college planning, financial aid, in the news

College Debt = Higher Tuition and less Merit Aid

The Wall Street journal posted an article today, “Tough Times for Colleges–and College Towns”, about the tough times that colleges are facing.

The outlook isn’t good. Bain, which markets its consulting services to universities, and Sterling Partners, which invests in education companies, examined the balance sheets from 2006 to 2010 of schools in their report. They found many schools operating on the assumption that the more they build, spend and diversify the more they will prosper. They have become overleveraged, with long-term debt increasing at an average rate of about 12% a year and average annual interest expense growing at almost twice the rate of instruction-related expense.

Schools have been trying to plug the gap by jacking up tuition at rates that aren’t sustainable. The result is a fiscal hurdle that dozens of second- and third-tier public and private schools won’t be able to clear. Hundreds of schools—including some of the most prestigious institutions in the country—have tightened their belts.

It looks like the colleges are struggling, much like the students and families. Unfortunately, you know that the financial problems that colleges are experiencing will be passed along to the students by either tuition hikes or reductions in merit aid. That is not good for students and their families, especially the ones who make too much to quality for need-based aid.

What does that mean for this year’s crop of seniors? You better investigate the financial outlook of your college choices carefully and do some digging on their past merit-aid distributions over the last several years, especially if you are counting on that to pay for college.

Continue reading College Debt = Higher Tuition and less Merit Aid →

Guest Posts, orientation

Making the most of college orientation

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It is an exciting time for the whole family when a daughter or son begins college. This is not only a transition from one phase of education to the next, but the beginning of a child’s first years away from home and, in many cases, the parents’ first years with an “empty nest.” Parents may experience this distance as a relief, a cause for worry or both, and many would like a little guidance. College orientation for parents can provide some of that guidance, as well as equipping parents with a more accurate mental picture of what their child’s new life will be like. Read on to learn how to make the most of your orientation.

Why Orientation Matters

College orientation offers students and parents a glimpse of the school that will play a defining role in the whole family’s life for the next four years, and in that sense, it should be just as important to parents as students. Becoming familiar with the physical campus and the school culture will make it easier for parents to understand their children’s lives and have informed conversations with them in the coming years. Learning about rules, campus safety and the academic calendar will also be of practical value to many parents for obvious reasons. Meeting other parents will also provide a feeling of community, as well as the potential for long-lasting friendships.

Parent Orientation

In recent years, more and more colleges and universities have offered orientation events specifically geared toward parents during the days or weeks before school starts. Attending such events may require taking time off from work, traveling and even paying for admission. However, the BostonGlobe reports that most parents found the events to be more than worthwhile. With events ranging from “Meet the Dean” to model classes and seminars on “Letting Go,” parent orientations offer an in-depth understanding of today’s college experience that can’t be had from a distance.

If There is No Parent Orientation

While parent orientations have become the standard at large colleges and universities, some smaller schools still do not offer these events. Parent orientation is less of a necessity at small schools, which are more personal and less bureaucratic. If this is the case, you should check with both the school and your child about whether it is appropriate for you to attend student orientation events. Spending time on campus, meeting a few other students and parents, and helping your student to settle into his or her dorm are generally very positive experiences — but it is also important to recognize the boundaries around your student’s new life outside your home. Remember: If the school doesn’t offer a seminar on “Letting Go,” you still have to let go.

How to Prepare

Try to think of yourself as both a parent and a student during your orientation. Bring paper and pencil or an iPad to take notes with, make sure to ask questions and introduce yourself to parents and school officials. Especially at a large institution, it can be helpful to get to know a couple of contacts personally or at least to know who to talk to if you have a question about financial aid or your child’s academic record. In addition to taking care of the practical details, you will also benefit more from the experience if you allow yourself to enjoy it.

 

Your child’s transition from living and studying at home to his or her first year of college is a major moment for the whole family, and many parents find orientation helpful and enjoyable. But particularly busy parents of independent children may simply skip the event, and this is a valid choice as well. Most schools that offer parent orientations strongly encourage you to take advantage of them, but it is not a requirement. The decision to attend orientation is much like the decision to go college itself: You should go because you want to learn something and to enjoy it. This attitude will also help you to get the most out of your orientation.

 

Sources:

http://www.boston.com/news/education/higher/articles/2010/07/06/empty_nest_101_college_orientation_for_parents/

http://www.collegeparentcentral.com/2009/04/college–parent–orientation–a–key–beginning/

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Today’s guest post was written by Melissa Woodson, the community manager for @WashULaw, a premier program for foreign attorneys to earn their LLMOnline, offered through Washington University in St. Louis. In her spare time, she enjoys running, cooking, and making half-baked attempts at training her dog.

