All posts by Suzanne Shaffer

FAFSA time means NOW!

 

February means FAFSA. Parents of teens all across the country are filing out their Free Application for Federal Student Aid. As Jerry Maquire said…SHOW ME THE MONEY. Here’s something every parent needs to know–the money does run out. If you snooze your lose.

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Here are 4 articles you should read NOW about filing out the FAFSA:

Got your FAFSA done yet? Here’s why you need to hurry. (from Dr. Strange College blog)

10 Good Reasons to file the FAFSA (from my blog)

6 Ways to Get help on the PROFILE and FAFSA (from The College Solutions blog)

Tools to help you complete the FAFSA (from Education Quest)

If you haven’t done it, time is running out. Don’t wait until your taxes are filed (use last year’s figures if necessary–you can always update the figures once you file). The FREE money goes quickly and you want your piece of the pie.

Website Heads Up: Frugal Dad

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When I come upon a website that I think is a valuable resource for parents I like to spread the word. I came across this site: FrugalDad and found it loaded with parent resources. According to the “About” page:

What we at FrugalDad have noticed is that our readers were largely worried about two things in the aftermath of the financial meltdown: their retirements and their kids’ educations. A lot of very smart people are out there offering retirement, investment and personal financial advice. We didn’t want to become just another voice in the crowd, so FrugalDad.com has decided to focus its subject matter more narrowly on issues of higher education and how to pay for it. Although there are other sites that offer advice on the same types of topics, FrugalDad.com brings its own unique voice to the conversation – a voice that has been featured and profiled in the national media ever since it appeared on the scene.

FrugalDad is a blog, news, and research site that aims to inform the public on financing for higher education. The site offers a prolifera of news that can and will affect how families will save and pay for college as well as tips on how to finance an education in a way that makes sense for most people. This site is special because it was created by a father who had trouble financing a university education for his children. Along with life lessons and insights, this blog brings you news and tips that will be beneficial to parents and families with children who are planning to go to college.

Spend a few minutes browsing the site, checking out the blog posts and using their “find a cheap college” search tool.

3 Truths of Raising your SAT Score

….and In Defense of Distracted Students.

Over my 10 years as a teacher, I’ve taught nearly every age group. Above all, I have the most sympathy for the challenges of my teenage students. Teenagers’ reputations of being impulsive, difficult, and outright defiant are well-deserved. If you are trying to push your teen toward an improved SAT score and better college opportunities it can be frustrating.

That’s why I developed SAT Habit, a personalized SAT Prep service, designed for families without the time for or access to high-end professional tutoring. Here are the top challenges I think all parents need to think about when considering test prep:

1. Raising SAT Scores requires students to understand where they are starting from and the benefits of a higher score

Before students can raise their SAT scores they have to make an honest commitment to do the work involved. The distractions of teenage life are irresistible without the student making a commitment.

The best way to motivate students to prep is show them where they would currently score and the benefits of raising that score. While this doesn’t work for everyone, it’s a necessary first step. SAT Habit shows students where they currently stand in less than 30 minutes per section (compared to traditional practice tests, which are over three and a half hours in total).

With a baseline score, families can understand the impact of raising that score and decide to re-focus student time from other activities.

2. It’s too easy for students to do SAT “practice” or attend a class without ever improving their      scores.

sathabitThere’s a school of thought that the best way to improve on the SAT is to simply do lots of problems until you get them all right. This approach works for some, but most have to do thousands of problems before they see dramatic improvement: that’s hours a day that students and families don’t have.

They key to improving faster is mindful reflection. Students have to be able to explain to themselves why got they a question wrong. This is basically the entirety of what I do with students as a professional tutor. I find their weak areas and push them to reflect on why they are getting questions wrong. Then we work together on knowledge gaps and improvement strategies.

SAT Habit pin-points weak areas faster than I can as a human and is the only prep service that forces students to reflect on why they get questions wrong and follows it up with strategies to get each question correct.

3. It’s impossible to stick with it if you can’t see results

While making the initial commitment to test prep is tough for most students, sticking with it can be even harder. Traditional test prep either forces students to take multi-hour, full-length practice tests or relies on a tutor’s assurances that students are getting better.

Technology allows students instant feedback on nearly every aspect of a their lives. That’s why we built SAT Habit’s algorithms to show students in real time how their scores are changing based on their practice results. A study conducted at MIT found that the average student raises his or her score by 100 points on SAT Habit in just seven study sessions.

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This guest post is from Tom Rose, Co-founder of SAT Habit 
and a professional test prep tutor since 2007.

College Abacus: A tool for students and parents

In last week’s state of the Union, President Obama announced the creation of the College Scorecard. This is another step in the attempt to give parents and students an accurate picture of the cost and the value of college degrees.

