Campus visits won’t be happening anytime soon. Those spring college visits you had planned have been postponed or cancelled. If you have a senior who is making a college decision (or a junior finalizing their college list), your student can visit from the comfort of their own home.
Here’s some great links to check out virtual college tours on campuses across the country.
Here you can visit 600+ colleges for free either viewing on your device in 360 mode or using a virtual reality device. Tour small or large private colleges and public universities. You can search for the college by name.
If you’re not sure where to go or just interested in a type of college to view (i.e. Coolest Dorms, Best Athletics, Safest Campus, etc.) this is the place to go for a virtual tour of the campus. Colleges are divided into categories for easy searching.
Go to YouTube and type in the name of the college that interests you and check out all the videos. SMU, for instance, has an actual official campus tour posted. You won’t be there at the physical location, but you can gather any information your need and even post questions. You can even view student vlogs to get a better idea of what the campus is like from a student perspective.
CampusReel puts 15,000+ students together with community at the forefront of college search with video content. They offer authentic and honest insight with a lens into campus life by exploring different perspectives.
College Websites
Don’t forget to check the college websites for virtual tours. Their web pages are good ways to find information to questions you might ask on a regular campus tour. If you can’t find an answer there, look for ways to connect via email or social media. Odds are you can get your questions answered
I am seriously tired or seeing “coronavirus” on every social media platform. I’m tired of seeing people panic and act like it’s the end of the world if they can’t find toilet paper. I’m tired of hearing about another college or event that has been cancelled. I guess I’m just tired.
If you have a college-bound junior or senior, you probably feel the same way I do. But along with the frustration comes some concern and disappointment. Senior events are being cancelled. Colleges aren’t allowing visits. Admitted student events are cancelled. Some schools are having extended spring breaks.
How will all of this affect you and how can you cope?
There is going to be disappointment
Your teen is going to experience some disappointment. They have been looking forward to this time since they started high school. It may not be the end of the world to you, but it is to them. Be patient with them. Support them. Give them tons of hugs. You know this will pass but they don’t.
There are options available to make this tolerable
Thankfully we live in a digital world. In person visits cannot occur but virtual visits are available. Most colleges have them on their websites and you can also view some on YoUniversityTV video tours. After that, chat online with some current students you can find on social media. Most students are happy to brag about their school.
Mom can help by asking friends on Facebook for help connecting with current students. Grown and Flown is a great resource for current college parents.
If you have questions that can’t be answered by either of these options, reach out to the college itself. They will be happy to help you and understand your frustration.
Take care of your family
It goes without saying that the number one priority is the health and safety of your family. That includes protecting their mental health. Fear and anxiety can take over when everything seems out of control. Have open conversations about what everyone is feeling and find ways to help everyone cope.
The admissions outlook will change
Sarah Harberson, a college counselor, points out these things to expect during these next few months:
Expect decisions to be released on time.
Admitted student programs are being canceled amid fears of the fast-spreading virus.
With great uncertainty, the waitlist will be in full effect.
Acceptance rates will rise.
Be ready for colleges to aggressively try to convince students to enroll even after they make a decision.
Campus tours and information sessions are being canceled for prospective students and families of younger grades.
ACT and SAT tests sites are being shut down not only abroad but here in the states as well.
Virtual classes are replacing face-to-face in-person classes for high schools and colleges.
If you need questions answered or just need to vent, hop over to my Facebook page and commensurate with other parents who are going through the same things you are. In the meantime, take a deep breath and hang in there–this too shall pass.
While there are no single shortcuts to academic success, there are fortunately a number of beneficial ways for students to actively increase the chances of it. Here are the best techniques to encourage your college-bound student to stay motivated and achieve.
Start Preparing Early
It’s widely known that successful students are often those who are forward thinkers. Before leaving for college and starting the first semester, encourage your student to research the syllabus of the course and learn what it entails, such as the deadlines and dates of any essays or exams they will have, as well as any academic books that they may require. Building forward thinking structures such as this can prepare them for the organisational skills that they will need at college.
