There certainly are ways to maximize your chances of college financial aid (without gaming the system), and some of them seem like secrets because so few people truly understand financial aid, or the broader area of college planning.

FORBES: NY Times Is Wrong About Maximizing College Aid Chances

Scott-Clayton recently co-authored a new paper on the costs of complexity in the college financial aid system.

FORBES

He steadily worked toward his goal of reforming the student financial system and played a valuable role in nearly every major federal student-aid program in our nation's history, from Pell Grants in 1972 to the Academic Competitiveness and SMART Grants for high-achieving low-income students in 2006.

CNN: Commentary: Ted Kennedy's causes resonate with youth