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Another tool, College Abacus was the first website to enable students to compare their net prices across 3000+ other schools in one place, College Abacus is available now in both Spanish and English.

college abacusWith the support of their new grant from the Gates Foundation’s College Knowledge Challenge, College Abacus will go two steps beyond the College Scorecard. At their official launch in September 2013, College Abacus will provide college-bound students with an easy way to generate individualized net-price results and the results page will include the full sweep of required items from the scorecard. The ShoppingSheet function, now in development, will allow students to manually enter data from their college aid award letters, thereby enabling them to compare financial aid packages with ease and to view their awards within the context of their net price calculator results. By 2015, they expect to collect sufficient data to begin issuing accuracy scores for net price calculators – a step yet to be taken or even encouraged by the Department of Education. Though net price calculator results are not intended to be exact, we at College Abacus believe that schools should offer students results that are within striking distance of their final financial aid award.

Mark these sites and use them to help you determine which college is the best value both during college and after graduation.

7 Things to LOVE about the college prep process

imagesValentine’s Day always reminds us about love. But I doubt many parents, or students would associate love with the college prep process. Frustration, stress, angst would most likely come to mind.

I’m an eternal optimist and I can find at least 7 things to love about the college prep process. Hopefully reading these will ease your stress and help you see that there is much to love, even though you feel you are in the midst of a nightmare.

  1. Time with your student-The college process requires you to spend quality time with your teenager.
  2. Reaching another milestone-Applying to college signifies another milestone in your child’s life moving toward adulthood.
  3. College visits-Being trapped in a car for hours and days with your teenager is a godsend for most parents.
  4. Finding scholarship money-It goes without saying that scholarship monies help you feel the love.
  5. Celebrating life’s accomplishments-With every application students are required to list their accomplishments. This is a time for you to celebrate and be proud.
  6. Reading the recommendation letters-Feeling the love from the adults who have been involved with your student academically and personally should make every parent proud.
  7. Receiving acceptance letters-Feeling the love that colleges have for your student can be a proud moment in a parent’s life.

You would probably have a similar list of what NOT to love, but for today let’s “feel the love” and concentrate on the positive aspects of the college admissions process.

 

How to make better guesses on the SAT

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Understanding when and how to guess on the SAT is a fundamental strategy in SAT preparation. Savvy students know the system is designed to discourage guessing – a student receives one point for a correct answer, -1/4 of a point for an incorrect answer, and 0 points for a question that is left blank. Despite the scoring system, there are cases in which guessing may lead to a higher SAT score but misleading information has perpetuated guessing strategies that can sometimes hurt rather than help SAT test takers.

In an effort to help students better prepare for the SAT exam, Veritas Prep, the largest global provider of test prep and admissions consulting services, released this video highlighting tips and strategies for determining when you should guess during the SAT.

Here are a few key tips from the video:

DON’T guess if you can only eliminate one potential answer

Most SAT test prep courses will teach you that in cases where you can eliminate at least one answer, you should guess by randomly choosing from the four remaining answers because you have a 25 percent chance of guessing correctly. This is a popular strategy because it is often easy to eliminate one answer choice. But tactic assumes that you’ll be able to truly guess at random and without bias.

“Truly random” is where the problem lies with this logic. A completely random guess is impossible since we are all subject to our own biases. Even your computer can’t select choices at complete random (yes, this goes for your iTunes playlist as well – the algorithm used was created by the bias mind of a human programmer!).

When guessing, human nature will make you more inclined to choose one answer over another, and this is where you might fall victim to SAT traps. These seemingly correct answers appear throughout the test and may sway your “random” selection.

DO guess if you can eliminate two potential answers

As mentioned above, eliminating one answer on an SAT question can be easy – eliminating a second possible answer is where the thinking comes in, and when your score goes up. That is why SAT prep experts at Veritas Prep recommend guessing only when you can eliminate two answer choices.

If you are able to confidently rule out two of the given options, you have about a 33 percent chance of guessing correctly. However, it is important to note that it is still impossible to guess randomly and without bias, which hurts the probability of guessing correctly. So, while guessing is recommended in these cases, it’s important to eliminate as much bias as possible when making your answer choice.

The exception to the rule: The student-produced response math section

The one exception to this guessing strategy is in the student-produced response math section. This is the only section on the SAT exam that does not penalize students for providing incorrect answers so it’s to your advantage to always select an answer to the questions in this section, even if you’re unsure of the answer.

If you are completely stumped on a question, see if you can pull a number from the given information in the question. You just may get the answer right, and if you’re wrong, it won’t hurt your overall score.