Learn Effective Note-taking
Note taking is a valuable skill for college life and can make the difference between passing and failing an exam. Numerous studies surrounding students and note taking have proven that those who effectively take notes remember the material better than those who don’t. Students that write down everything that their professors say can prove to be inefficient. It’s best to encourage them to take time to actively listen and jot down the most significant points that can aid their study, and to review and organize their notes to ensure that they are coherent for when they need to refer back to them.
Don’t Be Afraid to Ask for Extra Help
Most colleges offer an array of support services to make the student experience as helpful as possible. While it can be rewarding to feel academically challenged, it can sometimes cause unnecessary stress which can affect student’s overall work quality and performance. If applicable, encourage your college-bound student to attend workshops, one-to-one meetings with their professors, academic writing classes, or even online course training and exam preparation websites such as https://www.athomeprep.com.
Embrace New Opportunities
Keeping an eye out for academic opportunities such as societies and work experience through flyers or social media can greatly impact your student’s academic success. Getting involved can enable students to be recognized, network with others, and learn new invaluable skills that can be instrumental to their desired future careers. It can also be a great way to meet like-minded people and quickly make new friends!
Learn the Art of Balance
While putting effort in at college equates to success, it’s important to remind your college-bound student that their well being should remain a priority above all. Students who spend all their time studying may begin to neglect their sleep, nutritional habits, physical and mental health, as well as their social lives. This can result in the feeling of “burn-out” and can even induce feelings of anxiety. College life can easily be balanced through allowing well-deserved breaks from studying, and smart time management. For example, it can be useful to create daily reminders in digital calendars on their phones and laptops to outline their schedule and set goals, as well as know when to organize study days and rest days.
As a college student, it’s an environment where you’re constantly learning, and when it comes to getting the most out of it, there are ways that you can help give yourself that extra boost. Here are some tips for soon-to-be college students to improve their skills.
Always Be Practicing
Practicing something is a sure-fire way to achieve the success of something quicker than you would normally do it if you weren’t. Getting yourself into the mindset of practicing can be tough, but if you have the drive to do so, it can get easier. Think about what skills you need to work on and how you can implement that practicing in some way, shape or form. For example, you could be building on your experience as a writer and so creating a blog might give you that opportunity you need in order to write something new every day. It could simply be using a word generator to help you find better ways of describing or saying something. Opening up your vocabulary is important, and there can be so much use in practicing.
Time Management
Being able to handle your time appropriately is important because you need to be able to attend any lectures you might have throughout the week, make time to study and to see your friends around campus. So time management is something that’s definitely important, yet it’s not something you can always achieve easily, to begin with. It might take a little trial and error to get right but trust yourself to make the right decisions when it comes to getting up and doing something. If you struggle with time management, work out what’s making you late to lectures or to other commitments and then work on the ways that you can help change this for the better.
Learn How To Deal With Stress
Dealing with stress is something that many of us will have issues with throughout our life. It can be an emotion that we all feel to some degree, and some of us can handle it better than others. Try not to panic or make anything seem like too big of a deal. As much as getting qualifications and degrees are important, they are not worth harming your body or your mental health. If you’re struggling, always ask for help.
Consider Money And Budgeting
Money is a big thing for students because you can easily spend it on rubbish that doesn’t benefit you in any way. There are lots of ways to help budget your money better if you’re having a hard time of it at the moment. Look at the ways you’re spending your money currently and how you might be able to cut down or make better choices when it comes to using your money around the college. Perhaps try to limit yourself to a certain amount each day.
Learn organization
With so many tests, deadlines, and social activities it’s crucial to learn some organizational skills. Use data keeping tools, calendar apps, and good old-fashioned note-taking to stay organized in your classes and in life.
Improving your skills as a college student is always going to help make this experience a lot better and fulfilling if you follow these tips.