 

college guidance, college visits, Guest Posts, Uncategorized

How to get the most out of your college visit experience

Today’s guest post is from April Elizabeth Bell, Associate Director, Counselor Advocacy – The College Board. The College Board has launched their new site, Big Future, making it easier for students and families to successfully navigate the complex process of finding, affording and enrolling in a college that’s a good fit for them. Big Future has a special section dedicated to campus visits, and today’s guest post discusses the importance of those visits and the tools The College Board provides to help.

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Why Visit?

Choosing which college to attend can be a life-changing decision. Take the time to pursue a campus visit and ensure that you are making the best decision for you. By picking the college that will best fit your needs, you will position yourself to excel in your academic career. Take a look at these students’ testimonials of how college visits shaped their decision about what school to attend.

Planning Ahead

Be proactive and remember to use your resources. Your school counselors can help you plan your college visit and answer any preliminary questions. Also, all colleges have an admissions office that can help you plan your trip, whether you want an official campus tour or to create your own informal visit. You can even check out these 10 Ways to Learn About Colleges Online to see how to effectively research various colleges online. Utilizing these resources beforehand will help prepare you with the information necessary to make the most of your college visit. Watch the video below to hear Jonathan talk about how he maximized his college visit by creating his own campus tour.

It’s important to go on a college visit, even if it’s not the school you want to attend. Tours give you the opportunity to learn more about the common places on a college campus and what resources are available, regardless of which school you attend. Visit the Location Matters to Me link to search for a college near you.

Determine When to Visit

The success of a college visit may vary depending on the time of year, even the time of day, can have a large impact. It is common for most students to wait until spring of their junior year in high school or early autumn of their senior year for their visits. Check the school’s academic calendar to be aware of any potential dates the school is closed. The beginning steps to planning a successful visit also include planning ahead and deciding what’s most important to you during your college visit. Opportunities available for touring students include informational sessions and dorm tours, and it’s even possible to sit in on class lectures. The timing of your campus visit may vary from other students if you’re considering various opportunities before your first year, including participation in summer programs, taking summer classes, or planning to participate in collegiate athletics. Click the link for more tips on When to Visit college campuses.

Create a Checklist

It’s easy to become overwhelmed by all of the things to do, information to gather, and people to talk to while on a college visit. Create Checklist and be sure to prioritize the items that are most important to you. Informational sessions are important, but exploring the college to get a better feel for its campus environment is also critical. Be sure to think about some of the worries you may have about going to college and write them down. Then, look for opportunities to speak with students or staff who may have shared your same concerns before beginning college. They can help you understand how their college meets your specific needs. Make note of any buildings you want to see. Student unions, recreational facilities, dorms and libraries are some of the most common buildings on college campuses, which are important to consider when making your college decision. This Campus Visit Checklist will give you more ideas for your college visits.

Follow-Up

Planning for college should be an enjoyable experience and you don’t have to do it alone.  Don’t be afraid to ask for the contact information of any students or staff you speak with. That way if you have any additional questions, you will already have a personal contact at the school. If you plan your own informal visit, stop by the admissions office to get connected with a school representative so they too can help.

Still confused on what to do and where to go to plan your college visit? Take a look at the 6 Steps to Get the Most Out of a Campus Visit. For more information about planning campus visits, admissions, financial aid and college life, check out bigfuture.org.

 

financial aid, infographics, scholarships

How to get free money for college

Did you know, the average college student graduates with about $22,000 in debt. The problem is, most of these students qualify for essentially free money for college but never apply. So, to help these and other students get the money they definitely need, this infographic on how to get free money for college through state and federal grants, as well as scholarships and more should be helpful. Some of the highlights include —

  • In 2007-2008 the average amount of aid received by students was $9,100.
  • In 2010-2011 the average amount of aid received by students was $12,400 out of which $6,500 didn’t need to be repaid.
  • Every year over 1.5 million qualifying students miss out on Pell grants because they didn’t fill out the FAFSA.
  • FastWeb lists more than 1.5 million scholarships worth more than $3.4 billion.

 

How to Get Free Money for College
From: Online Colleges Blog

admissions, college guidance, college planning

WeGotIn.net–Editorial Opinion

6 Comments

From a parent’s perspective, when I come across a college application “help” I look at it differently than most. I have several criteria I use to judge it’s effectiveness, but I came across a site the other day that made me question something more–is it ethically appropriate? My mind is always open to new ways to ease the complicated college admissions process, so I spent a few days reading about the site (on the site itself) to form my own opinion. I haven’t viewed any biased coverage from the colleges, or the College Board. I just spent some time thinking about whether or not, I, as a parent, would encourage my student to use the service.

