college planning

Experience from the College Trenches

 

sat stressParents always ask me, “How did you do it? How did you survive all the pre-college preparation and the barrage of forms and application deadlines?” Honestly, if you were to have asked me while I was navigating that maze I would have said I was drowning. Like most parents, those years came quickly and I thought I had all the time in the world. Not so. I think we successfully survived because we had a plan. We started early and we kept accurate records. And, we did tons and tons of research and asked a multitude of questions.

The best advice I can give a parent who has a teen thinking about attending college: START EARLY. Don’t wait until senior year. Don’t even wait until junior year. Start freshman year to get your boat headed in the college direction. It’s not easy but when those college acceptance letters come rolling in it will all be worth it.

Here’s a few simple things you can encourage your teen to do during his/her freshman year of high school:

  • Make a list of goals (academic and personal)
  • Meet with the counselor to go over the 4 year course schedule
  • Visit some of the websites of your dream colleges
  • Start your scholarship search (no, it’s not too early)
  • Find some fun volunteer activities to do during the summer and think about starting a business that might look good on a college application (starting a neighborhood newspaper or a lawn mowing business)
  • Keep a journal of your interests and jobs to guide you to the major you might be interested in at college
  • Register on some college websites (collegeboard.com has a My Organizer tool for students that helps you stay on track)

Starting early will alleviate the “panic syndrome” that so often occurs during senior year, which tends to hit right about the time “senioritis” sets in.

If you have any questions or would like some additional tips, please leave me a message here and I’d be happy to help…since I’ve already climbed out of the trenches!

college costs

In College, the Little Things Can Add Up

It’s a given that the greatest college expense will be tuition, followed by room and board. But it’s the little things that can add up. If you’re budgeting for college and have all your ducks in a row regarding the BIG expenses, you might want to take a pencil and budget in the little things. You’ll be surprised how the nickels and dimes can add up to hundreds.

  • Transportation-Most campuses do not allow freshmen to have cars. If they do, consider doing without. You can most likely find everything you need on or near campus. Consider buying a bus pass or walking. It’s the easiest way to pare down the expenses.
  • Communication-Compare cellphone plans and make sure you’re signed up for a plan that allows you to have unlimited texting and free conversations with your friends and family. Keep track of your minutes and don’t go over.
  • Computer-Many schools college-costsrequire students to have a personal computer. Shop around for one with a wireless connection so you can use the campus ethernet. Buy it when there are sales and bargains and verify that a good warranty is attached.
  • Insurance-If your family has health insurance that covers you, make sure the college doesn’t tack on those extra charges to your tuition bill. It’s not a bad idea to get some sort of content coverage for your dorm room. Things tend to “disappear” on crowded college campuses.
  • Tuition-Stay on track and make sure you finish your education ON TIME. Additional semesters, hours, etc. will increase your tuition and add extra costs when they are unnecessary.
  • Food-If you eat regular meals, the college meal plans are great bargains. If you don’t, and your college will allow you to opt out or pick and choose, you might save money by doing so. My daughter rarely used her plan and we found it was an unnecessary expense.

These are just a few ideas that might help you save some cash during your college years. As a parent, you’ll appreciate the chance to keep some of your hard-earned money in your pocket.

If you’ve got a hint I haven’t touched on please comment here. I’m sure our readers could benefit from any and all suggestions.

college costs

Kindle-A College Textbook Solution

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Business Week posted an article yesterday regarding the soon-to-be released larger version of the Kindle Reader:

Kindle may start getting a warmer reception in colleges come May 6, when Amazon (AMZN) launches what is expected to be a larger version of its Kindle e-book reader that is more suited to academic publishers. Six universities including Case Western, Pace, and Princeton are partnering with Amazon and major publishers to supply students with the new device in the fall, The Wall Street Journal reports.

kindleIn my opinion, this is a win/win proposition for Amazon and for parents of students heading off to college. College textbooks can cost thousands of dollars per semester, depending on the subject and level of advanced courses. If you purchase a Kindle reader for $400, even if the ebook is 25% less than the hard copy version, that’s a huge savings. Not to mention the convenience of eliminating the need to carry all those heavy books around and alleviating back problems caused by a heavy backpack.

College textbooks were always highly overpriced in my estimation. Even if you were able to find a used version, there was no guarantee that it would contain the revision material that was updated on a regular basis. And many times bookstores would not purchase textbooks back if the course was no longer being offered or utilizing that particular textbook.

There are so many “hidden” college costs that can add up. This cost saving can help parents and students on a tight budget and also offer a great alternative to hoards of books that you have no idea what to do with after graduation. If you’re a parent and you have a teen heading off to college in the fall, keep tabs on this developing news.

What do you think about this technological offering? Would you purchase a Kindle for your student?

scholarships

Should your college-bound student apply for scholarships?

 

There is great discussion among parents about whether or not scholarship applications are worth it. I happen to be one who believes they are. My daughter attended an expensive private university based on the scholarships she won from outside sources and from the university itself. Those scholarships allowed her to attend a school that was financially out of reach. Hence, I’m a firm believer in the value of scholarships.

Here are 3 reasons I believe ALL college-bound students should apply:

  • Scholarships help reduce the cost of college-Free money is always better than money you have to repay.
  • Many times, the effort required on your part is minimal-Numerous employers hand out money to worker’s kids without requiring much more than a one-page application. Grab that cash!
  • Your family might not qualify for need-based aid-In this case, scholarships can eliminate the need to dip into savings or retirement to fund college expenses.

Applying for scholarships, in my mind, is a no-brainer. What have you got to lose? FREE money for college. I don’t know about you, but in today’s economy, it makes even more sense.

social networks

Social Networks and Your Teen

As a parent, it’s your job to guide your teen and help them make wise choices about their future. It’s not always easy and most of the time overwhelming. Many times there are arenas online that your teen frequents that could on some level, harm their future. Social networking sites are popping up and odds are your teen has a presence on at least one of these: MySpace, Facebook, Twitter, myYearbook, and various blogging sites such as Blogspot and LiveJournal.

Here’s something you should do with your child that might help you see the importance of controlling what you send out into the internet universe. Do a Google search. Type in your child’s name and see if it appears in the search results. Why do this? College admissions and future employers are finding it important to check out these social websites before making a decision related to applicants.

A recent study by eMarketer indicated that in 2009 15.5 internet users ages 12-17 (or 75%) will use social networking websites. The article noted some interesting results from their online survey:

Specifically, information on young people’s social network pages can come back to haunt them. Over 60% of those surveyed acknowledged that the things friends wrote in their profiles could harm their careers. In addition, 48% said they could be embarrassed by what they themselves wrote, and 38% said they regretted some of the items that had appeared on their pages already.

It’s not too soon to prepare your child for the future. Helping them understand the importance of protecting their own “personal brand” is a part of that preparation.

Helping parents navigate the college maze