Post Synopsis - Summary of Posts From October 2011 - May 2012

Every six months or so, I like to list the topics of posts I've published and briefly summarize them. In that way, you may be enticed to go back into the archives to read blogs of special interest to you. As in past synopses, this post will also include some of the websites and books mentioned.
   
Wednesday, October 19, 2011 - Declaring a Major, Early Action and Early Decision
Some thoughts on declaring a major and, as the title says, an explanation of the "Early Decision" and "Early Action" options.

Wednesday, November 9, 2011 - On the Job
A discussion of apprenticeships.
US Department of Labor Office of Apprenticeship website: www.doleta.gov/oa


Wednesday, November 23, 2011 - Earn While You Learn
The subject of this post was Cooperative Education, a program that integrates academic learning and practical work experience.
The World Association of Cooperative Education website: www.waceinc.org
The National Commission of Cooperative Education: www.co-op.edu
The Journal of Cooperative Education: www.ceiainc.org

Wednesday, January 4, 2012 - Show Me the Money!
A discussion of sources of information regarding financial aid and how to determine your EFC (Expected Family Contribution) Calculator found at: www.finaid.org/calculators/finaidestimate.phtml 


Wednesday, January 18, 2012 - Show Me the Money! Part II
A continuation of the previous post.

Tuesday, January 31, 2012 - Time Out
A break in the financial aid discussion to re-assess "why college?"
Going Broke by Degree by Richard Vedder
Crazy U by Andrew Ferguson

Center for College Affordability and Productivity:  www.centerforcollegeaffordability.org

Wednesday, February 15, 2012 - Show Me the Money - Part III
Resources that provide information on scholarships.  Scholarship finders can be found at:
collegeboard.org, , www.Scholarup.net, www.scholarships.com, www.heseaa.org
Secrets to Winning a Scholarship by Mark Kantrowitz
Get Free Cash for College by Kelly Gen Tanabe

Wednesday, March 7, 2012 - Working the System
Strategies to maximize your financial aid package
Paying for College Without Going Broke - Princeton Review

Wednesday, March 21, 2012 - The Six Year Undergraduate
Recent reports show that many students take longer than four years to receive their undergraduate degree.

Wednesday, April 4, 2012 - If Spring Training Is Almost Over, Can Summer Be Far Behind?
Discussion of summer programs for students
Peterson's Summer Programs for Kids
Kaplan Yale Daily News Guide to Summer Programs


Wednesday, April 18, 2012 - Hurry Up and Wait!
Discussion of the likelihood of students being offered admission if they have been wait listed.

Show Me the Money! - Part II

In the last post I discussed resources where information about financial aid could be found for free. The federal website, www.college.gov, cautions against scholarship search scams and other fee based services. There are, however, reputable companies that charge for these services. Many families find reassurance in hiring someone to do the "legwork" for them. Indeed, many families pay an accountant to help them file the FAFSA.

Recently, Prudential Financial sent emails to their customers advertising a service from StudentAid.com. They offer a personalized College Cost and Planning Report for a nominal fee ($89). The report assesses the family's ability to pay for up to 10 colleges of the student's choice. Most of the information included in the report, such as estimated federal and state aid amounts, college profiles, etc., can be found for free as readers of this blog well know.

In "5 Weird Ways to Pay for College", www.smartmoney.com, 3-22-11, Jilian Mincer writes that, "...many cash-strapped states are capping grants and raising eligibility for student aid - a trend expected to continue as they shift more of the costs of college to students and their families." According to the College Board, the average cost of a private college in 2010 was $37,000 a year which included room and board. I find it an astonishing coincidence that according to Mark Whitehouse in the Wall Street Journal weekend edition of May 7-8, 2011, "average starting salaries for four year college graduates are less than $37,00." (The exact same figure!) It doesn't seem likely that in this economic climate starting salaries will surpass college costs anytime soon.

Show Me the Money!

"If you don't know where you're going, you might end up some place else."
Lawrence Peter Berra (AKA - Yogi)

By now seniors should have some idea of what their plans are after high school. Optimally, applications should have been sent and efforts now should be focused on finding the money to fulfill your goals. You should have made alternate choices for reach and safety schools, not just academically, but also financially. The letter most anxiously awaited after the one from the admissions office is the one from the office of financial aid. We'll be discussing different sources of aid in the next few posts. FAFSA forms are currently available in high school guidance offices. All schools from whom you wish to receive aid will require this form to be filed before they will offer a financial aid package. The sooner you can send in a complete and accurate form the better, as schools award monies available as they receive requests from eligible accepted students.