According to the website, WeGotIn.net, their concept is simple:

Welcome to WeGotIn.Net where you will find copies of actual, accepted applications to Harvard, Yale, Penn, Cornell, Columbia and Brown. These applications contain the entire response to each question. They contain the college application essay as well as the answers to the often difficult short questions that are asked. They are NOT edited in any way (other than the removal of names, addresses, birth dates and social security numbers). Each of them was given to us in 2010 or 2011 directly by the student who submitted it, was accepted and is now a student at the college.

At first look it seems like a beneficial service. It provides students with “samples” of other college applications (helping them see what is expected of them when they complete their own applications). It targets highly selective colleges that are often on students “dream” list.

But is this ethical, or even fair? Is this another form of cheating? Do students really have to resort to this to get into these Ivy League colleges?

Here’s another more obvious question–with all the other colleges available to choose from, why would students even need to resort to this tactic? If competition is so fierce that you have to look at other accepted student’s applications to obtain admission why would you want to attend?

There are thousands of colleges in the United States, not to mention Canada and overseas that offer admission to students without having to stack the deck by viewing other accepted applications. And here’s another question: what are you teaching your student if you encourage them to use this service? It is so much more than a tool; it’s like cheating on a test. It’s like paying to see other tests in a class instead of studying for yourself.

What are we teaching our students if they use this service?

    • Take shortcuts and you’ll be successful.
    • If your own work isn’t good enough, use someone else’s work instead.
    • Achieving success sometimes means that you have to use any method possible to get it.
    • It’s not cheating if it gives you added insight into something you can’t do for yourself.

In an effort to defer the criticism they have received, WeGotIn.net is giving all their profits to the scholarship funds of the Ivy League colleges. Good for them. They also say their method is more effective than admissions coaching:

…instead of listening to someone else’s opinion, however well informed they may be, of what they think the committee is looking for. There are a lot of opinions as to what makes a good application – the only thing that really matters is what actually results in an acceptance letter.

I especially love that last line: the only thing that really matters is what actually results in an acceptance letter. I disagree. The only thing that really matters is that your student finds the school that “wants” them and that they completed the admissions process with integrity and honesty. Getting accepted to an Ivy League college isn’t the be all and end all of success.

As always, I welcome any comments, discussion or debate about this topic. I would love to hear from other parents and students.

 

 

college guidance, parenting

Your parent arsenal-strength for the journey

2 Comments

It’s Friday and Twitter’s Follow Friday event reminded me that there are so many parents out there in cyberspace looking for help along the college admissions journey. Here’s a short list of helpful “parents” (along with myself, of course) that you should bookmark, follow and tap into on Facebook for the best encouragement and parent support along your journey.

Jane Kulow (@CvlKulow)

Jane is a parent of college-bound teens and the owner/author of a blog that has chronicled her admissions journey with her kids (Dr. Strange College-or how I learned to stop worrying and love the journey). Her blog is jam-packed with great information, parenting encouragement and tips to help you sift through all the information you are bombarded with during the college admissions process.

Nancy Berk (@NancyBerk)

Nancy is also a parent who has survived the journey and written about it in her “hit” book, College Bound and Gagged. Nancy gives parents a comedic break by helping you laugh at yourself and your kids during this stressful time. There’s nothing better than a little laughter to ease the stress and help you see the bigger picture.

Z. Kelly Queijo (@collegevisit)

Kelly is the mastermind behind Smart College Visit, a website providing you with information and resources to help make the college visit a success. Her tools to help you plan your college visits provide parents with all the resources they need in one place. Her cool “mobile app” for Virginia Tech is the first of it’s kind!

Monica Matthews (@AidScholarship)

Monica is a parent herself and she is the scholarship guru, finding scholarships for her sons and teaching parents to do the same. Her simple ebook, How to Win College Scholarships, walks you through the process step by step.  She also blogs, giving parents tips and scholarship updates on a regular basis.

Paul Hemphill (@vcollegeadvisor)

Paul learned the hard way that colleges aren’t necessarily a parent’s friend. His frustration with the admissions process during his sons’ journey, prompted him to help other parents and students learn the secrets to take charge during the journey and “win” in this highly competitive process. His video series is second to none and every parent needs to arm themselves with his arsenal of sage advice.

This is just a short list of parents out there offering you help along your journey. Be an informed parent and tap into their advice and wise counsel. Parents helping parents–what better way to survive the journey?

 

 

admissions, college guidance, college planning, Guest Posts

Inside the mind of an admissions officer

When your student is applying to college, we tend to want to be mind readers and wonder what are those admissions officers using to weigh your student’s college application. Parliament Tutors has been interviewing admissions officers at various colleges across the country and is happy to share one of these interviews with my readers.

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A special thanks to Robert Barkley for participating our Admissions Spotlight Series.  Mr. Barkley is the director of undergraduate admissions at Clemson University.  Joseph Fernandez from ParliamentTutors conducted this interview.

What do you consider the most significant parts of an application, the parts which applicants should prepare the most carefully?