Studying abroad is an excellent way for students of all ages to enhance their foreign language skills, level of independence, and ability to think critically. These aspects fall within the heaps of knowledge and personality traits that are developed while embarking on a study abroad experience, unique to every student. Particularly for those individuals who have a certain interest in languages, international affairs, history or art, studying abroad is always a good idea for both personal growth and for the resume.
The term study abroadis generally associated with college students. It is very popular at this day in age for college students, regardless of their major, to spend at least a semester outside of the US, if not more. Less common are those students who choose to embark on an international academic experience when they are still in high school. This is the case for numerous reasons, starting with the fact that opportunities to do so are less frequent and less discussed; though the powerful impact of such experiences on a younger mind is incredibly valuable. In this article, I will share why study abroad experiences during youth and adolescence are critical for young students, both on paper and in person.
I make this claim as both a former study abroad student and a recruiter. My high school study abroad experience opened me up to a world of invaluable relationships, heightened cultural awareness, and fluency in a foreign language. As our world gets smaller and smaller, these aspects become more useful to us as students, professionals, and people.
On paper – What value does study abroad in high school add to a resumee?
1. International experiences set you apart.
In a world where test scores and athletic achievements are seemingly the most common ways a high school student can excel on paper, international academic experiences provide a curveball opportunity for standing out. It’s especially valuable for students who may not be interested in pursuing a future of college sports or strictly academic vigor, and want to contribute something more diverse to their profiles. Since study abroad experiences are more exclusive to college students or graduates, their presence on a high school student’s resumee is highly unique and telling of the student’s probable personality characteristics. Which brings me to our next point…
2. Studying abroad at a young age shows initiative and ambition.
There’s a difference between the inferences made about a student who studied abroad in college versus in high school. As a former student recruiter, when I came across a profile of a student who had embarked on an academic experience abroad before starting college, I always wanted to know more. Due to its less prevalent nature, making the decision to study abroad before college shows a unique level of initiative and self-driven ambition in a young student. Taking the initiative to travel at length and put oneself out of their comfort zone to pursue a curiosity allows someone to infer that they are dealing with a notably brave, flexible, and self-starting person. Especially at a young age, when taking advantage of an opportunity to go abroad often entails application forms, collaboration and convincing of the parents, and time away from home, the experience is much more reflective of these strong personality traits.
3. Fluency in a foreign language stands out.
This is not only because our world is getting smaller and therefore naturally, the more languages you know, the more value you may serve. Studying a foreign language is time consuming. It puts the student in embarrassing and confusing situations. It forces you to let your guard down and laugh at yourself. We can even put aside the valuable display of ambition and drive that study abroad creates; learning a foreign language takes it a step further. It shows wit, perseverance, and the ability to think critically about oneself. People are left impressed when a young person explains to them that, no, the reasonI speak Spanish isn’t because I learned it at home. I studied it and went abroad to perfect it, and now I’m fluent. It’s a wow factor.
In person – What valuable impact does study abroad in high school have on a young mind?
1. Being abroad heightens our sense of self-awareness and critical thinking.
The ability to exhibit elevated self-awareness and think critically about oneself are hard to come by even in adulthood. By partaking in the experience of studying abroad, young people get a kickstart to growing in these crucial aspects of knowledge and emotional intelligence. Studying abroad in high school made me reconsider the way I think; it prompted questions about myself in relationship to my own culture and upbringing. Suddenly, my 17-year-old brain was actively exploring parts of my psyche, like why I was so afraid of failure, or why the Spaniards are not disgusted by jealousy whereas Americans are. These are thoughts that inhibit us to become more considerate, self-correcting people both in adolescence and adulthood.
