Category Archives: college planning

college planning, college prep

Avoid These Three College Stressors

 

3 college stressorsIf your child is the first in the family to go to college, that carries a whole lot of stress. Being a first generation student can put added pressure on the student and the family.  As stressful as that seems, here are three college stressors even bigger, and some tips on how to alleviate them:

It’s so much more expensive than you thought

When it comes to college, expect two, high-voltage doses of sticker shock. The first comes when you start looking at the tuition price. If information is free, why is the diploma so expensive? Once you fully accept that college is something you should have been saving for all your life, there is the second financial reality to deal with.

The price of college is more than the cost of credits. Your child is leaving home for the first time and could possibly need to take out a student loan. Don’t worry. You’re not alone. About 60% of college students take out a student loan to help pay the tab, according to the information on this site. It walks you through all the key information you need for understanding, and selecting a good student loan. Once your child graduates, and paychecks start arriving from his gainful employment, he will begin repaying the loan. In the meantime, you are still on the hook for those expensive Nike shoes.

You worry about his commitment to academics in college.

Every parent believes their child is going to be the next Einstein. Even if your child was a good student in high-school, it does not follow that she will be brilliant in college. There is too much riding on good grades to leave it to chance. What you need is some type of college prep assessment to be certain little Johnny has what it takes to make it in the big league.

Accuplacer and Work Keys are good places to start. These assessment systems give your child the opportunity to figure out his academic strengths and weaknesses. They are only two of several options that serve the same purpose. For a reasonably good student, ACT and SAT test prep courses may be sufficient. Either way, you, as a parent, don’t have to go into it blind. That should be a huge stress relief.

Letting go is easier said than done.

You think you’re ready to kick them out of the nest, and start your new life as a professional vacationer. But when you make that long drive home after dropping them off at college, you are flooded with all the doubts and misgivings associated with separation anxiety.

Fortunately, most of that worry is necessary. You did a good job preparing them for life. They have the same chance of surviving and doing well as you had, maybe better. Still, not everyone matures at the same rate. For some, eighteen years may not be quite enough. If you are genuinely worried about their ability to be independentl, keep them home for another two years while they work out their issues in community college. Academically, they will lose nothing, while gaining a little more time to mature at home. You will also save money.

Money, aptitude, and letting go make up three of the biggest stresses you will face when sending your child off to college. With student loans, prep tests, and community college, these stresses can be nearly eliminated.

 

admissions, college guidance, college planning, financial aid

Before the Offers of Admission and Financial Aid Awards Arrive

 

offersCollege acceptances for regular admission will be posted and arriving soon. Just a little later, will come the financial aid award packages. Before you and your student have to make the final college choice and before the financial aid awards arrive, consider these four activities in preparation:

1. Revisit colleges that have offered admission

Early spring is the perfect time to revisit the colleges that have offered admission. If possible, attend an admitted student session, stay on campus overnight, or just revisit to help your student refresh his memory of the setting and the students. While most would advise that you not accept an offer without a visit, some might disagree. Personally, I believe that visiting campus will help cement the decision in your student’s mind.

2. Discuss money

If you haven’t already done so, discuss what you will contribute and what your student will contribute toward the cost of college. This is an important discussion because once the offers of admission arrive and the financial aid package, it’s conceivable that your student’s decision will be based purely on emotions and not take into consideration the financial aspect of the decision.

University Parent has two great articles that address this topic:  The Money Talk Part 1: Setting expectations with your student and The Money Talk Part 2: Put college funding into high gear!

3. Take a look at your 2nd, 3rd and 4th choice colleges

Before the offers (and rejections) arrive, take a look at your student’s 2nd, 3rd and 4th choice colleges. If necessary, revisit them. Re-examine why these colleges made the list and take a closer look at their offerings. This second look might move one of the colleges to the top of the list.

