Category Archives: college planning

college planning, Guest Posts

Beyond the Rankings: In Search of the Perfect College

Last week during #CampusChat we talked about college search engines and their effectiveness in helping parents and students narrow down their college choices. There are many comparison tools out there, and today’s guest post from FindTheBest, offers parents and students some tips on how to conducting an in-depth side-by-side comparison search.

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Every fall the hype around college rankings consumes parents worried about whether their high school senior gets into a “Top 10 School.”  Parents should remember, in the heat of admissions season, there are several factors that make a school right for your teen; there are also plenty of great schools out there, whether or not they’ve been recognized in top ten lists.

From school size to tuition, there are dozens of important things to consider when helping your child apply to college. Fortunately, a new college comparison tool helps you search for and compare colleges and universities by location, acceptance rate, tuition and more.

How to Search Beyond

The free tool, provided by the comparison engine FindTheBest, includes every College institution recognized by the Department of Education.

Looking for a small school on the West Coast with tuition under $25,000? Specify that criterion in the school filter and see what comes up in the search results. Can’t decide between a few schools? Conduct an in depth side-by-side comparison of up to ten choices, so you can review details about potential universities and see how they stack up against one another.

Because rankings are not the only consideration when it comes to choosing a college, helping your college-bound teen understand this alleviates concerns about not making it into a “top school”, by providing them with alternative choices.

This application season, do your homework; research various schools and what they offer and you’re sure to be happy with the outcome.

college guidance, college planning, parenting

5 Tips to help your student prepare for college

As a parent, it’s always a wonderful thing to see your child growing up. The years can pass by so swiftly that before you realize it, it’s already time for him or her to prepare for the college admission tests.

But the bigger question is—are you prepared to shoulder the expenses that a college diploma entails? If you already have a plan and a separate fund ready for action, then there’s nothing for you to worry about. However, if you’re the kind of parent who has put off college planning until the last minute, you have to decide on a plan as quickly as possible so you can discuss it with your child.

College is a major decision that you and your child will have to tackle seriously. It entails great financial resources, the tenacity to stay on despite the rigorous academic requirements and emotional support from one another.

It is never bad to aim for high goals, but make sure that you and your child have realistic expectations given the scarcity of financial aid programs and the difficulties of being admitted to the top educational institutions in the country. He can’t study at an expensive school if you can’t afford it and scholarships don’t always fill in the gaps. You can’t force him to take a particular course if he doesn’t have even an ounce of interest in the subject matter.

Deciding about what to do for college is something that you and your child should mutually make. Here is some food for thought as you sit down and talk about college with your child:

  1. Consider your child’s career: the course that your child wants to take will be the single biggest factor in determining where he will go for college, how much you will have to spend for it and how he will prepare for the admission exams. There are courses that will allow him to graduate and get a job in three years’ time, but there are also other career paths that can take as long as a decade to finish. Be sure that you both understand the complexities and difficulties of getting into the school and applying for financial aid, provided you are qualified for it.
  2. Talk about your financial resources. Your child has to know if he will need to look for work to earn extra cash to augment your financial contribution even before he is packed off to the dormitory. Learning financial independence is certainly a good thing, but not at the expense of his academic standing. Some students need time to adjust to their new environment before they can take additional responsibilities like a job, so don’t expect your child to be able to work and study at the same time immediately. Be realistic about what you can and cannot do for your child in terms of financial support so that he can also make plans and contributions on his own.
  3. Help your child to prepare for the admission exams. Be generous with your words of encouragement and advice as your child reviews for the college entrance tests. Nothing prepares your child better for college than a solid educational foundation. Help him brush up on the most critical subjects that will impact his chances of getting into his college of choice the most, such as English, Math, Science, History and Computer Science. Let him know that you are with him every step of the way.
  4. Do your homework. If your child already knows what course he wants to take, it’s up to you now to help him choose the best college or university. This will help you prepare not just for the admission exams but also for the actual costs that you will incur once he is accepted for enrolment. Your expenses will vary from institution to institution, so you should be careful to note the differences and the options that are available to you. After all, you will have to pay not just tuition fees but also dormitory fees, living allowance, medical costs, etc. Learning about the different colleges and universities that offer the best programs for your child can help you plan ahead and structure your finances accordingly.
  5. Check out financial aid options. Knowing about the various colleges that your child can attend will help you gather important information about financial aid and scholarship requirements that can help ease the burden of sending your child to college. There are different types of programs that can look into, such as work-study plans, merit-based financial aid, need-based financial aid and federal financial assistance. Go over each option with your child and solicit his ideas on the matter so you can both come up with a mutually sound decision.

