As a parent, I would say paying for college was on my top 10 lists of worries as my children entered high school. We were caring for my elderly father and great aunt, along with battling with breast cancer. It was all we could do to stay afloat with medical and elder care expenses breathing down our necks every month.
My son was looking at a military career, but I knew he wanted to go to college. He also knew that we could not afford to contribute. My daughter was two years behind him, and I knew she had her heart set on Boston University, an expensive private college in the northeast. I worried day and night that her dreams would not materialize, and my son would have few options other than joining the military out of high school.
My children were not first generation students. However, I did not attend college, and my spouse attended a local college that basically accepted anyone who applied. I was lost. My circle of friends were not college graduates and were not encouraging their kids to apply to college. My parents did not encourage me to attend college, so I was clueless about the process. I had no idea where to turn for help and the school counselor was responsible for hundreds of students at a large public high school. She had little time to advise students about colleges and even less time to help with figuring out how to pay.
Dealing with all the family drama and concerned about finances, my son made the decision during his junior year to join the Marines. I was supportive but worried the decision was forced on him because he felt he had no other option. The day he signed a letter of intent, I decided to focus the next few years on my daughter’s dream—attending college.
I knew I had to research colleges, look at finances, and make sure she had a stellar academic and extracurricular record to back up her applications. When she entered her senior year, we had a plan. Here’s what we did:
I did some research
Even though applying to college was an emotional decision for my daughter, I knew I had to help her look beyond the emotions. She had already chosen her dream college and none of us knew why. Since she was a child, she wanted to attend Boston University. But I knew she needed other options because the cost was prohibitive, and she was not at the top of their applicant pool.
Your student may use other factors like sports teams, campus appeal, Greek life and more. While these factors should help your student choose the right college, it’s also a good idea to look into other factors like cost of attendance, acceptance rates, amount of merit aid awarded, student debt upon graduation, and freshman retention rates.
Two good sources for college statistics are College Navigator and College Data. These two resources will help you make an informed college choice. Numbers are not everything, but consider these seven important stats when you and your student are looking at schools: 7 College Statistics to Use When Choosing a College.
She focused on academics
She had a rigorous high school course schedule. She took AP Honors classes while being involved in NJROTC on their drill team and academic team. She was also active in the National Honor Society and the French Honor Society.
When she started floundering in AP Physics, I scheduled a conference with her teacher and let her know my daughter needed help and was committed to success. Not only was she surprised that a parent would actually be concerned about their student, she was more than willing to help with one-on-one tutoring, giving her options to improve her grade.
A good academic record can solidify an offer of admission and also mean significant merit aid. The final semester of junior year is a prime opportunity for students to solidify their academic records. Colleges scrutinize transcripts, paying close attention to both grades and the rigor of coursework. Strong performances in challenging classes signal to admissions committees that students are academically prepared for the rigors of college-level work.
Conversely, a dip in grades during this critical period can raise red flags and potentially hinder a student’s chances of gaining admission to their desired institutions.
We searched and applied for scholarships
The scholarship search began early in high school. We combed scholarship books, went to the library and researched local organizations, and found scholarships she would qualify for.
We made some mistakes by applying to large national scholarships with thousands of applicants and applying to scholarships where she did not fit the criteria. While she did win scholarships, we could have increased her awards by focusing on local scholarships with fewer applicants.
My best tips on searching for scholarships should help you focus your own search: 6 Ways to Search for College Scholarships.
In addition, we did not value the importance of standardized tests when it comes to scholarships. What you may not know is that there are GUARANTEED scholarships available for students based on their standardized test scores. And in case you think they are only for perfect scores, think again. Many colleges award automatic scholarships for scores of 1100 for the SAT and 22 for the ACT. National Merit finalists on the PSAT can also qualify for significant scholarship awards. Of course, the higher your score, the more scholarship money you receive.
We visited colleges
During the spring of her junior year, we visited several college campuses within our state. We were unable to travel to Boston or New York where she also applied. However, the state colleges visits were eye-opening. We were able to ascertain what she liked and did not like.
I was quick to notice that these visits were emotionally motivated. You can read just how she responded here. I did, however, learn a valuable lesson. College visits are crucial before applying if possible and mandatory after being accepted. It was a difficult lesson to learn, but one I would pass on to every parent.
My daughter applied to a small college in the suburbs of Boston. She applied to this college because 1) it was in Boston, and 2) it had a strong program of study that she was interested in. We visited this college after she was accepted and offered a full-ride scholarship. She never got out of the car. Her words, “I’m just not feeling it.” You can imagine my frustration, but I knew that if she was not happy, she would not excel there, especially this far away from home. So I counted to 10, we drove off, and went to the next college—the college she ultimately chose–Bentley College in a small suburb of Boston. It was there she found her home.
We completed the FAFSA
To qualify for financial aid and make paying for college a reality, I knew we should complete the FAFSA. Since she was applying to several private colleges, we had to also complete the CSS Profile.
Because we completed these documents, she qualified for some need-based aid and some rather substantial merit-based assistance. She also qualified for federal student loans with low interest rates.
If you want financial aid from the colleges or the state and federal government, you must complete the FAFSA. Colleges use this information to disperse institutional aid.
She applied to colleges that fit her criteria
Even though she had selected a dream college we knew paying for this college might be unattainable without substantial financial aid. We chose other options that met these three criteria: social fit, academic fit, and financial fit. Because we did our homework, she was accepted to every college she applied to. She had options.
Although she was offered admission to Boston University, they did not offer any financial aid, other than loans. The college gapped us (a technical term I did not know then). We received scholarships and grants from her second choice, Bentley College. Coupled with her private scholarships and a few student loans, we were able to afford an out-of-state private college. Something I never dreamed was possible a few years earlier.
What did I learn?
Paying for college is a genuine concern for most families. As I have spent years in the college landscape, I’ve listened to countless parents fret and worry about how they didn’t save enough, couldn’t afford the college, or simply didn’t know where to begin to figure out what to do.
However, if you do the work and create a plan to pursue the goal you should be able to find an affordable option. Although she did not attend her dream college, my daughter did find a home at a college that wanted her (they backed that up by offering her substantial aid). She thrived there, made lifelong friends, and graduated with a minimal amount of student loan debt.
There is a way to ease the worry and stress of paying for college. There are so many options available to you. Check out my eBook: Paying for College for some extra help.