4. Understand the components of the award letter

Before you start receiving those financial aid offers, you should understand what’s in a typical award letter. Thankfully, there are tools available and information to help you look at these letters for what they are: the college’s pitch for your student to accept their offer of admission. You are in control of this process and you hold the cards. It’s your decision to accept or reject their offer based on the amount of aid they are willing to give your student. Money, in this situation, is everything.

college planning, college prep, Wednesdays parent

Wednesday’s Parent: Time Management and Your Teen

 

time managementWith all the tasks involved in college prep it makes sense to concentrate on good time management. But encouraging a teenager to use these skills is often like a standing in front of a speeding train. They have tunnel vision and one track minds. Their priorities are often out of whack and misguided. Time management is not on the list of their priorities.

When my son and daughter were in high school they had two very different academic patterns. My son did his homework during his breaks and immediately after school. My daughter had so many activities and a highly active social life. She always waited until the last minute to do her homework and often stayed up later at night to complete it. To this day, she tends to over commit and wait until the last minute. My son, on the other hand, still does his work promptly and manages his time effectively.

When it comes to college prep, your teen needs to be able to learn time management in these three areas:

Study time

Time management is a key factor when pursuing academic excellence. In this post, 5 Tips to Manage Your Studies. Learning this skill before college will prepare your student for the rigorous studies he will encounter in college.

College prep activities

College prep activities require time management. There are college applications, financial aid applications, scholarship applications and test registrations that will all have deadlines.

Scholarship searches

If your student is on the lookout for scholarships, time management is essential. He will have to allocate time for the searches and the applications, and stay on top of all submission deadlines.

With so many activities for the college-bound teen during high school, time management can help reduce stress. Time management skills will also benefit him in college as well.

Read Wendy’s post: Best Ways to Manage College Prep Time

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Wednesday’s child may be full of woe but Wednesday’s Parent can substitute action for anxiety. Each Wednesday Wendy and I will provide parent tips to get and keep your student on the college track. It’s never too late or too early to start!

The bonus is on the fourth Wednesday of each month when Wendy and I will host Twitter chat #CampusChat at 9pm ET/6pm PT. We will feature an expert on a topic of interest for parents of the college-bound.

Wednesday’s Parent will give twice the info and double the blog posts on critical parenting issues by clicking on the link at the end of the article from parentingforcollege to pocsmom.com and vice versa.

college planning, college prep

Crafting the Ultimate College List

 

This article was written by Robin Noble and previously published on University Parent.

college list
–photo courtesy of University Parent–

My high school junior’s college search is going in a maze of directions as she works to create a list of schools for serious consideration. The list is important and timely. She will use it to decide which schools to visit this spring with limited time and travel dollars.

Lately I sense she is a touch overwhelmed. I wonder: how can I help my daughter figure out which schools will be a good fit for her?

Like you, I’m up on the feel-good wisdom here: be positive, let your student be her own guide, encourage her to let the process flow from within. All good thoughts, but parents certainly have some important roles to play.

You are the voice of financial reality.

Before your student gets her heart set, get clear on what your family can afford. Take half an hour to work through the “net price calculator” available on most school websites, or use theFAFSA4caster to estimate federal student aid. These tools calculate your family’s financial need — essentially the difference between the college sticker price and what the formula says you are able to contribute.

Net price calculators don’t assess potential merit aid — institutional money set aside for students based on varying factors like GPA, standardized test scores, advanced courses, etc. Some institutions include merit calculators on their websites; many do not. To learn how specific schools determine merit aid, don’t hesitate to call the admissions office and ask.

With net price and merit aid estimates in hand, your student’s list can be more economically viable. If you and she have assumed that private scholarships and loans will fill gaps, the amounts you are supposing are now clearer, and that’s a good thing.

Read the entire article:  Reality, fit and substance–the ultimate college list

And don’t forget to sign up for the high school parents newsletter while you are there!

