So how do parents know if their child is ready to go live on their own? Here’s a simple quiz:

1. Does your teenager wake himself/herself up in the mornings for school?

This is the first sign of independence. Teens should have and use alarm clocks and be self-reliant to get themselves up in the mornings. I know, I know, parents are now shaking their hands, whispering that their teen isn’t a ‘morning person’. I have a lot of experience with teenagers and have 4 children, 3 are teenage boys. Yes, teens like to sleep, but that should not be a reasonable excuse for Mom or Dad to continue waking up a 17 or 18 year old.

 2. Does your teen know how to wash his/her own clothes? How much detergent to use? How to sort?

I’m always surprised when college student complain about dirty clothes or bring home all their laundry for Mom to wash on holidays. How is that helping your child become a responsible adult? High school is the time to be showing them how to use washers and dryers and then ensuring that use them every week.

 3. Does your teen know what to do in the case of sickness? For example, would he know what medicines to take, when to go to the doctors, how to make a doctor’s appointment?

College students are going to get sick: they are in tight quarters with new people with new germs. They shouldn’t be calling home with every cough and sniffle. Teach teens what medicines to use for which symptoms, how to use a thermometer, and when their symptom warrant a trip to the health center.

4. Does your teen successfully manage his or her own studies?

This would include scheduling their own activities, class projects and homework. If you have to ask if homework is done, if you’re checking online grades to keep them caught up, if you’re micro-managing projects and supplies, the answer is no.

5. Does your teen know when and how to NOT submit to peer pressure?

Teens who know when to say “sorry, I can’t go to that movie, I have a test tomorrow” are much more successful at college when distractions abound. If your child is constantly using social activities as excuses for why things didn’t get done, your answer is no.

6. Does your teen know how to read and navigate a map?

Be careful here, don’t just say yes because they use Google maps or their iPhones. The ability to get from one campus building to another in just a few minutes will be key in a few months. I have witnesses far too many students completely lost on a college tour and unable to use the directory or maps.

7. Can your teen make meals and snacks for himself?

Many parents think that this isn’t important because college students have a meal plan, but what about times when the cafeteria is closed? What will happen after college? People shouldn’t live off pizza and cereal for the rest of their lives.

8. Does your teen do a weekly chore without a reminder?

This proves the ability to remember or write down important things, which is a very important tool in college. If your teen can’t remember to take out the trash once a week, how will he remember to check the mailbox at college?

9. Do you let your teen handle it if he has problem with a teacher?

If you “help” every time your teen has an issue with a teacher, a missing assignment or a confusing project, you are not doing him any favors. You won’t have that option with professors so teach high school students to talk to their own teachers about these issues.

10. Does your teen have a checking account or debit card that he or she handles independently?

The best time for children to learn how to manage personal finances, how to budget their money and how to spend responsibly, is under an adult’s supervision. College students will be bombarded with credit card offers and arenas to spend lots of money. Parents can provide a debit card during junior and senior years of high school so that teens can learn to budget their money. This should also decrease the number of phone calls home during the first year of college asking for money!

Parents, add up how many questions you answered YES.

Many college consultants, such as myself, are willing to continue working with college students on issues such as independent living, finding campus employment, interviewing for internships, handling issues with professors, and scheduling courses.

Sixth Annual

Luncheon

• Do you know the difference between Early Action and Early Decision? Do you know the deadline for Regular Decisions? And what are Rolling Admissions? This link explains it all.

• I get the occasional questions about appealing a college rejection. I know, your kid is hurt by the rejection and you think it’s unfair. But there are really only two situations that call for an admissions appeal process. Both of these situations are explained here.

• Is your senior acting like since he’s already “in” at his college of choice, he can afford to be lazy and let grades drop? Did he drop a couple of extracurricular for more time at the beach or with his friends? Sorry, but the diagnosis is SENORITIS!

• Concerned about the job market in Texas? College graduates shouldn’t be! Here is why…

April is a tough month for high school seniors and their families. They are receiving college acceptance or rejection letters, preparing for finals and AP exams, getting ready for prom and graduation, all while trying to choose the “best” college to attend.

One of the key factors in deciding which college acceptance to select is the financial aid award letter. Families can help students decipher these letters and the types of financial aid before choosing a school.

Unfortunately, many college send out confusing financial aid awards. They are not uniform: some include all expenses and types of aids, others don’t.

Fortunately, the new federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is developing a disclosure form that clearly states what college costs would be, including the costs of borrowing any money. Colleges should be using this financial aid shopping sheet next year.

Financial Aid Award Letter Criteria

Colleges should sent awards letters with enough information for parents and students to decide what they are accepting and agreeing to spend.

1. The full cost of attendance, including tuition and fees, room and boards, and books.
2. Any offered scholarships or grants. This is “free” money and should always be accepted by families.
3. Any offered loans, including the interest rates and terms.
4. The family and student’s EFC (Estimated Family Contribution) as calculated from the FAFSA. This is the number that families are supposed to be able to pay for that year of college.
5. Net price of the college to family and student. The net price should be the total price minus the award monies.

Financial Aid Award Letter Examples

I have seen several award letters in my career as a college consultant. Some are confusing, others downright misleading. Here are a couple of examples with names and identifying information removed:

One family has an EFC of $14,000. This means that the family can expect to pay around $14,000 for their child’s year of college.