2. We are more impressionable when we are young.
Young brains are highly impressionable when it comes to both knowledge and mindset. The fact that we absorb more information with less effort at a young age is a given; it’s why a five-year-old can learn a new language just by listening to it, whereas a 35-year-old must put in seemingly endless amounts of effort to reach the same fluency level. In youth and adolescence, it is easier for our brains to grasp foreign concepts like languages and diverse ways of thinking. That’s why the younger we are exposed to them and forced to make sense of them, the better they stick. I’m talking about languages, yes, but also the ability to keep an open mind. By facing foreign concepts when we are young – for example, eating dinner in Spain at 10pm instead of 6pm back home in Massachusetts – we train ourselves to be open to adaptability and to maintain a flexible outlook.
3. Authentic exploration is more precious at a young age.
International experiences that take place in that special time between childhood and adulthood are invaluable. In this phase of our lives, it is more likely that the experience abroad will be less centered around finding bars where other Americans hang out, and more about discovering oneself and the culture around us through meaningful friendships, letting our guards down, and getting to feel more independent. At this age, an authentic experience is longer lasting in the impressions it has on us. Even in the age of social media and connectivity, it allows a deeper connection with the place we visit and the people we meet. That value is continuous into our college application process, during college, and beyond.
Today’s guest post is by Shannon O’Brien, European Coordinator atAbbey Road Programs
Author bio: Shannon is an American expat whose career in Europe began with a study abroad experience in Spain when she was in high shcool. She is still active in the study abroad community in Italy and Spain, and works as European Coordinator for Abbey Road Programs, assisting other students in pursuing international educations.
With all the talk of helicopter parenting, over parenting, snowplow
parenting and parents refusing to allow their students become independent
adults, it’s important to understand how to coach your teenager without crossing
the line.
A recent article in Business
Insider quoted a study conducted by Florida State University focusing on
some of the issues with today’s parenting:
Helicopter parents are “overly
involved, protective parents who provide substantial support (e.g., financial,
emotional, physical health advice) to their emerging adult children, often
intervening in their affairs and making decisions for them.”
“Individuals with parents who
engage in highly controlling, overprotective behaviors have been characterized
as being overly needy in terms of seeking attention, approval and direction
from others,” the authors wrote in summarizing past research. “In addition,
they have been found to utilize more ineffective coping skills, express higher
levels of narcissism and demonstrate lower self-efficacy.”
In contrast…
“Developmentally appropriate
parenting can promote healthy decision-making and a child’s development of
autonomy, increasing the likelihood that their children will become
independent, well-adjusted, problem-solving adults. They tend to cope better
with stress, have more self-esteem and experience less depression.”
Knowing this…
What is a parent’s role during the college prep
process?
I will give you 10 coaching steps to take for a positive college prep experience.
Step 1-Offer guidance and advice.
Parents are primarily coaches—coaching and directing their teenager during high school so that they will be prepared to apply to and eventually attend college. It’s natural to take this role in parenting and it works well in the area of college prep.
Your teenager may not always
ask, but they will need advice during this stressful time. Listen to their
concerns and offer guidance and advice. Listening is the key because teenagers
don’t always communicate what they are feeling and don’t always ask for help.
The next thing parents need to
do is…
Step 2-Establish
boundaries.
Early during the college prep process, have a serious
conversation with your student.
Because of the insurmountable number of tasks involved with
college prep, your student will need your help. The key word here is, “help”.
One admissions officer told me, “Let your student drive the car”. It won’t be
easy to let your student take control of the process, but this is part of the
training they will need to be successful in college.
Next, we will discuss exactly how you can help.
Step 3-Be
an encourager and a helper.
Be an encourager by reminding your student of deadlines,
from test registration to FAFSA and application submission. Encourage them to stay
on top of every task and suggest creating a timeline for each task.
Parents can participate in just about every activity during
college prep.
You can help with organization by establishing a college
landing zone. A place where you and your student can keep track of all
college-related information.
You can help with test prep—practicing vocabulary words,
administering practice tests, and hiring a tutor if necessary. You can also
help them create a study schedule to prepare for the tests.
You can help your student create a college list. What is at
the top of their list? What are they interested in studying? What career
interests them? What college activities outside of academics are important?
Does location or size matter? Use these questions to begin crafting the list.