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When not out building relationships with other bloggers, Krisca Te can be found reading blogs that tackle how to save money. She is also a personal finance freak who is currently working with CCF, a personal finance blog that writes about financial literacy.

college planning, scholarships, Uncategorized

Do you need $10,000 for college?

Do you have a creative student? Writer, photographer, graphic artist, filmmaker, print designer, architect? Here’s their chance to enter a contest that could net them $10,000 for college. All they have to do is enter–how simple is that!

THE ADOBE IMAGINATION CHALLENGE

Adobe is looking for examples of unique self-expression, individualism and creativity using their Adobe Creative Suite 5.5. Your student can download a FREE trial and create anything using the Suite and upload it to their Imagination Gallery.

Entries are being accepted NOW!

Adobe will be awarding a $10,000 prize from the finalists of four entry periods. Entry Period 4 has already begun and it’s not too late to submit an entry. You don’t have to enter the contest to win the daily prize. Then, once the finalists are chosen, you will get a chance to have people vote on your submission. Tap your Facebook friends, your Twitter followers, your Google+ circles, your family and friends.

The deadline to enter this final period is October 15th.

While you’re there, vote for the current finalists and give someone a chance to win!

While you’re at it, check out the REAL OR FAKE app that gives you a chance to decide whether or not the photo is “real or fake”. It’s pretty darn cool!

Imagine snagging a $10,000 prize for college…just by your student expressing their creativity using Adobe Creative Suite 5.5. 

college planning, parenting

Preparing your teenager for college

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Today’s guest post is written by Carol Jones, author of Toward College Success: Is Your Teenager Ready, Willing, and Able? Carol approaches the college preparation process from more than an academic viewpoint. She recognizes that students need to be taught to be independent adults before heading off to college.

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By now, most parents and their students are settled back into the routine of school. Back-to-school night is over and students have their schedules down. Now that the chaos has smoothed a bit, consider this: Nearly 27 percent of college freshmen flunk out, drop out, or disappear mysteriously from their university and college campuses. When your son or daughter waves goodbye from the dorm parking lot, what’s the chance that he or she is going to add to that statistic?

Whether you have a high school senior, a freshman, or even a middle schooler, parents who expect their child to go on to higher education need to prepare those students while they are still living at home. If parents really want their students to successfully maneuver all the temptations of parties, late nights, and skipping classes while culling a college education, a degree, and the beginning of a promising career, they need to start preparing their teenagers long before the end of high school.

And I am not talking just about academics. Academics is, of course, an crucial part, but if your teenager cannot wake himself up in the morning, cannot handle conflict, cannot manage her time and priorities, cannot self-advocate, cannot manage his money, does not know when she needs help or how to get it, then despite a stellar grade point average, that teenager will be leaving home with a deficit.

In my book, Toward College Success: Is Your Teenager, Ready, Willing, and Able?, I show parents that developing the skills for a successful college experience needs to begin long before you wave goodbye at the dorm parking lot. Most of the skills I am talking about are covered in basic parenting, but many of us in an attempt to instruct, guide, and model, end up interfering and rescuing—which, of course, only teaches them that mom and dad will take care of everything.

Teenagers need graduated responsibilities with real consequences. Many will stumble, but when they do make progress, they should be rewarded with more responsibility. For example: extend curfew hours, allow more driving privileges, let them take on a part-time job, even let older teens attend events without adult supervision. Praise them when they show responsible behavior and be ready to go back a step when they don’t.

Let your teenager make his own appointments to talk with a teacher or to make the orthodontist appointment. Guide him to figure out his time and calendar and commitments—you will not be there to do it for him in college. College is a time of much change, more freedom, and new and challenging situations. Students who come already capable of figuring out how to solve a conflict with a roommate, how to safely handle themselves at a party, how to determine just how much time they need to study for that mid-term, are the students more likely to succeed in their academics. Look for the opportunities to give your middle and high school students a chance to mature, to be responsible, to learn from failures and consequences, and to accept challenges. By doing so, you are guiding them toward college success.

