Category Archives: college guidance

college guidance, test prep

College Test Prep for the rest of us

sat-test-prepLet’s face it. Those students who have some sort of test prep prior to taking the SAT and/or ACT tend to do better. There are always those Type A parents that shell out hundreds and thousands of dollars to get their teens ready for test day. Those programs are available to anyone, but what about the rest of us who can’t afford that added expense because we’re scraping together all our extra pennies saving for college?

Since preparation ALWAYS pays off, here’s some good news on how your teen can do some summer test prep on a limited budget:

  • Check out the SAT and ACT official websites. They have free resources that your teen can use from sample essays, to practice tests, and the SAT question of the day. Signing up for this free email is a great way for your teen to get acquainted with the types of questions on the SAT test.
  • Use the resources available at the library. Many libraries offer FREE prep courses. In addition, you can check out practice tests books.
  • Check out The Princeton Review online. They offer all kinds of FREE practice tools and are offering a NEW SAT Vocabulary challenge for $4.99 for the IPhone and the ITouch.
  • Check out test prep companies in your area. Many of them offer FREE, no obligation tests for students.

If you encourage your teen to take advantage of these preparation tools during the summer, they will be less stressed and more prepared when test day rolls around in the fall.

college guidance, college planning

Preparing your teen for college: It’s all about guiding, not doing

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parent and studentDo you know a parent who attended an Ivy league school and obsessed about their child attending the same school? Have you heard of parents who attended Texas A&M and insisted that their children attend as well?

Being a parent is about guiding, not doing. The old adage that implies “teaching is more profitable than doing” holds true with your teenagers as well. It’s important to impress upon your children the importance of an education. It’s not beneficial to ram a specific college down their throats and tell them if they want to attend college it will be your choice. That’s not parenting, that’s dictating. And while parenthood requires a certain amount of rules, it does not benefit your child to force them into a decision that does not match up with their passion.

If you take the time to teach your child how to apply for scholarships, how to apply for financial aid, and how to fill out a college application, you are teaching them to become independent. You are providing them with skills that will carry over into the job market and into their lives when they begin their own family. If you do it for them, they won’t learn anything and will continue to be dependent on you for other tasks as well.

But, how can you teach them if you don’t have the right tools? How can you help them to prepare for their college years if you didn’t go yourself and have no idea where to begin? That’s why I’m here! To help you find the right tools to help your teen succeed. If you have the tools and know how to use them, you can guide your future college student confidently and be assured that his college experience is personally and academically beneficial.

It’s all about the right tools for the job. I’m here to help. If you have a question about college preparation, please post it here and I’ll be happy to help. I’ve been there myself and I know how overwhelming it can be. I also know how important it is to be prepared.

What is your most pressing college question?

admissions, college costs, college guidance, college planning, social networks, Uncategorized

An Ivy League School Steps Up

harvard_u_shieldHarvard University has adopted a new financial aid policy. It’s geared toward reaching out to families who are considered middle-low income ($180,00-$60,000). And if you’re in the low end (below $60,000)–hold on to your socks–your child can attend at no cost! That’s right; an Ivy league education FREE OF CHARGE.

According to President Drew Faust:

Our new financial aid policy has dramatically reduced the amount families with incomes below $180,000 are expected to pay, and parents of families with incomes below $60,000 are not expected to contribute at all to college costs. We no longer consider home equity as a resource in our determination of a family contribution, and students are not expected to take out loans, which have been replaced by need-based Harvard scholarship. This new program has reduced the cost to middle income families by one-third to one-half, making the price of a Harvard education for students on financial aid comparable to the cost of in-state tuition and fees at the nation’s leading public universities.

What’s the catch? Your child has to be accepted. But if you have an honor student who has the grades and can meet their admission criteria, my advice to you is to GO FOR IT! With the cost of education rising every year, Harvard has taken the lead by offering this amazing opportunity and making their school affordable to the middle class. They are even claiming that the graduating class of 2008 is graduating with ONLY an $8300 debt. Considering the cost of a Harvard education, that’s a remarkable claim.

What have you got to lose? A $200,000 private university education completely PAID IN FULL. I don’t know about you but I wish it had been available when my kids were applying for financial aid and scholarships. It would have eased the burden and provided a much-needed financial savings.

You can read all about the offer by clicking this link:

Harvard College Financial Aid Office