You can participate in college visits by planning the
visits, traveling with them, and discussing the visits afterwards, Under no
circumstances should you take control during any aspect of the campus visit,
from the tour to the interviews.
Scholarship searching can be a daunting task for any busy
student. Parents can help by searching for the scholarships, making sure all
the components of the scholarship application are completed, proofreading any
essays, and making sure they are submitted correctly and on time.
Once the applications have been submitted you can participate in the final decision. Weigh all the financial aid offers against one another and help your student choose the college that is the best fit: academically, socially and financially. This is an important part of coaching.
Step
4-Teach life skills.
Teenagers need time and priority management skills,
conflict management skills, and effective communication skills. They need to
know when and how to ask for help, they need to effectively maneuver the
college bureaucracy, and they need to operate on a budget and manage their
money. They need to self-advocate and have the self-discipline to stay safe.
Step
5-Teach Academic skills.
Students should start college with strong study skills.
They need to be able to write a well-researched and documented, accurate,
organized, and well-written paper. They need to start college prepared to
attend all their classes, read the assigned materials, and know how to take
notes. They need to be prepared to pursue study groups, additional review
periods, or other options such as seeking out their teachers when they have
questions and need help.
Step
6-Model behavior
Parents should be involved in their teenager’s school by
participating in parent-teacher meetings and similar events, judging their
student’s academic strengths and weaknesses, and pushing them to get help when
they need it. Parents should make expectations and rules clear for both
academics and behavior, and follow through on reasonable consequences. Parents
should give their teenagers graduated responsibilities, teach them to budget,
and make them responsible when they make mistakes.
Step 7-Educate yourself about everything to do with college prep
In order to be the “wise
sage”, you need to educate yourself about all aspects of college prep. And in
today’s age of technology and social media, you have all the tools available to
do this. Take advantage of all the college prep advice on social media
(Twitter, Facebook, and even Pinterest) have all sorts of tips for parents to
help with college prep. Subscribe to blogs that provide parents with advice and
connect with other parents on Facebook who are going through the same process.
On my blog, I offer numerous
lists of experts to follow on social media, along with advice from college
counselors, test prep tutors, essay experts and admissions officers. These tips
help parents stay on top of all the college prep tasks and stay educated about
any changes in standardized tests, admissions or financial aid.
Step
8-Have the money talk
Parents
should have a serious conversation with their student about money before even
applying to colleges. Approach it as a collaborative discussion and use
this as a start to helping your teen understand the importance of budgeting and
“needs vs wants”.
Start
off by making sure your teen knows what a “need” is and what a “want”
is in relation to college costs. For some teens, all wants are needs. This
is the time to nail the definition down and clarify it in their minds.
Decide
just who will be paying for each college expense. Every family is
different but it’s important to make this clear from the very beginning so that
there won’t be any surprises.
Use a budget worksheet and understand ALL college expenses. Don’t just assume
that tuition, room and board will cover it. There will be additional costs as
well like travel, entertainment, dorm furnishings, student fees and others. Be
sure to budget for these additional expenses.
When
your teens contribute to the costs of their education, they will be more
invested in their success. They will also learn valuable budgeting lessons that
will stick with them past college and into adulthood. You’re doing your teen a
disservice if you don’t involve them in the college financial discussions. They
need to be active participants in the decisions and also play an active part in
paying for that high-cost college education.
Step
9-Make financial aid a priority.
Even if you can afford to pay for college, why would you
use the money if your student can get some of the free money from scholarships
and grants? It makes sense to apply for scholarships. Scholarships are
available for all ages and students should start applying early, even before
senior year. There are scholarships for students with average grades, and
scholarships that don’t require a GPA or even an essay. Sign up for scholarship
search engines to find scholarship matches. Leave no stone unturned: search
locally, ask friends, talk to your student’s school counselor and listen to the
media. Scholarships are literally everywhere, and many local ones go unclaimed
every year.