For more SAT test prep tips and strategies, watch the full video from Veritas Prep here: http://youtu.be/Pl-T3UYdt6Q. Veritas Prep provides students with a variety of tools and resources for SAT preparation. To learn more, visit www.VeritasPrep.com.

Is your student unprepared for college?

As parents, we want our students to excel in everything that they do; this desire for excellence culminates for most parents at high school graduation. Your student studies, works hard, completes all the graduation requirements and you anticipate that they are prepared for college. But is your student really unprepared for college?

Should we be assuming that high school prepares them for college? Does education need to change in this country to better prepare students for the rigorous course work and academics in a college setting? Are schools simply “teaching the test” to students and not encouraging them to learn?

Here’s an infographic created by CollegeAtHome.com showing that a large percentage of our students in this country are NOT prepared for college. Ask tough questions, get some answers, and be proactive BEFORE your student heads off to college. The time to ask is now–before they become overwhelmed and drop out.

Unprepared

FREE “Plan for College” Videos

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When we see the word FREE, we automatically ask ourselves, “What’s the catch?” The promise of FREE usually includes statements like “pay shipping and handling” or “a small subscription cost”. This time FREE means FREE!

My good friend and colleague,Paul Hemphill, is offering to my parent and student readers the opportunity to get his time-honored and valuable video series for FREE. There’s no catch. He’s  doing it because he believes in them and he believes that parents and students need some help with the college process. Paul has sold these videos in the past, but he’s willing to GIVE THEM AWAY to anyone who subscribes to this email link.

http://forms.aweber.com/form/29/616398929.htm

He’s not going to sell your email or contact you about his coaching services. As hard as it is to believe (in this skeptical, not trust anyone culture) there is NO CATCH. Every week, you will receive two emails with video coaching related to the college admissions process. He has unique insight on how to “market” your student to the college and he knows how to get results with this tactic. While counseling clients over the last several years, he has developed this series to share with them during the coaching process. My readers get it FREE!

Here’s what you can look forward to over the next 52 weeks:

  1. Relevance: The videos are topical and address the immediate concerns of most parents and students. By contrast, you will never see a video on how to get into an Ivy League college since the great majority of students will never apply to the Ivys. “My approach”, says Paul, “is not to waste the viewer’s time.”
  2. Controversial: Some of these college admission tips on video are disturbing to colleges, but this isn’t the market for which the videos are designed. Colleges will repel at the suggestion in one video that parents make multiple deposits on the standard May 1 deadline. Another video suggests that a student should absolutely apply to at least 10 colleges.
  3. Short: These videos are no longer than 2 minutes in length; long enough to contain a lot of useful information and short enough to satisfy short attention spans in a fast-pace culture.
  4. Content: The focus is on what will work for both parents and students. For example, a video will suggest what topics must be avoided in writing the college application essay. Or, how a parent can save $11,000 by what a student does with free time.
  5. Humor: It may be in the form of a funny story that drives the point home, or a one-liner, maybe even a facial expression. Introductions to the video’s topic are intended to grab your attention. One video starts this way: “I’m going to show you how to be shallow and superficial in a college admissions office!”
  6. Approach: Each video presents a problem and then suggests a viable solution. Some  solutions are so simple that you’ll conclude you haven’t seen or read about this anywhere else. “My own clients,” says Paul, “are universal in their opinion that these videos are to-the-point and no-nonsense all the way.”
  7. Themes: The easier ways to pay less for college and the easier way to get in. Paul looks for every angle that will make it easier for you to pay for college, and he leaves no stone unturned on some original and creative ways to get into college without appearing brass or slick.

If you still aren’t convinced, listen to all of Paul’s testimonials from current and past clients.

 

http://www.collegehelp.biz/my-testimonials.html

 

What’s the best part? For you, it’s absolutely FREE. And if you aren’t interested or don’t find these videos helpful, you can unsubscribe at any time. I know, however, that you will be so impressed that you will contact Paul to help you and your student personally with the process.

What have you got to lose? The thousands of dollars you will save by watching these videos and FREE help with the college admissions process!

 

Adjusting to dorm life

 

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Seniors are gearing up toward graduating and heading off to college. Begin talking with your student about dorm life and how to get along with roommates. Today’s guest post addresses that topic.

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It’s a fairly common complaint for parents to hear: “I can’t live with this person anymore!” Whether your young student was assigned a roommate by the school or chose to bunk with a friend, the pressures of sharing a small space in a dorm room can try any relationship. Many students end up seeking alternative arrangements or moving off-campus during the semester break.

Fortunately, if the problems stem largely from disagreements about lifestyle and clutter in the room, there is probably a solution. Building consensus about expectations for visitors, behavior, and cleanliness is an important step for any college student and will benefit them in cohabitation situations later in life. What your student decides to pack and their own level of organization will play a big role in their interaction with future and current roommates.