 

admissions, college guidance, college planning, mom approved tips

Mom-Approved Tips: Six Steps to a Great College Search

 

This article was originally published on University Parent.

college search strategy
–photo courtesy of University Parent–

As my children entered high school and began on the college path, I knew I was going to be handicapped. I had not attended college myself and my husband attended a local school with a 100 percent acceptance rate. Neither of us had any idea how to approach the college search process!

But I love to think of myself as a “do-it-yourselfer” and I delved into college prep as a novice, starting with the searches. After my daughter was accepted to every school she applied to, family and friends began asking me for advice, and later encouraged me to broaden the circle and share what I learned on what became my Parents Countdown to College Coach blog and website.

When my daughter began her college search, she had one objective: to attend school in Boston. (Sound familiar??) In many cases, focusing on a particular city narrows the search drastically, but there are over 100 schools in the Boston area! Thankfully, not all are four-year colleges — some are technical or art schools. That helped a bit, but there were still too many to choose from. To find the best-fit college for my daughter, we needed a search strategy.

When creating a college search strategy, I recommend students and parents start with basic information and build on it. If you do this, when your student is ready to finalize his college list and submit his applications, you will be confident that you did your research, weighed all the options, and made informed choices.

Read more for six steps to a great college search strategy.

admissions, career colleges, college planning, community college, Wednesdays parent

Wednesday’s Parent: Is Community College Right for Your Student?

1 Comment

 

community collegeHigher education is a complicated issue for many students and parents today. College education is a necessity for finding success and prosperity in many career paths, but rising concerns about student loan debt and graduate unemployment are making the process of pursuing education more stressful and uncertain than ever before. Community colleges are becoming increasingly popular options for students everywhere, as a means of securing foundation credits before transferring to a university. Is community college a path that your teen should consider?

Community college gets a bad rap

Community colleges are often viewed as being stigmatized in many academic circles. Students and parents alike disdain the idea of a community college education because they believe that more prestigious institutions will look down upon them. Worries about how an employer will view community college education on a resume are disconcerting as well. However, you shouldn’t be concerned about such fallacies. Your teen can study at a community college before transferring to another school, and still have access to all the same opportunities as every other student.

Consider the costs

With college costs soaring, community college remains one of the most affordable options—in fact, it can save you a bundle.

•Community college tuition is significantly lower than that of traditional colleges and universities as well as public institutions.

•While attending a local community college, students can often remain living at home saving on room and board which on average is close to $10,000 a year.

•If your child is employed while in high school, they can keep their job by staying local throughout their college years. This income can often go a long way towards helping pay for transportation and college costs.

•If low grades are preventing your child from getting a scholarship at a college or university, attending a community college to earn an associate’s degree can be an affordable stepping-stone.

While you can likely finance an expensive private college or university with federal student loans or private loans—consider too that your child will be one-step ahead financially if they can enter the workforce debt-free.

Getting an education with potential

Gone are the days when masses of young people went to college for a general liberal arts degree with no specific career focus in mind. With the sagging job market, students have their eye on promising careers with upward mobility and lucrative salaries. For students looking to enter rapidly growing job markets, community college can be a viable option.

Many in-demand, well-paying, jobs require only an associate’s degree. More and more educational programs are offering these career-focused degrees. Careers such as electricians, plumbers, and mechanics are financially lucrative and graduates who can work in these fields are in high demand.

Many graduating seniors have decided to take the community college path before heading off to a 4-year university. They will tell you that they’ve made that choice for several reasons: cost, academic preparation, and the freedom to stay at home for the first few years. Community colleges aren’t just training grounds for technical careers, they are also the first stop for about 4 in 10 of college-bound high school graduates.

Community college might not be for everyone. But, it might be a perfect fit for your teen. And, if your teen is planning on making it the start of a 4-year degree plan, do some research and verify that the classes will transfer to the university they plan to attend.

Read Wendy’s blog: 3 Surprising Reasons to Consider Community College

________________________

Wednesday’s child may be full of woe but Wednesday’s Parent can substitute action for anxiety. Each Wednesday Wendy and I will provide parent tips to get and keep your student on the college track. It’s never too late or too early to start!

