Tag Archives: college planning

college costs, college planning, financial planning

5 Reasons why College Costs So Much

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college

There is one thing you can be sure of in life: college tuition will rise every year. Prices rise and fall all around us, but tuition never seems to go down.

College tuition prices are a lot higher today compared with two decades ago. For instance, the average cost for tuition and fees among ranked public and private National Universities – schools that are often research-oriented and offer bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees – has risen significantly since 2001, according to U.S. News data.

From the 2008 edition of the U.S. News Best Colleges rankings to the current 2022 edition, in-state tuition prices among public National Universities grew by almost 79%. Experts say state schools have typically had more room to increase tuition levels compared with their private counterparts, and finding a bargain price at the state level is becoming harder.

The economic downturn resulting from the coronavirus pandemic may also affect tuition costs in the years to come.

In just comparing the 2020-2021 school year to the current 2021-2022 academic year, tuition rates at both private and public National Universities have increased by at least 2%, according to U.S. News data.

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admissions, Demonstrated Interest

How Do You Impress a College?

college

The impression a college gets of your student will affect their admission decision. Dressing for success is so much more than the clothes your student wears to a college interview. It’s how your student presents himself to the colleges and what image they see of him as they look at the overall picture.

How do you impress a college? It’s a combination of showing interest, marketing yourself and making a positive impression on social media.

Show interest

Colleges want to know you are interested in attending. They don’t want to be just another name on your college list. They want to know that if you apply, and are offered admission, there is a good chance you will accept and attend. You can show interest by taking an official campus tour, connecting on social media, and meeting with an admissions officer for an interview. Colleges keep track of how many times you have showed interest.

Want to know how much emphasis a colleges places on your demonstrated interest? Check out this list from College Curators: https://thecollegecurators.com/list-of-colleges-that-consider-demonstrated-interest/

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admissions, college planning, college prep

Admissions Expert Sheds Light on What it Takes to Get Into College

admissions

From Ivy League admissions expert Dr. Aviva Legatt comes an insider’s college admissions guide that teaches students to identify and harness their authentic passions, stand out from the crowd, and achieve their dreams in college and beyond, “Get Real and Get In”

“Get Real and Get In” teaches readers to think outside of the box and focus on what admissions officers are really looking for—young people who dare to be their most authentic selves. Through engaging, accessible, and empathetic prose, this book forms an inspirational roadmap for readers to uncover their true passions and leverage them to create applications that truly stand out from the crowd. Aviva encourages students to look beyond just getting into a “good” college and focus more actively on identifying and attaining their long-term goals.

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college planning, college prep, parenting, Uncategorized

Dealing with Teenage Drama About College

teenage drama

Are you dealing with teenage drama about college? If you were expecting an easy ride you’ve probably realized that you were delusional. Even the best of daughters has her moments; and even the model son makes you want to pull your hair out. A friend of mine once told me (when I was potty training my daughter and was totally frustrated), “Honey, potty training ain’t nothing compared to raising teenagers.” She was right!

Navigating college roadblocks, based on my experience and the experiences of other parents, can be difficult and frustrating. There are three tactics parents can use when dealing with these unexpected twists and turns along the road to college.

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college planning, online learning, study tools

Is Online Learning the Right Choice

online learning

Online and distance learning have long been popular ways to improve your education. People across the world are relying on these methods to enable themselves to better their qualifications, offering ways to learn and build a career that doesn’t involve going to school. While popular, though, options like this can also come with some challenges. You need to think about yourself and your goals before you embark on something like this, and it will make sense to explore whether or not online learning is right for you before you get started.

Independent Learning

Going to university or college means that you have to be a good independent learner, as you won’t have teachers pushing you to do your work all the time. Of course, though, this will be even more important if you decide to study online. With very few deadlines to meet, it can be all too easy to allow your online education to drag on for a very long time. You have to make sure that you will be able to push yourself to work and learn, especially if you have a lot of other things in life to think about.

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admissions, college planning

Getting Off the Wait List

wait list

It’s college decision time and disappointed teens are receiving news they have been placed on the college wait list. A wait list decision does not reject an applicant outright, but it also offers an uncomfortable level of ambiguity about whether an applicant will receive an acceptance to the college later. So how likely are teens to be taken off the wait list, and is there anything they can do to increase their chances?

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college guidance, college planning, college prep, financial aid, financial planning, parenting

Searching for The Most Generous Colleges

This article was originally written for University Parent as a part of their parent program.

generous colleges

Everyone likes a good bargain.