When your student is a senior, complete the FAFSA. The
FAFSA is the key to getting not only federal aid, but aid from the colleges
themselves. Much of the college aid is merit based but your student won’t
receive it if they don’t submit the FAFSA.
Next…
Step
10-Participate in the final decision.
Once your student is accepted to colleges, due your due diligence
and compare all the financial aid awards. If one award is higher than another
and your student wants to attend that college, appeal the lower award using the
higher award as leverage. Find the college that is the best fit: academically,
socially and financially. Don’t allow your student to take on high amounts of
debt just because it’s the college he or she wants to attend. Be the voice of
reason and explain the consequences of graduating with too much student loan
debt…
Now, some final words of advice…
Nag
less and listen more
You will be tempted to nag: write this, apply to this, study
for this, and search for this. Nagging will only cause strife and stress for
you and your student. Instead, listen to his concerns, his visions, and his dreams.
Listen carefully to ascertain whether or not college is the best choice. Listen
to him talk about how he feels about the entire college prep process. And once
you’ve listened, guide him — don’t nag.
Do
less and encourage more
Avoid the temptation to take over the process. As one
admissions officer told me, “Let your student drive the car.” You can be a
coach, an advisor, a mentor and an attentive listener. You can also help with
data gathering, scholarship searching, and deadline reminders. But under no
circumstances should this process be yours. Let your student own his own
future.
Compare
less and research more
Don’t listen to other parents who want you to compare your
student to theirs. This is you and your student’s journey. Do your research.
Ask the experts. Don’t rely on hearsay to make your decisions. Your student is unique,
and his journey will be unique. Arm yourself with all the information and tools
to help with the process. Then pass it along to your student.
Panic
less and plan more
If there’s one piece of advice I give parents, it’s this:
stay organized and don’t miss any deadlines. Make a plan throughout high school
and follow the plan. Once your student enters senior year, you should be
organized and ready to begin the application process.
Whether your student is a freshman or entering the last
semester of their junior year, you should be looking ahead towards graduation.
The first, and obvious question, should be—what’s next? What will your student
do after high school? Will they enter the job market, take a gap year off to
decide, enter the military, or will college be their next step?
If college is in their future, the college list should be a
priority. All decisions, goals and pursuits will be geared toward receiving an
offer of admission from those colleges on that list. Those colleges should be
chosen with much thought and planning. Your student’s goal is to first be
offered admission, and secondly be awarded aid that will pay for the education.
In order to craft a great college list, you and your student
must keep an open mind. With over 4000 institutions of higher learning in this
country alone, the obvious choices are not necessarily the best ones. Before you
haphazardly throw some names onto the list, follow these simple steps:
Step 1: Look at the statistics and rise to the top
The best college is the college that fits your student’s
academic and social needs, and at the same time is affordable. The last thing
you want is for your student to graduate with debt; and the best way to
guarantee the most merit aid is to apply to a college where your student is at
the top of the applicant pool. If your student’s grades, scores, and
extracurriculars exceed those of the average applicant, a college will be more
likely to entice him with merit aid (scholarships and grants).
How do you know where your student falls in the applicant
pool? Use sites like College
Navigator and College Data
to compare your student with current students. Look at the figures for admitted
students: what is the average test score, what is the average GPA, how much
weight do they place on extracurriculars? If your student’s statistics are
above these average amounts, the college will consider them a highly desirable applicant.
Step 2: Consider the unknowns
Most students gravitate toward the known colleges—those with
national or state recognition. But there are so many excellent colleges within
each state that go unnoticed. These are often smaller private colleges offering
excellent liberal arts educations. These colleges have alumni that support them
and often provide continued support—translating into scholarships and grants to
new students. The larger state university may appear cheaper based on tuition,
but the smaller private college will often award more merit aid to entice
students.
I recommend parents encourage their students to look into the College That Change Lives . These colleges are built on the premise of “building the knowledge, character and values of young people by introducing them to a personalized and transformative collegiate experience.” Also consider technical colleges like Penn College that combine a liberal arts education with hands-on career training.