The bonus is on the fourth Wednesday of each month when Wendy and I will host Twitter chat #CampusChat at 9pm ET/6pm PT. We will feature an expert on a topic of interest for parents of the college-bound.

Wednesday’s Parent will give twice the info and double the blog posts on critical parenting issues by clicking on the link at the end of the article from parentingforcollege to pocsmom.com and vice versa.

 

college guidance, college planning, Wednesdays parent

Wednesday’s Parent: College Prep Peer Pressure

 

college prep peer pressureLast month, I was speaking with an interviewer about college prep peer pressure in the context of how it relates to the stress factor. Parents need to factor in peer pressure when they think about how your student will react to it, how it will affect his college choice, and how the stress surrounding it can affect his emotional health.

How do students react to peer pressure about college?

Students react to peer pressure in different ways. There is positive peer pressure—the kind that causes your student to excel to compete with other students. There is negative peer pressure—the kind that causes your student to make poor choices based on other people’s choices or example.

How does peer pressure affect your student’s college choice?

Peer pressure can have a strong effect on where your student wants to apply to college. It can make him feel like he needs to apply to an Ivy just because his fellow students are applying. It can cause him to want to apply to a college because a friend or boyfriend is applying. Peer pressure can have a profound effect on your student’s college choices if you don’t guide him to be self-serving and wise when making those choices. And not only are the students pressured by their peers, but parents feel pressure as well from other parents who brag about their students college choices. Additionally, parents often apply pressure toward a particular college during the selection process. This puts added stress on the student and can often cause the student to choose a college that he is not interested in just to please his parents.

How will the stress surrounding peer pressure affect your student’s emotional health?

Every parent knows the affect peer pressure can have on your student. Students feel less successful than others who are applying to prestigious colleges. Students can feel depressed about their own college choices when they stack them up against other students. The battle intensifies once college decisions begin rolling in and other students start talking about where they will be attending.

The bottom line: Beware of the college prep peer pressure and do your best to negate it. Encourage your student to be an individual and follow his own path.

Read Wendy’s post: Peer Pressure Sabotages College Prep

_________________________________

Wednesday’s child may be full of woe but Wednesday’s Parent can substitute action for anxiety. Each Wednesday Wendy and I will provide parent tips to get and keep your student on the college track. It’s never too late or too early to start!

The bonus is on the fourth Wednesday of each month when Wendy and I will host Twitter chat #CampusChat at 9pm ET/6pm PT. We will feature an expert on a topic of interest for parents of the college-bound.

Wednesday’s Parent will give twice the info and double the blog posts on critical parenting issues by clicking on the link at the end of the article from parentingforcollege to pocsmom.com and vice versa.

admissions, college guidance, college planning, college prep, mom approved tips

Mom-Approved Tips: Other College Blogs I Love

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1383208_93464262It’s easy to get college information overload online. Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest and others are shouting “Read Me! Read Me!”. But let’s face it, we only have so much time to assimilate college information and even less time trying to decide what to read. And that’s where I come in. I know who has the best college related blog posts and where to find them.

Apart from mine (shameless plug), these are the other college blogs I love. Sign up for their mailing lists, follow their blogs and soak up all the relevant information they provide. Because who wants to read every single post from every single college expert? And . . . who has the time?

Planning for College-The Ugly Blog

Paul Hemphill, an independent college counselor is famous for his “no bull” advice to parents. He doesn’t mince words and tells it like it is. He’s on the parents’ side, always and exposes some unknown truths about colleges and how they handle admissions.

The College Solutions Blog

Lynn O’Shaughnessy blogs about everything related to college prep and admissions. She is an expert in the area of college admissions, has written books on the topic and also a course to parents called, “Cutting the Cost of College”. You will find accurate and up-to-date information on her blog.