The most important part of a student’s application file is the high school record/transcript.  The preparation there begins at the beginning of the high school career.  As to the application form itself, it is important that all information be as accurate and complete as possible.  Especially in these days of online applications, the student is doing the initial data entry efforts for what could be their collegiate academic record.  Something as simple as one single digit in a zip code can affect the receipt of an admissions decision.

What advice can you offer students in regards to their personal statements?  Perhaps you can offer some shining examples that you have seen in the past. 

I read a lot of appeal statements from students who’ve been denied admission.  Many of them focus on grades and the circumstances that affected the grades.  Rarely do they focus on what they learned (despite the grades), which is what you’re really trying to determine when evaluating an application.

Is there anything you frequently see on an application that you hope to never see again? 

On the section for international students…where we ask for visa information…I hope I never see a student provide us with credit card numbers and other personal information.

What common pitfalls should applicants be careful to avoid? 

Applicants need to remember that the application  is the beginning of a dialogue with the college/university.  The information provided is going to be read by adults.  Students need to be careful not to be over-casual in their approach, presenting information as might be shared with their friends.

Are there any myths about the application process which you would like to dispel? 

College Admissions is NOT “The Great SAT Contest”, nor is it “Rush Week” where we sit around and select our friends and people that we like.

What advice would you give to an applicant with below-average test scores but significant extracurricular experience? 

Let’s hope that the information on the transcript shows exceptional performance in the classroom.  Otherwise, the test scores would appear to verify the grades, and show an over-emphasis on out-of-class activities.

Do you frequently have to turn away applicants whom you wish you could admit? If so, what could those applicants do to be admitted? 

They need to realize that many students graduate annually as transfer students.  If they are set on GRADUATING from a specific college or university, they need to explore transfer options that can put them on track towards a degree.

How much faith do you have in the ability of the SAT to predict success at in college? 

The SAT and ACT are excellent tools for helping to predict college success, but should not be used as the sole indicator.  Other factors (most importantly the high school transcript, grades, GPA, strength of curriculum, etc) must be figured into the decision as well.

What do you look for in a recommendation letter? 

Honesty and a true sense of perspective.

 

Joseph Fernandez is an SATTutor with Parliament Tutors, a NewYorktutoring and test preparation service.


test prep, tutoring

ADHD and the ACT: Why the ACT may be a smarter choice for ADHD students

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For many years, the SAT was really the only choice for college-bound students.  The ACT was largely unknown beyond the west coast, and many, if not most, colleges didn’t accept it.  This circumstance has changed dramatically in the last few years.  The ACT is accepted almost everywhere, and it has gained in popularity with students.  While the standard version of the test isn’t for everyone, the accommodations available to students with disabilities make it an attractive choice for ADHD students.

I’ve mapped out the differences between the SAT and ACT in terms of the available accommodations useful for ADHD students.  While the options are largely identical in name, in practice the ACT has significant advantages.

Available accommodations SAT ACT
Extended time (time & ½) Yes (5 hours, 11 minutes) Yes (up to 5 hours; 5 hours, 45 minutes with writing)
Extended time (double time) Yes, very difficult to qualify Yes, very difficult to qualify
Multiple day testing Yes, for double time only Yes for special circumstances
Extra breaks Yes, between each section Yes, between each section
Extended break time Yes, twice length of standard breaks Yes, breaks are student paced
Small group testing Yes No (but if receive extended time, will be small group setting)

Specifically, the ACT allows students granted extended time to largely work at their own pace within a five hour total time limit (five hours and 45 minutes if taking the ACT with writing).  This means students can take breaks after each section as needed, and for as long as they prefer.  If a student finishes the test before the time limit, he or she is free to leave.   This flexibility may be invaluable for an ADHD student.

In contrast, with standard accommodations the total testing time for the SAT is five hours and 11 minutes (the experimental section is eliminated for students with extended time).  However, if a student also receives extra and/or extended break time, which may be critical for an ADHD student, the total testing time could be increased by an hour or more.  While snacks are allowed, a student in this situation could find him/herself not eating lunch until 3 PM!  The stress of such a long day can be very difficult for an ADHD student, and his/her performance on later sections will almost certainly be negatively impacted.

While I don’t recommend choosing the ACT solely because of the available accommodations, the advantages should certainly be considered when choosing which test to take.  For those students who prefer the format of the SAT, they should absolutely take the SAT.  In the end, the ability to get more questions correct is the most important variable.

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Today’s guest post was contributed by Jenn Cohen, owner of Jenn Cohen Tutoring and President and Chief Word Nerd of Word-Nerd.com, an SAT vocabulary website.  She specializes in tutoring ADHD students for the SAT, PSAT and ACT.  You can find her on Twitter @satprepforadhd and @SheldonWordNerd.

Helping parents navigate the college maze