You might be surprised to know that in addition to all the
factors students use to choose a college, there is one they might overlook:
statistics. While location, major, campus appeal, and others are certainly
important statistics will help you and your student make a more informed
college choice.
Why statistics? Statistics will help you determine some of
the key factors involved in choosing a college. With statistics you increase
the odds of your student being accepted, receiving more financial aid, and
graduating on time. You can also determine the class sizes, the freshman
retention rate and the odds of finding a job after graduation.
Two good sources for college statistics are College Navigator and College Data. These two resources will
help you make an informed college choice. Numbers aren’t everything, but
consider these eight
important stats when you and your student are looking at schools:
Percentage of student who are employed after
graduation
Step 4: Let the money do the talking
There’s no point in adding a college to the list if it’s
unaffordable. Your student will be disappointed if offered admission and the
cost makes it impossible for them to attend. Before applying, research
the financial
aid footprint of every single college on the list. How much aid do
they typically give? How much debt does the average student graduate with? Use
their net price calculator and determine what it will cost to attend there
before applying. If your student is offered admission, there will be no surprises
and disappointment if you do your due diligence before the application process
begins.
Colleges offering small percentages of financial aid in the
form of scholarships and grants should only be considered if you can pay or
your student makes applying to scholarships a priority. You can’t count on
scholarships or grants, but your student can certainly do everything to position
themselves at the top of the applicant pool to receive them.
Step 5: Do a side-by-side comparison
How do you compare colleges once you have a solid list? Your
student should develop their own rankings based on their personal choices and
priorities. These items might include the obvious items like academics and location,
to such unconventional items like Greek life and campus appearance. List all
the items on a chart, giving each item a plus (+) or a minus (-) and tally up
the scores. The colleges with the highest scores should make the final list.
Colleges with lower scores might not make the list or need further evaluation.
By following these five steps, your student can create a
strong college list of colleges that fit them academically, socially and
financially. You might discover some hidden gems while navigating the search,
just as my daughter did (and fell in love!).
One of the most common worries that a lot of parents tend to experience is that they aren’t going to be able to afford to send their kids to college. After all, college is one of those things that’s pretty much essential to get a competitive edge in their careers but it’s also one of the most expensive things that they will ever do. Of course, it’s not particularly productive to spend your time worrying about it. Especially because there are actually plenty of things that you can do in order to make sure that you’re in a financial position to send your kids to college. Here are just a few things that you may want to consider.
Start saving
The simplest and most obvious thing that you can do in order to make sure that you can afford to send your child to college is to start saving your money as early as possible. Having money stored away in a savings account means that when the time for college rolls around, you’re already prepared for it and you don’t have to worry about the ways in which it will impact your finances overall. Even if you’re just putting away a little bit here and there where you can, if you’re focused and disciplined about it, that kind of money can end up growing far more quickly than you might expect.
Grow your money
One of the best things that you can do in order to bring in the kind of extra money that you might need to send your child to college is to find ways to invest it. There are plenty of investment options out there for those looking to grow their money. Property is one of the safest and most profitable. Working with agents like William Pitt Sotheby’s Realty can help you find the perfect properties that are the perfect place to invest your money. Of course, investing always comes with risks so it’s worth being as cautious as possible so that you don’t wind up making any mistakes with your money.
Borrow
Taking out a loan in order to fund your child’s college experience is one of the most common options and for good reason. The truth is that a lot of people simply don’t have the means to pay it themselves so taking out a loan can be a great option. You just need to be sure that you’re borrowing carefully. Do your research and make sure that any loan you take out is fully accredited and that you’re not falling prey to any predatory practices.
One of the most important things to remember is that financing is something that you should think about from the very start of the college application process. The last thing you want is for your child to be attending their orientation and you’re only just thinking about how you’re actually going to be able to afford to finance their college experience. It’s something that requires planning and preparation. In all likelihood, it’s something you’ll be thinking bout far longer than your child.
