Aid Office will be offering the “Low Debt, High Gain” workshop series designed to give some practical, real world advice for our 3L students as they begin their transition from Yale Law School. And while each...(read more)

A "Special" Offer On Loan Consolidation

jstone — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 21:47:00 GMT

The phrase “limited time offer” is taking on a whole new meaning for some student loan borrowers who are being contacted by the Department of Education’s student loan servicers and offered a “Special Direct Loan Consolidation”...(read more)

Scholarships to help pay for your law degree...where do I sign?!

Kellie — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 19:48:00 GMT

This is the time of the year when a variety of firms, companies, and clubs send the Financial Aid Office information about the scholarships they offer. Some of the scholarships are awarded based on where you reside, the field you are interested in, and...(read more)

Public Service Loan Forgiveness Takes A Big Step Forward

jstone — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 21:48:00 GMT

On January 31, 2012, the Department of Education (DOE) made a long overdue announcement on the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program which should significantly help borrowers qualify for this loan forgiveness option. The PSLF Program was initially...(read more)

"Twists and Turns".. the loss of the Subsidized loan for Graduate students

jstone — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 22:12:00 GMT

Welcome to the "financial aid" blog. With all the captivating topics to write about why would I focus my first blog endeavor (ever!) on something as mundane as financial aid? Because far from being dull, the world of financial aid is filled...(read more)