We rush out on Black Friday to get the best deals for Christmas — we stand in line in the freezing cold to save money! But do parents put as much effort and attention into finding a college bargain? Student debt statistics would say they don’t. Would you want your student graduating from college saddled with that debt? I imagine not!

College bargains do exist and if you have a student who intends to start college in the fall, it’s your job as a parent to point him in their direction. College is a huge consumer purchase which you can and should approach much as you would the purchase of a home or car. Do your research, compare the prices, and help your student choose a school that gives you the best bang for your buck.

One of my favorite movies is Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House. In it, Mr. Blandings tells his lawyer that “some purchases you make with your heart and not your head.” As I said, I love the movie, but this is bad advice. When it comes to your college “purchase,” use your head first and then listen to your heart.

I understand that it can be challenging to get students to look at the college choice from this point of view. When my daughter was applying, all her choices were east coast private schools with huge price tags. As a parent, I wanted her to have her dream but, also as her parent, I wanted her to graduate without being burdened with debt. Her heart told her to go to the college that offered the least amount of merit aid. Her head, after a long “money talk” and re-evaluation of her second choice, led her to a school that allowed her to graduate with a small amount of student loan debt. She’s grateful every day that I guided her in that direction.

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12 Articles, 12 Facts, college guidance

12 Actions to Avoid Being A College Dropout

college dropout

Statistics show there is a significant amount of students who enter college and do not attain a degree. The overall college dropout rate in the U.S. is 40% for undergraduates. Of those who drop out, 28% of them drop out before they become sophomores. 

Your college-bound student should prepare for obstacles and you can help. Share this article with them and encourage them to take it to heart.

What can be done to assure that you don’t become one of those dropout statistics?

1. Research colleges and majors before applying.

It’s just plain smart to do the research and know why and where you want to go to college. Refine your list of choices to include the colleges that offer the academic program that suits your interests and the college setting and faculty that you feel most comfortable with and could see yourself flourishing in that environment.

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college guidance, college majors

Helping Your Teen Choose a College Major

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college major

Guiding your child to succeed in all areas of life is every parent’s wish. This guidance process is even more critical when your teen gains college admission and has to choose a college major. Did you know 50-80% of students in America change college majors at least once in their four-year study? For several parents, this process will be the first time teenagers make a life-altering decision. Therefore, offering direction should be a deliberate process.

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college guidance, college planning

The College List: 10 Choice Criteria

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10 choice criteria

There are over 4000 four-year colleges in the United States and another 1900 community colleges. Choosing a college can be overwhelming if you don’t narrow down the choices with this simple list of basic criteria. Once you’ve narrowed down the college list, you can get more selective and specific with your final choices.

Here is a list of 10 choice criteria to consider:

  • Your study preferences—Are they more comfortable in a structured class or do you excel doing independent study? Do you require academic challenge or prefer in-class time with little or no additional study?
  • Money—Your budget plays a huge factor in the decision process. If your budget is tight, will you consider student loans? And if so, will an expensive private university be worth the debt?
  • Size—Do you want small class size or does it matter? Does being part of a large student body appeal to you or would they prefer a small college atmosphere?
  • Location—Do you want to go away to college or stay close by so you can live at home? Are you looking for a cultural experience that a big city offers or a down home experience provided by a small town college?
  • Extracurriculars—Are you set on joining a sorority or a fraternity? Are these offered at the colleges you are considering? Are there other activities that you feel are crucial to having a positive college experience (i.e. working on a campus newspaper, participating in intramural sports, studying abroad)?
  • Academics—Is there a specific major you are interested in or will a liberal arts degree do? Not every university offers the same academic disciplines.
  • Career focus—Do you want to study the culinary arts or fashion design? Consider a school that offers these types of specialized degrees.
  • Sports—Does the school have a huge sports program or do sports play little impact in your decision?
  • Competitive vs Non-competitive—Do you have the resume that will ensure acceptance in a competitive college like Stanford or Penn State? Or do you have a strong academic showing that would send you to the top of the list at a non-competitive college and qualify you for a full scholarship?
  • Specialized programs—Do you want to work in the stock market? Does the school offer a trading room? What about internships, undergraduate research, service learning, and even specialized senior capstone projects (integrating and synthesizing what you have learned).

Juniors should be focusing on college visits and start working on their list. Seniors should review this list and prepare to start their college applications.