College Financial Aid Advisors Blog

Jodi Okun blogs about financial aid. She’s an expert with the FAFSA and advises parents on all areas related to financing college. As an added bonus, Jodi hosts a weekly chat on Twitter (#CollegeCash at 5PM PT).

College Prep Examiner Blog

Wendy David-Gaines (POCSMom) blogs at examiner.com about college prep and the latest college news. Her advice is directed towards parents and you will find all topics on her blog: admissions, financial aid, scholarships and college news.

TeenLife Blog

Sponsored by TeenLife Magazine, this blog offers college news, parenting tips, information about summer programs and gap years, along with all sorts of information about college prep.

Smart College Visit Blog

This blog is jam-packed with all sorts of tips and advice for parents and students involved in the college prep process. It offers scholarship tips and parent tips along with advice for all aspects of the admissions process.

admissions, college guidance, college planning, college prep, college visits, mom approved tips, parenting, Top 10

T is for Tuesday, Top 10 and Tips

1 Comment

 

top 10 tipsIt’s Tuesday. It’s not hump day. It’s the day before New Years Eve and time to reflect on 2014. And nothing says Tuesday more than Tips. Put it all together and you have Tuesday’s Top 10 Tips from 2014.

Tip #1: Insist your student graduate in 4 years or less

Did you know that at most public universities, only 19 percent of full-time students earn a bachelor’s degree in four years? Even at state flagship universities — selective, research-intensive institutions — only 36 percent of full-time students complete their bachelor’s degree on time.

Nationwide, only 50 of more than 580 public four-year institutions graduate a majority of their full-time students on time. Some of the causes of slow student progress are inability to register for required courses, credits lost in transfer and remediation sequences that do not work. Studying abroad can also contribute to added time and credits lost when abroad. According to a recent report from CompleteCollege.org some students take too few credits per semester to finish on time. The problem is even worse at community colleges, where 5 percent of full-time students earned an associate degree within two years, and 15.9 percent earned a one- to two-year certificate on time.

Read more . . .

Tip #2: Be wise—apply to backup schools (but make sure those schools are ones you want to attend)

Being admitted into your first choice school is a challenge and not a guarantee. No matter how positive you are about your application, no matter how hard you’ve worked to be an ideal applicant, it is important not to assume that gaining admission to your top choice for college is a sure thing. But don’t get dejected or cynical! Here are three ways to increase your chances of being accepted by applying to backup schools.

Read more . . .

Tip #3: It’s never too early to prepare for college

How early is too early to prepare for college? We’ve all seen those movie clips where the parents are agonizing over the right preschool to prepare their kids for the right kindergarten, the right grade school, and the right college preparatory school. These overachieving parents are convinced that college prep begins at birth. They take it to a whole other level elevating college jerseys into full blown college prep. But just how early is too early and how far should parents go when preparing their children for college?

Read more . . .

Tip #4: It matters very little where your student goes to college

Much is debated about college names and prestige, especially among parents. It’s logical that parents want their kids to have the best opportunities available. It’s illogical that they place more value in the name than in the education itself. But so many parents encourage their kids to make illogical college choices. Where you go to college is not as important as you might think.

Read more . . .

Tip #5: Don’t neglect the college visit

A few years ago, I wrote an article for Smart College Visit about the importance of the college visit: Don’t Pick a College Sight Unseen:

As a parent of two kids who attended college, I learned a very valuable lesson: never pick a college sight unseen. The rules that apply to any major purchase are even more important when making the decision to invest thousands of dollars on a college education. You would never buy a car without test-driving it, or move into a home without taking a walk through and getting a home inspection. Based on my experience with both my kids, I can tell you that your teen should never accept admission to a college without getting a feel for the campus and campus life.

 Read more . . .

Tip #6: Know when to hold ‘em; know when to fold ‘em

In just a few short months, your student will be making college decisions by the May 1st deadline. For some families, it’s easy. For others, it’s emotional and gut wrenching. If your student got into their dream college and the money is there, congratulations. If your student was waitlisted, or there’s a financial issue, or they didn’t get an offer of admission to their first choice college it’s time to examine the deck. By doing this, you can help your teen make the best decision.

