The FAFSA, Free Application for Federal Student Aid, opens October 1st for students currently in their senior year of high school. Using 2021 tax information, students and parents will complete the FAFSA for their first year of college (2023-2024). To get ready, there are a few things you can complete BEFORE October 1st. Decide Who Needs to Complete the FAFSA Traditional married couples- If you are part of a traditional family — … [Read more...]
Creating Your Student Resume for College Admissions
When you apply to college, admission officers look at more than just your grades — they also take note of what you have done outside the classroom. Your extracurricular activities, such as jobs, sports, clubs and volunteer work, give colleges a better sense of who you are and show them what you can bring to their campus community. Remember that college folder you were supposed to be collecting throughout high school? The one stuffed with … [Read more...]
Rising “Hidden Costs” for College
More and more Americans are going to college. According to data from the Department of Education National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), in 1980, 50% of high school graduates between the ages of 16 and 24 were enrolled in college; in 2016, it was 70%. In 2016, 19.3 million undergraduate students were enrolled in higher education institutions. 70% were enrolled at public schools, 23% at private non-profits schools and 7% at private … [Read more...]
High School Seniors College Checklist for Spring
The last two years have been spent getting students ready for college admissions. Applications, essays, financial aid documents all done. Your child got college acceptance letters and after careful evaluation, finally picked the college he or she will be attending! Yay! But wait, the work is not done yet, here is our college checklist for seniors: The college application process is a long and arduous one. Once the final acceptance … [Read more...]
Five Things to Know About Scholarships
As the cost of attending some the nation’s colleges exceed $60,000 a year, many families start looking for scholarships to help cover the cost. However, too many people don’t understand the basics of college scholarships including the source and average amounts. Fortunately, educating yourself about these facts will help you find scholarships that can significantly reduce the cost of a college education. 1. The largest source of scholarships … [Read more...]
10 Most Important College Financial Aid Terms
Your college education is an extremely important and expensive investment. Before you shell out thousands of dollars for an advanced education, you need to give yourself a basic education in the financial aid process. Navigating the college financial aid process can be hard enough even for the most highly educated people. So to help, I’ve put together a quick reference guide on the 12 most common financial aid terms used. 1. FAFSA (Free … [Read more...]
How to Prepare for the ACT Test
The ACT is a national college admissions examination that consists of subject area tests in: English (grammar) Math Reading (passages and comprehension) Science (charts and graphs) The ACT Plus Writing includes the four subject area tests plus a 30-minute Writing Test. The ACT includes 215 multiple-choice questions and takes approximately 3 hours and 30 minutes to complete, including a short break (or just over four hours if … [Read more...]
You Got Accepted! Now What?
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 … [Read more...]
How High School Courses Impact SAT Scores
Every year, high school juniors and seniors take the SAT. More than 1 million students annually across the nation participate and many take it more than once. Many students have been preparing for months after realizing how important high SAT scores are in college admissions and scholarship awards. Others don’t prepare or study much, many believing that it’s an ‘intelligence test’ and can’t be studied for, or that they want to just see how well … [Read more...]
Is College Worth the Investment?
Is that fancy, expensive college degree really worth the cost of several years of tuition, room and board and books? Everyone knows that the cost of education is skyrocketing, but the answer is still YES! Wondering which colleges have the best ROI? Return on investment is the "financial return" from any investment of money, or in this case, the income amount above and beyond what a high school graduate would make. The investment is the cost of … [Read more...]