There is an excellent resource to help you estimate your financial aid needs and determine your Expected Family Contribution (EFC). FinAid, the Smart Student Guide to Financial Aid, provides an explanation of the methodology colleges use to determine a student's financial aid and an EFC calculator. The website is: http://www.finaid.org/calculators/finaidestimate.phtml

On the www.college.gov site I first blogged about in 2010, there is a section titled, "How to Pay". There is also a portal to completing the FAFSA online. A simple and brief explanation of the financial aid process is provided as well. Links are available to federal and state scholarship searches. On the Federal Student Aid site there is also a "Student Aid on the Web's Financial Aid Wizard" which takes you through the process in "8 easy steps". "State Higher Education Agency Listings" on www.college.gov provides links to each state's Higher Education Agency sites. These agencies provide information on programs specific to each state. Under the "How to Pay" tab there is a "be money smart" heading. It includes tips on how to avoid fee based scholarship scams and where to find more FREE sources of financial aid assistance.

The financial aid process may seem daunting but all the information is within easy reach. With some effort and perseverance, you may be able to find the money you need so you won't "end up some place else".

The College Application Essay

Years ago, it seemed only a handful of colleges used the Common Application. Actually, when I began my career as a counselor, only fifteen schools used the program and it was, as I found out on their website, their Pilot Project year. Now, over 400 programs use the Application and 134 schools use it exclusively. Many of those 134 are quite exclusive as well, e.g., Williams, Brown, Yale, et. al.

On the Common Application home page, www.commonapp.org, under "Additional Resources", you'll find a link to the National Association for College Admission Counselling, www.nacacnet.org, which provides valuable information on parent and student resources. There is also a link to the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators, www.nasfaa.org.

Those rising juniors who know the schools to which they plan to apply as seniors, can begin their applications now. The Application website provides online and print versions of its first year and transfer applications. The preview of the 2011-2012 application can be accessed online. It provides six topics from which you may choose to write a 250-500 word essay. One of the selections is "Topic of your choice". The LEAST you should do this summer is prepare a rough draft. Even if your senior English teacher plans to cover this in next year's curriculum, this is a head start you will not regret having taken.

I rate essays for a major educational testing program and I can commiserate with application essay readers in admissions offices. Nothing stands out more than a well written, creative essay. Of the hundreds, if not thousands, of essays they must read, I'm sure the majority neither have these qualities nor give the reader a real sense of the writer's voice, of who he is. As a former English teacher, I know that one great tip we have imparted through the years is, "Read your essay aloud". Things that would have been missed in a silent edit of your essay will be picked up and language that is confusing and stilted will not go unnoticed, nor will run-on sentences, which this one has become! All kidding aside, a great website which will help you navigate this process is www.englishclub.com. Just search "College Application Essays Help" and you'll be taken through a series of "lessons" (six in all) that will help you write a good, if not great, application essay. As the saying goes, you've only got one chance to make a good first impression. The college application essay is your chance to do that.

Bi-weekly posts will resume on September 21, 2011.
HAVE A WONDERFUL SUMMER!

I've Found Another One!

As I find websites that I think are of particular interest or particularly helpful, I intend to share them with you via this blog. Well, I've found a really good one (with the help of my lovely daughter!) about which I'm very excited. What can I say? I'm a guidance geek! WSJ (Wall Street Journal) on Campus has partnered with Unigo. Founded by recent college grad, 25 year old Jordan Goldman, www.unigo.com aims to provide a free service where over 30,000 "college students tell you what the colleges won't". Reporters from the Wall Street Journal and Unigo staff provide numerous reviews from students at different schools on a variety of topics. There are videos of panel discussions and college admissions staff members on pertinent topics as well.

There are two main sections: "Getting There" and "What to Expect". The "Getting There" section includes: College Rankings; Nail Your Essay; Recommendation Letters; Paying for School, and Facebook Scars. Clicking on the Facebook Scars heading, I found a video of an interesting panel discussion which included personnel from Princeton, Williams, UPenn, Franklin & Marshall and other institutions. They were discussing the topic, "Can What You Post on Facebook Prevent You From Getting Into College?". Other topics included their views of applicants who declare a major as opposed to those who are undecided and the importance of SAT's and other standardized tests.

There are also college match and college search features. If you create a free account, you can take a match survey. The test questions are sprinkled with interesting little factoids like: "Only four college football stadiums can hold over 100,000 fans."; and, "In 1955, 143 colleges required the SAT/ACT. Today, that number is over 1,400.". If you enter the name of a specific college in the college search section, you will not only see an updated college profile containing the usual info about size, cost, etc., but also student reviews.

The Top 10 for '10 rankings include: Top 10 New Ivies; Party Schools; Colleges You've Never Heard Of; Most Political Colleges; Most Intellectual; Hook-Up Scenes; Safest Schools, and Sports Schools. There's so much information on this site, you'll just have to explore it yourself.

With the beginning of Hanukkah tomorrow, the holiday season will get into full swing. I intend to post on December 8 and again on December 15. On January 4, 2011 (Wow, that year went fast!), we'll begin the new year with "It's January and Junior Year".
Happy Hanukkah!