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To learn more about Toward College Success: Is Your Teenager Ready, Willing, and Able?, go to http://www.pcaroljones.com/ to read excerpts, buy the book, follow Carol on Facebook, or to read her blog.

admissions, college guidance, college planning, organization, parenting

Interview with Power Women Magazine

Last week I did a radio interview with Power Women Magazine about the college prep process and my Parents Countdown to College Toolkit. In it, I discussed the steps necessary to prepare for the admissions process, how to stay organized, and the 10 mistakes parents and students often make when applying to college.

Click the link below and you can listen to the interview.

 

 

Power Women Magazine Radio Interview

admissions, college guidance, college majors, college planning, Guest Posts

3 Steps to prepare for a college theatre audition

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College Theatre and Musical Theatre Programs are amongst the most competitive programs to gain acceptance to within a College or University. With thousands of applicants vying for a spot, it is important to present your best and most marketable self to make an impression. In order for you to be ready for these auditions, it requires you to put in an adequate amount of time, energy and passion into your preparation.

Sound stressful? Don’t let it be! If you are truly passionate about getting an education that will begin your professional career in the arts, then allow the process and preparation to be fun and exciting.

Step 1

First things first: Where do you want to pursue this dream education? Just as important as choosing the right monologue or song for the audition, is choosing the right program to match your needs as a performer.

Before you begin looking at different programs within Colleges and Universities, ask yourself the following questions:

  • What will my main focus be? Straight Theatre or Musical Theatre?
  • Will I do better within a conservatory or university program?
  • What do I hope to accomplish after graduating college?
  • Do I have other interests that I want to pursue alongside Theatre?

Once you are able to come up with these answers, your search will be much easier. Take a look at the differences between Conservatory programs and University programs. Inquire as to what recent graduates of the program are up to after graduation. Decide whether a BFA or BA program suits your needs and your other possible interests besides theatre.

Step 2

Okay, you’ve found a couple dream schools and programs…now what?

Time to focus! You are now ready to begin visiting these schools, setting up interviews, and most importantly, setting up a date for an audition. An easy way to set up a schedule for yourself and your parents is to make a “College Calendar Checklist” spreadsheet. Post this on your fridge or any other important area to make sure all of your requirements are being met. Use the following categories for each college when creating the list:

SCHOOL
APPLICATION DEADLINE
AUDITION DEADLINE
AUDITION REQUIREMENTS
AUDITION TIME/DATE

Step 3

Alright, so now all of your schools are chosen, your dates are set, and you’ve started your applications. Now the real fun begins! It’s time to choose your audition material.

This is definitely the most daunting task of the College Audition Process. What type of Monologues are “they” looking for? What type of song suits my personality? If you are amongst the many who are confused as to what pieces are right for you, don’t worry.

First, make sure to check out the website of the programs in which you are auditioning so you know what their requirements are.

It is important for you to do your own research and really take an initiative on finding your material. Check out Pulitzer Prize winning plays, look at Musicals that won Tony awards. While some of the material from these works may be “overdone” pieces, they are good places to start. Hiring an audition coach is always a good idea to oversee the process with you. They are able to help you properly prepare and choose powerful pieces while not over-rehearsing your choices.

For inspiration on your college hunt, my favorite quote is:

 “If you’re not afraid, if you take everything you are, everything worthwhile in you and direct it at one goal, one ultimate mark, you’ve got to get there”. – James Dean


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Today’s guest post was written by Chelsea Cipolla, a professional Actress and Audition Coach. For College Coaching Services check out: www.mycollegeaudition.com or send an email to info@mycollegeaudition.com.

admissions, college guidance, college planning, parenting

College Questions?

This week, it’s my privilege to be interviewed by Power Women Magazine about my Parents Countdown to College Toolkit and college preparation. If you have any questions about college preparation or have wondered about the content of my Toolkit, tune in LIVE:

Date: Thursday, September 22nd

Time: 12PM ET, 11AM CT, 9AM PT

Where: Online at Power Women Magazine

admissions, college guidance, college planning

High school seniors gear up for college

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Fall is in the air (at least in most parts of the country) and seniors are gearing up for a busy year of college-related activities. To help parents and students stay organized and on top of the college to-do-lists, I’m sharing my senior list from my Parents Countdown to College Toolkit and Parents Crash Course.

My good friend and colleague Paul Hemphill has another take on the senior “to-do-list” (3 Things High Seniors should do early) that you will also want to share with your college-bound teens.

