FAFSA, financial aid

Everything You Need to Know About the FAFSA

 

 

fafsa

Do you have questions about the FAFSA? or financial aid? Have you looked at the form and find some of the instructions complicated or ambiguous? You’re not alone. If you have a senior headed to college in the fall or you just want to be prepared for your future college bound teen, you should join tonight’s #CollegeCash chat. I’ll be the guest and @JodiOkun and I should be able to answer all your questions.

What: #CollegeCash

When: (Tonight) Thursday 8PM ET

Where: Twitter using #CollegeCash hashtag

Who: Host @JokiOkun and guest @SuzanneShaffer

Don’t forget to follow both of us on Twitter. If you’ve never attended a Twitter chat, here are some simple instructions.

How to Take Part in a Twitter Chat

See you there!

 

college prep, Wednesdays parent

Wednesday’s Parent: New Year’s Resolutions and College Prep

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new year's resolutionsI’ve never been one for New Year’s resolutions. It’s rare that we keep them. I do, however, love to review goals, examine past mistakes, and make corrections along the way. College bound students should be using this tactic all throughout high school. As each semester passes, students should evaluate these four areas of concern on a college application:

Academics

Evaluate your student’s grades every semester. Look at his test scores, his essays, his research papers and daily class work. Where can he improve? Where has he excelled? If you determine that he needs a tutor, don’t be afraid get him help.

Extracurriculars

Is your student maximizing his free time by participating in extracurriculars? Is he showing consistency? Should he be spending more time in one particular area and less time spreading himself thin? Is there a balance between school activities and community service? Where should he focus his time to show a consistent participation?

Faculty/Mentor relationships

This might be the most important area to evaluate each year. These relationships will provide your student with recommendation letters needed for the college applications. Build those relationships throughout high school, starting with your student’s high school counselor and key teachers. If your student is participating in a community service project, encourage him to find a mentor within the organization he’s working with.

Social media

Monitoring social media throughout high school is a critical task because your student’s social media presence reflects on his character. He should also establish social media relationships with the colleges he is interested in attending. Those relationships will be valuable when he submits his applications. Colleges are looking for students who express an interest in attending. These social media relationships express that interest.

As with any project, the key to its success is to evaluate your progress. Evaluation enables your student to move toward the eventual goal of applying to and being accepted at his first choice college.

Read Wendy’s post: College Prep New Year Spoiler Alert

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

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

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

FAFSA, financial aid, parenting

FAFSA Tips, Reminders, and Mistakes to Avoid

 

fafsaIt’s FAFSA time. “Yuck”, as one parent said. “Dreading, dreading, dreading” from another. “It’s my least favorite time of year (other than income taxes)”, said another. I get it. Nobody likes filling out federal forms, especially when money is on the line. And with the FAFSA, money is on the line.

Today I am sharing some of the best FAFSA advice I’ve found online. If you have a college bound teen, this information will be invaluable. Don’t just skim it, however; you need to read every last word. Not knowing can mean the difference between receiving aid and receiving a big fat zero. Trust me, I have learned from experience and listened to so many parents that neglected to do the research before completing the form.

Avoid These FAFSA Mistakes

My first piece of advice comes from Lynn O’Shaughnessy of The College Solution blog. Her advice is spot on and goes into great detail about some key points regarding marital status, household size, and reporting assets. It’s an easy to understand guide for parents and breaks the government lingo down into simple language.

Read more . . .

10 Tips to Prepare for the FAFSA

I wrote this article for TeenLife.com giving parents tips on what they need before completing the FAFSA. You want to be the first in line for financial aid. Students who complete the government form early are more likely to receive funds set aside by the colleges for financial aid. If you don’t complete the FAFSA, you won’t receive any aid. Everyone should file the FAFSA, even if you think you won’t qualify for federal aid.

Read more . . .

False FAFSA Assumptions

Jodi Okun of College Financial Aid Advisors wrote this piece for AboutMoney.com. One of the most common statements I hear from parents is, “I’m not going to file because we won’t qualify for financial aid”. Jodi points out the huge mistake in making this assumption and others.

Read more . . .

7 Legal Ways to Squeeze More Money Out of the FAFSA

It makes perfect sense, just with your taxes, that you should receive what is owed you. With the FAFSA, this affects your student’s financial aid award. Kim Clark of Time.com/Money shares her best advice on how to complete the form properly to ensure you get the most financial aid.

Read more . . .

Do me a favor and pass this information along to other parents. The more you know, the more you will maximize your financial aid. And…sharing is caring!

Scholarship Friday, scholarships

Scholarship Friday: Savor Summer Scholarship

 

For those of you in the northeast (and for some in the south) you’re ready for summer to return. Those chilling days and bone-chilling nights make you crave for the sunshine. Unfortunately, you can’t rush summer, but you can give it a nod by applying to How2WinScholarship’s Savor Summer Scholarship.

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savor summer scholarship

 

AAAhhh…..summer vacation!  Who doesn’t love sleeping in, basking in the sun, and NO HOMEWORK?  Summer days for students should be savored and enjoyed, but they can also be used to work, volunteer, and help others.  How are you planning on using YOUR summer vacation?