Read more . . . 

Tip #7: Practice tough love

Parenting is easy if you give into your child’s every whim, never be consistent with discipline, or simply don’t pay attention. Parenting children who strive for excellence in everything requires some tough love. And tough love is not easy; especially when it comes to the raising a motivated, educated, and successful student.

How do you, as a parent, raise a child that’s motivated to strive for excellence where their education is concerned?

Read more . . .

Tip #8: Listen to college podcasts

Every day I grab my trusty iPod and head to the mall to do my 2.5 miles of walking. I hate walking. To me, it’s boring and a waste of my time. However, it’s critical to my health and every day I tell myself it’s just something I have to grin and bear.

But then I discovered podcasts. Not only are they great when exercising, you can listen when you’re cooking dinner, commuting to work on public transportation, eating your lunch, or any other time that you are performing daily tasks and want to make them more productive.

Read more . . .

Tip #9: Don’t ignore the FAFSA

The most important advice I can give parents is: don’t ignore the FAFSA! Many parents are misinformed when it comes to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). They believe that they make too much money to qualify for any kind of financial aid—and they decide not to file. That is the worst mistake you can make. I encourage every family of a college-bound senior complete the FAFSA (and complete it before February 1).

Read more . . .

Tip #10: Teach your teens the value of money

Before you send your teens off to college, they need to learn about the value of money. Ideally, it starts at an early age; but if you haven’t started, there’s no time like the present!

When your children are away at college they are going to be responsible for their own spending (and saving). There will be offers galore from credit card companies because college students are their biggest target market. If they hook them while in college it usually means they have them for the rest of their lives.

Read more . . .

admissions, college guidance, college planning, college prep, parenting

Are You Thinking About College During the Holidays?

 

holidaysGo ahead. You know you are. You try and shove it to the back of your mind but it’s there–lurking in the distance. Even if your son or daughter has completed their apps and received early acceptance, there is so much more to do. But don’t let the to-do lists and the looming deadlines spoil your holidays.

Before you start your holiday baking, finish wrapping your presents, and gather around the tree with your family, here are just a few tips to help you deal with the college prep stress:

In the Charlie Brown Christmas, a song rings out, “Christmas is time is here; happiness and cheer”. If only. Unfortunately, the holidays for most are anything but cheerful. We have replaced holiday cheer and happiness with stress. And if you’re a parent of a college-bound teen, add all the tasks involved during school breaks and your holiday stress goes through the roof.

Add to the stress of the holidays and the entire family could combust. Never fear…help is here! Here are 3 tips about stress and how to deal with it.

Mom-Approved Tips: Stop stressing about college rejections

It’s that time of year. As the New Year approaches and regular admission dates loom in the very close future, parents begin stressing about college rejection. Although not as much as their kids do. Probably the most stressful time of senior year is waiting to hear from the colleges and dreading the wrong response. Why does this happen and what has caused everyone to be so stressed?

Mom-Approved Tips: 6 Stressful college tasks (and how to keep from freaking out)

It’s no surprise the middle name of college-bound teens is “stress”. According to a recent survey, 76 percent of college-bound students say they are stressed. If you live with one, you’re stressed too; and not just you, but your family as well. Granted, there are plenty of reasons to be stressed. And plenty of reasons why it’s impossible to avoid feeling stress (try as you might).

Wednesday’s Parent: 5 Tips to help with application stress

There is no greater stress than application stress. Every component breeds stress: standardized tests, GPAs, the essay, and even the recommendation letters. It’s no wonder students are feeling the stress when they start the application process. As a parent, it’s difficult for you to watch the stress levels increase as it gets closer to application time. And when stress levels increase with your student, the family stress goes up as well.

Need more tips? Head over to Wendy’s blog and read: 7 Holiday Stressbusters