Do you need money to pay for college? Are you having trouble
motivating your student to study and prepare for standardized tests?
What you may not know is that there are GUARANTEED
scholarships available for students based on their standardized test scores. And
in case you think they are only for perfect scores, think again. Many colleges
award automatic scholarships for scores of 1100 for the SAT and 22 for the ACT.
Of course, the higher your score, the more scholarship money you receive.
Automatic National Merit scholarships
Perhaps one of the best sources of money based solely on a
standardized test score, is the PSAT. If your student is a National
Merit finalist (based on the scores in your state), they are eligible for
scholarships. Apart of earning a $2500 scholarship through the competition
itself, students can score some big money from colleges by listing them as
their first choice when they take the test.
With just a little preparation and study (most students don’t
prepare for this test), your student can score well stacked up against other
students in the state. It’s completely achievable and pays off in huge
scholarship dollars.
To learn more about sponsoring universities, read here.
Automatic scholarships based on SAT/ACT scores
Colleges offer automatic scholarships based on your student’s
test scores. These scholarships don’t require an extra application or
information, but there may be a college application deadline. Check with
each individual college for deadline information.
These scholarships are usually posted on the college
websites. For a short list of some of the colleges and their scholarship
opportunities and how to search for any college, hop over to PrepScholar
for a detailed explanation of how to search for these scholarships.
Of course, don’t stop here. Encourage your student to apply
for the scholarships that fit them well and keep applying all throughout
college. Free money means no debt after graduation. Your son or daughter should
appreciate the benefit of that.
Have you ever had a question about college prep and there
was no one to ask? Do you wonder what other parents have done in your
situation? Is there a question about paying for college that you simply can’t
find the answer to?
Odds are, you can find most answers to your unanswered questions on Facebook (or at least a suggestion on who to ask). From parenting a teen through the college process, paying for college, financial aid, scholarships and connecting with college parents, you can find groups or pages to help.
Here’s a list of my favorite Facebook groups and pages:
This is a widely popular group for parents of both
college-bound and college students. You can connect with experts in college
prep here or get advice from other parents who have been through the process
and/or have current college students. It’s a friendly, conversational group and
if you have a question, it’s easy to post it and usually get an instant
response from another parent or expert in the group.
If you have a question about paying for college, this group
is available to help. Helpful articles are posted daily and questions are
answered quickly by experts and mentors on the page. They cover topics related
to college prep and often offer training sessions and webinars to help you with
the college admissions process.
Financial aid can certainly be confusing for parents and
students. College talk provides parents with tips and strategies related to
college financial aid.
Looking for merit scholarships? This group is devoted to
sharing merit scholarship opportunities and discussing ways to find schools generous
with financial aid and merit scholarships.
Need help searching for scholarships? Need help with
scholarship applications? Have a question about the scholarship process? You capayn
find the answer on this page, along with endless lists of scholarships
available. Check this page daily for the best in scholarship information.
This is my page and you can find the answer to any
college-related question here. I post informative articles daily and am happy
to answer any question you might have about college prep. I also frequently
post scholarship opportunities and free training opportunities as well. Check
back often to see new news about college admissions.
This is the portal for you to ask any question, raise out
any concern or get feedback from the group. This type of forum rarely exists in
the college admissions space, but it’s space for parents to expand their
network, build connections, establish relationships and form a support system in
this competitive field. This is also the place for parents and students to grow
and even enjoy their college admissions journey.
Everything you need to know about the college essay, personal statements and supplemental essays can be found on this page. From podcast episodes to essay samples to expert advice, the College Essay Guy is available to help. Your student can also join his private group page for personalized essay help: College Admission and Application Forum.
A page with over 14,000 members offering great college advice, current articles in the news, and a forum for students and parents to comment on them and ask questions. College Connections’ main objective is to have our students gain admission to the college which is their best match, and where they find happiness, success and a solid academic program.