To help your college student adapt to living in a dorm space with a roommate (and some of these tips apply to those who live alone), follow these guidelines:

Be a Minimalist

For many young people, their first opportunity to live away from their parents’ watchful eyes is college. It may also be their first chance to decorate and design their living quarters as they please.

There’s a temptation to purchase new furniture, flat screen TVs, and other luxuries that will match the standard of living they’ve perhaps become accustomed to at mom and dad’s house. As a parent, do your best to discourage this.

The dorm is a place to sleep and to study. The more that your child is active in other aspects of campus life, participating in clubs and athletics, the better overall experience they’ll take away from their college years. By decking out a dorm room, they’ll not only be likely to waste idle time, but they’ll also add to the ‘stuff’ that can quickly pile up in a small space.

Identify Personal and Shared Space

Although a roommate who complains about dirty clothes on their roommate’s bed may be met with rolled eyes, those same dirty clothes on the shared sofa are a legitimate concern. Encourage your student to talk with their roommate and decide what parts of the room are mutual space, and which are solely their own. This will aid in creating understanding about the environment in which both people want to live.

Foster an Effective Workspace

Apart from the bed and the ability to get a good night’s sleep, your student’s desk is the most important piece of furniture in their room. Away from class and the library, this is where their learning takes place. It’s important that they begin their life as a student with a desk environment that’s conducive to studies. Eliminating clutter from the desk space can be difficult in a tiny dorm, but these tips will help create a workplace where visionary thinking can occur.

  • Use a bulletin board to get notes and papers off of the desk surface. Keep a calendar on it with classes, deadlines, and activities.
  • Invest in a few drawer organizers to keep scissors, pens, staplers, etc…out of sight but easily accessible.
  • Consider a wireless Bluetooth speaker, doing away with cords draped across the desk.
  • Clip lamps are great for dorm rooms, clearing up shelf, desk, and floor space.

Clean Out That Closet

Students don’t need to bring their entire wardrobe to college. Think of it this way — every semester is an opportunity to debut a whole new side of your style. Bring enough clothes for a week or two of wear, with the knowledge that you can always switch out outfits during trips home.

In addition, to make use of tight closet space, utilize strong wire hangers that don’t require as much space on the rod. A hanging shoe rack can get shoes off the ground, and hooks inside the closet can get jewelry and belts out of the way.

Hang It

When living in a tight space, hooks and hangers can go a long way to maximize a room’s cubic footage. From bicycles to sporting equipment, hooks on the ceiling or near the top of the wall can get equipment off the ground and out of the way.

Talk It Out

Apart from the obvious issues that arise over clutter and sharing a small space, a roommate who brings unwanted visitors or plays music and leaves lights on late at night can also cause tension. Encourage your college student to discuss their expectations with a roommate early in the relationship (but it’s never too late).

Come to agreement about guest rules — how many, and how often? What time do you each need to go to bed? Decide on ground rules and limits on music and curfew, even if it varies each day of the week depending on class schedules.

Ultimately, dorm life can be one of the most memorable and rewarding experiences of a young person’s life. Encourage your student to be open to different outlooks than their own from potential roommates, but also help them to organize their own belongings and clearly state their own desires about the living situation.

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After an internship with a marketing company changed her passion from computer science, Jessica Johnson obtained her Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing. Now Marketing Director for Extra Space Storage, Jessica oversees all of the company’s social media profiles and is in charge of all brand marketing efforts. 

Compare Colleges side-by-side with FindTheBest.com

Whether you are eagerly awaiting those acceptance letters or are still applying (or both), the fact remains that you need to pick the best school you can go to, and you need to find out which particular college that is.

FindTheBest is an unbiased, data driven comparison engine that allows students and parents to look at schools. Researching colleges and universities becomes so much simpler with filtered options such as location, tuition, average SAT score, size, religious affiliation and other important factors. And once those acceptance letters start rolling in, students can create custom comparison lists to see the differences between each school side-by-side.

Parents should also look into college scholarships, fellowships, and grants to mitigate the financial burden that arrives when a child is sent off to college, and students should look into them to shorten the years that it will take to repay student loans.  FindTheBest also has a comprehensive list and information including enrollment level, minimum GPA, gender and background specificity, and scholarships to particular schools.

If your student is still a junior in high school, then the SAT and ACT test prep class comparison tool will help you get that high composite score that colleges love to see. Test prep classes run all year-round, but the best times to take the tests are in the spring.

The college application process is fundamentally imperative to the success of a student’s academic career.  These tools were developed with that in mind, and all of them are completely at your disposal to use in navigating the college maze.