The Savor Summer College Scholarship (brought to you by how2winscholarships.com) is a $500 scholarship award.  To be eligible, students must meet the following guidelines:

  • Have a G.P.A. of 3.0 or above
  • Be a U.S. Citizen
  • Be a high school sophomore, junior, or senior (2014/2015 school year)
  • Submit one letter of recommendation from a current high school official, employer, or community leader
  • Submit a copy of most current high school transcripts
  • Submit an essay of 500 words or less answering the question, “How are you planning on using your summer vacation?”

This is a non-renewable, one-time award of $500 to be used exclusively to offset costs and fees related directly to the student’s first year of higher post-secondary education at an accredited institution of the student’s choosing within the United States.  The winner will be chosen on or before July 14, 2015.

ONLY COMPLETE APPLICATIONS WITH REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION WILL BE CONSIDERED.  Questions about the Savor Summer College Scholarship may be directed to how2winscholarships@gmail.com.

Deadline:  Applications must be received by July 1, 2015.  No fax or email applications will be accepted.

Mail completed applications to:

Savor Summer College Scholarship

P.O. Box 94

Jeddo, Michigan 48032

You can download a copy of the application here:

http://how2winscholarships.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Savor_Summer_College_Scholarship_Application.pdf

Uncategorized

The Best and Worst College Stories of 2014

What are the best and worst college stories of 2014? Do you have a favorite? What about 2014 blew you away? What’s your favorite tweet of the year?

best and worst college stories of 2014If you’re home tonight, (or out and want to schedule tweets), #CampusChat is hosting a New Years Eve chat for a walk down memory lane.

Join @collegevisit for an open mic night asking the following questions:

21:05 Q1 What was the best college story/headline of 2014?
21:10 Q2 What was the worst college story/headline of 2014?
21:15 Q3 What was the biggest change in college education in 2014?
21:25 Q4 Did college become more, or less, affordable in 2014?
21:30 Q5 What should be on parent’s radar when sending their kids to college in 2015?
21:35 Q6 What was your favorite tweet of 2014?
21:40 Q7 What do you predict will impact college education the most in 2015?
21:45 Q8 What’s the best advice you have for college-bound teens for 2015?
21:50 Q9 What resolutions do you wish colleges would make in 2015?

It’s going to be a party! Complete with virtual champagne, lots of laughs, and time spent with all our #CampusChat friends.

Tonight at 9PM ET using hashtag #CampusChat; follow @collegevisit.

See you there!

P.S. If you can’t make it, look for the recap!

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

T is for Tuesday, Top 10 and Tips

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

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

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

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

Read more . . .

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

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

Read more . . .

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

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

Read more . . .

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

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

Read more . . .

Tip #5: Don’t neglect the college visit

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

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

 Read more . . .

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

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

Read more . . . 

Tip #7: Practice tough love

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

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

Read more . . .

Tip #8: Listen to college podcasts

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

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

Read more . . .

Tip #9: Don’t ignore the FAFSA

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

Read more . . .

Tip #10: Teach your teens the value of money

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

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

Read more . . .

parenting

Mom-Approved Tips: Helicopter Parents Gone Wild

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helicopter parents
photo credit: screenshot Foxnews.com

 

Unless you have been “off the grid” over the holidays, you’ve probably heard about the colorado parents who moved to college with their daughter. Call me crazy but when I first heard it, my mouth fell open. Could this possibly be true? And much to my surprise, there they were on Fox and Friends openly discussing their decision. They are calling it their “gap year”. (Did you know you can’t go a day without a good rationalization?)

I do not understand why any parent would make this choice, let alone any student be agreeable to it. It’s one thing when a student chooses to live at home to commute to school or to save money. It’s another when the student’s parents pack up their lives and move close to the college.

I heard a story years ago about a 4-star general whose mother bought a house on the outskirts of Westpoint Academy. She might have been the first documented helicopter parent. But today’s parents are following her lead. According to college admissions officials and Coldwell Banker real estate it is becoming more and more common for helicopter parents to move with their students to college.

What happened to independence?

In my generation, when you moved away from home you moved away for good. Apparently there is an alarming progression happening. The “boomerang generation” (the crop of the last 10-15 years of college graduates) have moved home after graduation because they either can’t find a job or have to live at home to afford their student loan payments. And now, we have students who basically never leave home (or parents who won’t allow them to leave). All of these behaviors hinder the student’s independence and delay their entry into adulthood. Parents who constantly bail their children out when things become difficult are doing them a disservice in life.

How is this helpful to the student?

In no hemisphere could I possibly justify this type of behavior. I have known parents who bought a home for their student to live in during college, but they did NOT move in with them. Neither of my children would have agreed to this arrangement. Apparently, this generation of students might be more willing to find this acceptable. I do not care what they say or how they justify their behavior, these parents need to cut the apron strings and let their student sink or swim.

As one commentor wrote on the Fox News story: “Her wedding night will be awkward.”

What do you think? Is this acceptable? Would you do it? Would your student agree to this? Leave a comment!

test prep

‘Twas the Night Before the SATs

 

It’s the night before Christmas and all through your house you’re putting college prep and studying for the SAT aside and enjoying the holiday.

The Night Before Christmas is a classic story we have all read to our kids throughout the years, but here’s a twist from Dr. Nancy Berk, author of College Bound and Gagged. I hope it gives you a smile today while you’re wrapping, backing, and listening to Christmas music.

Helping parents navigate the college maze