College #1 sent an award letter without the total tuition cost, but offered a grant for $20,000. The family was very happy about this grant!

College #2 sent an award letter with a total tuition cost of $25,000 and offered a scholarship worth $12,000.

The family was leaning towards college #1 just because of the higher award offered. After careful examination, here is what I provided:

College #1 is a private college, costing $45,000 a year. After the grant, the family would pay $25,000. Since they did not have this whole amount saved, most of it would be borrowed through student loans.

College #2 is a public state college, costing $24,000.  After the scholarship of $12,000, the costs to the family would be $12,000, which was saved in the student’s 529 account.

Without evaluating the entire award situation, the family might have chosen college #1. In that case, the student would have graduated with a substantial student loan debt. The student could attend college #2 and graduate with no debt.

Families should beware of college award letters that are missing any of this vital information.

One award letter I have already seen this year didn’t include the cost of room and board. That would be a huge oversight if the family didn’t include this cost.

Another letter I dealt with this school year did not include the family’s EFC. Thankfully, we were able to look it up on the FAFSA to use in our calculations.

One final trick I have seen is when college offer several loan packages, including the federal PLUS loan (for parents). These loans will be subtracted from the overall college cost, even though most families will (and should!) decline excessive loans. Most parents, regardless of the EFC, can qualify for this loan, but with an 8% interest rate and 4% fee tacked on, it’s not the smartest financial move parents can make.

Parents with questions or concerns about their financial aid packages can contact the college’s financial aid office or a local college consultant who can guide them through the process.

Friendswood ISD Community Education Website

Download all course descriptions, times, and costs

Many seniors are getting college acceptance letters and emails this time of year. Some are still waiting to hear from a college or two that they are really hoping for. It’s a time of anxiety, worry and celebration!

Once you have heard from the majority of colleges you applied to, it’s time to make a selection. Many students think this will be an easy decision: just go to your “top pick”. But what if your #1 choice college doesn’t offer you as much financial aid as your #2 school? What if one of your other choices has a great summer abroad program?

Thankfully, students and parents have some time to weigh their options and decide which college to accept. Here are some guidelines to help you (and your parents) decide on the best option:

Students Should Take Their Time

Breathe! Students generally have several months before deadline to commit. Don’t rush it and accept early, especially if there are still some colleges you haven’t heard from.

You should also make a list. I know, I know, it’s a little nerdy, but you want to make sure that your college of choice aligns with your wants, needs and expectations. Put your priorities at the top, whether those are a great engineering school, the most financial aid, or cool dorms. Then list everything else that’s important to you and rank the schools by that list. You will often see a “winner” pretty quickly.

Do Some Research

Find out more about the financial aid packets and awards. Run the numbers: how much will it really cost you to attend? And factor in costs that aren’t found in the letters. Can you find a part-time job near this school? How much will it costs for you to go home for holidays and the summer?

You should also check into other factors like you may have not considered yet: Is the campus area safe? What types of campus events are scheduled? Does the university accept your AP or IB credits? What do students on campus do for fun and does that align with your interests?

Visit College Campuses

Are you still undecided? Then it’s time for a college campus visit and tour. If you’ve visited the campus before, that’s ok because this time you will have a new focus: making sure you get a “real feel” for the school and its students. Sit in on a class, talk to the students, eat in the cafeteria, read the student newspaper, imagine yourself there. Some colleges even let stay in a dorm overnight, which is a great opportunity to get to know the place.

Remember that once you are an accepted student, that college WANTS you. Ask questions that will help you make a decision and will ultimately make you more comfortable and successful at your chosen college.

Jolyn is a Unigo College Expert and contributes to answering students’ questions on Unigo.com.

Jolyn was quoted as a College Admissions Expert for U.S. News and World Report Education section.

Jolyn has published two articles regarding college admissions on Associated Content:

The Differences Between the SAT and ACT College Tests

Texas Universities on Newsweek’s Best Colleges Lists -Rice, UT and Texas A&M Named Best Colleges

Jolyn’s pro bono work with pregnant and parenting teens was featured on Your Houston News

Jolyn was also quoted as an educational expert on Demographic Trends and Data in this article:

Institutes of Tired Education?

Jolyn may have as many categories as she wishes to share the mountain of information she pours through everyday in an effort to be able to consult to give students a leg-up so they can be successful in life.

~ Suzanne Burton, Web designer

- Parent of Friendswood High School, Class of 2011

“My mom hired Jolyn Brand during my junior year of high school. Working with Jolyn was easy and she was very nice when I asked questions. She was able to point me in the right directions and tell me when I wasn’t keeping up with the college process.”

- Student at Clear Brook High School, class of 2012

“Wow! You are wonderful! I’m going to send this to her right away….I so appreciate your great ideas.”

- Mom of college student at Texas Tech, class of 2015

“You certainly have a service that parents need to know about.”

- Friendswood ISD administrator

“Just wanted to thank you again, Jolyn. K completed his first year at UT and got all A’s. We often tell friends and family about your services and how valuable you were in selecting the right college and major for him. Thanks for everything.”

- Mom of UT student, class of 2014