FALL

  • Continue to follow a rigorous program of study and verify that your course plan is consistent with college admissions criteria. Keep tabs on your GPA and your class rank; double check your transcript for any errors.
  • Start collecting recommendation letters. Gather any that were done over the summer and if you need to add additional ones, ask for them early when school begins.
  • If you need to take admissions tests again, register for and take the SAT and/or ACT and SAT Subject tests. Fill in the proper codes for each college to assure they receive your test scores.
  • Lock in your college choices and visit any on your list that you haven’t already checked out.
  • If you are applying to a military academy make sure your file is current and in the possession of the person from whom you are seeking the nomination.
  • If you are seeking an athletic scholarship, send a copy of your game schedule to the appropriate coaches; ask your high school coaches to help with contact names.
  • Finalize portfolios, audition tapes, writing samples, or other evidence of talent to send with your college admissions application.
  • If you are going to apply for early decision or early action, be sure to submit application materials by the deadline.

WINTER

  • Gather all the data for the FAFSA and encourage your parents to complete income tax returns early so that you can file in January. Complete the CSS/Profile as well if necessary.
  • Continue your scholarship search process focusing on those for 12th grade students. Request any college specific scholarship applications and apply.
  • Apply to the colleges that you have chosen and assure proper completion of each application package.
  • Verify that your mid-year transcript has been sent to the colleges to which you have applied. This is EXTREMELY IMPORTANT. Follow up and verify that the colleges receive the transcript.
  • Review your SAR Report for accuracy and submit corrections if necessary.
  • If any college requests additional materials or forms send them promptly and verify they are received.
  • Apply for State Financial aid which may require additional forms.

SPRING

  • Plan to take AP Exams. Check with your colleges and verify that once the tests are taken you will receive college credit.
  • Compare college award letters and financial aid packages. Contact the school’s financial aid office if you have questions about your award. If you would like to dispute your award due to extenuating circumstances, follow the guidelines outlined in the toolkit.
  • Visit colleges that have invited you to enroll and talk with students, professors and admissions advisers to help you make your final decision.
  • Complete any loan paperwork if you will need to take out parent or student loans.
  • Make your final decision and notify the college you will be attending, along with the colleges you will be declining admission. (Remember: there are students on wait lists that will be waiting for spots to open. So be respectful and notify ALL schools of your decision).
  • Accept or decline your financial aid awards in writing. You have the option to accept all or part of the aid awarded.

SUMMER.

  • Attend Freshman Orientation and gather information regarding your course offerings to begin searching for textbook offers and deals.
  • Write thank you notes to the people who recommended you and thank them for taking the time to write those recommendation letters.
  • Apply for a summer job and save that money for college expenses.
  • If Federal Work Study is part of your package it’s your responsibility to secure a job and follow up with the financial aid office when you arrive on campus.

Print the list–email it to your teenager–post it on the frig for easy reference. It will help remind YOU and your college-bound teen that senior year is NOT the time for senioritis to kick in.

admissions, college planning, organization, scholarships

Zinch’s New Facebook App…and more!

Zinch is all about using the latest and greatest social media tools to connect with students. Their presence on Twitter and Facebook has gotten the word out about their EASY, BREEZY scholarship tools and contests. They use those amazing tools to help students connect with colleges and colleges connect with students.

I love what Zinch says about Zinch:

What is Zinch?

That is the question.

We hook students up with scholarships

Based on our comprehensive student profile, we can match students to any scholarship out there. Students tell us who they are…and we hook them up with scholarships that matter.

We hook students up with colleges & grad schools

Zinch allows students to learn about, get recruited by, and interact with more than colleges and universities from all over the world. And it happens on a platform that students embrace – the web.

We make the process fun

The admissions process is very stressful. We know. So we let students connect with other students who are going through the same frustration, struggles and pains as they are. Hopefully that way the process can be a little bit easier.

It’s no surprise that they have now branched out with a Facebook application allowing students to amp up their profiles and enter their weekly scholarship ALL AT THE SAME TIME! Since so many students are on Facebook, it’s an excellent way to reach more students for their $1000 weekly scholarship giveaway.

And here’s another great upgrade to Zinch’s already amazing student profile section. Students can have others post recommendations within their profile, giving them even greater exposure and flexibility. It’s a WIN WIN for students AND colleges!

Check out this profile http://www.zinch.com/musicqueendebi19#endorsement_36478876 to see how the new feature works.

Zinch is on top of what students and colleges need to connect during the admissions process; and their scholarship opportunities provide a means for EVERY student to apply and possibly win. Zinch deserves an A++ in my book!