The College Whisperer™

College Connection Update - October, 2014

October 2, 2014

Welcome to October!

A new month means that it is time, once again, to enter College Prowler's $2000 "No Essay" Scholarship Contest. [And while you are on the College Prowler site, be sure to check out the many other scholarship opportunities!] REMEMBER: If you don't apply, you won't get money! (And scholarships are NOT just for high school seniors!!!)

In other news, an "on point" article on college rankings, as appeared a couple of years ago in The New York Times, is just as relevant today. Check out, The College Rankings Racket. A good read and right on the money.

And speaking of money, if you want to get an estimate (as opposed to a "guesstimate") of what college is likely to cost you, check out the Net Price Calculator available on the website of the college(s) of your choice. [Typically found under Financial Aid or Tuition & Fees.] While not Gospel -- and often like comparing apples to oranges when attempting to compare one school's "real cost" to another's -- it should give you a rough idea as to what you'll pay out of pocket.

Last, but by no means least, to get an estimate of what in the way of financial aid you are likely to receive (again, an estimate), check out the FAFSA4caster.[Read more about FAFSA4caster by clicking HERE.]

Sticker shock? No doubt. That's why the hunt for scholarship money outside the institutional fin aid sphere is so very, very important. "Dig You Must!" And now is the time. . . [We can show you where to look and how to apply to maximize scholarship potential. All you have to do is ask!]

Application Update: READ, Ten Things The College Admissions Office Won't Tell You. Don't just rush to apply "early." Make certain your applications are accurate and complete.

Test Scores: Even though you may "self-report" SAT, ACT, SATII and AP scores on your applications, you still MUST submit respective scores to each college requiring test scores directly through College Board and/or ACTstudent. At most schools, your application will not be deemed complete without them.

Financial Aid: All colleges (I repeat, ALL colleges) require the submission of FAFSA (on or after January 1) in order to be considered for financial aid of any kind (this includes scholarships, grants, federal loans, Work-Study). Always (let me say this again, ALWAYS) submit FAFSA, regardless of whether you believe you will qualify for aid. [You never know!]

In addition to FAFSA, some colleges require the completion and submission of the CSS Profile, a long and somewhat convoluted financial statement (it would make a CPA's head spin) administered by no one's friend, College Board. [And as with most things College Board has its greedy little hands in, there's a fee to submit the Profile.] The Profile may be completed beginning in October, and should be submitted as soon as possible after submission of your college application to maximize potential aid. [We will help you with this, as well. Remember, it is not always what you say, but how you say it. Don't just "fill in the blanks!]

Finally, on the subject of financial aid, some schools have their ownproprietary financial aid forms, as well as scholarship applications, that must be filled out for them to show you the money. Check the Financial Aid pages on the websites of the colleges you've applied to. Leave no stone unturned!

$100 For Your Referrals: Refer your friends, classmates, relatives, and colleagues to College Connection. [We could all use a little help with those college applications, scholarship searches, and financial aid forms, right?] For each referral, you will get one entry into our random drawing (October 31) for $100 in cold, hard cash. READ, What They're Saying About College Connection.

For more application and admissions advice, be sure to read my blog at The College Whisperer™ , and to follow College Connection on Twitter @GetCollege.
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At COLLEGE CONNECTION, We've Got Your Back. And Your Best Moves Forward!

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Posted by College Connection. Posted In : College Planning

Shofar, So Good!

September 24, 2014

As Jews the world over usher in the year 5775 (where does the time go?), The College Whisperer™ pauses to reflect, to refresh, and to wish everyone a happy, healthy and prosperous new year.

Next year in college!

Don't leave college admissions to prayer alone!

Call College Connection (516-345-8766) after the holidays for the competitive edge in this most selective college market.

College Matching ~ Application Enhancement ~ Essay Development
Admission Strategies ~ Scholarship & Financial Aid Sourcing

The road to college begins at College Connection.
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At COLLEGE CONNECTION, We've Got Your Back. And Your Best Moves Forward!

Find Us on the web at College Connection
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Posted by College Connection. Posted In : College Planning

For The Love Of Money!

September 23, 2014

Typically, when we mention "money" here at The College Whisperer ™, we're talking scholarships -- free money for college. Where to search for it and how to get your hands on it. After all, financial freedom beats student debt every time!

Today, however, we are constrained to blog about the megabucks that is the world of college applications and admissions. A tale of collusion and conspiracy, piracy and profiteering, patting you on the back with one hand, while picking your pockets with the other.

Yes, it's the Collegiate Industrial Complex at its best -- or was that worst? Clinging to the allusion that they are here to help you, to guide you, to provide access and sustenance, when, in reality, all they really want is, er, ah, um - your money!

College Board revamps the SAT - to make it more like the ACT. Losing market share, are we? Bottom line not quite what it used to be? It's not about the test, providing greater access to students, testing what kids learned or are capable of learning. It's all about the money!

ACTstudent to rework the ACT - to make it more like the new SAT. Fairness? Equity? A benefit to students? No sir. It's all about the money!

The National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) changes its "ethical standards" to permit compensation for recruitment of International students. Do we educate America first? Nope. Bring to our shores those huddled masses yearning to pay full tuition without discount. It's all about the money!

Common App Abandons "Holistic" Approach for member colleges. Under the guise of providing greater access to more students, the Common Application rewords its mission statement to favor the bottom line. Member colleges will no longer have to look at the big picture, the whole student. Forget the essay, if you'd like. Activities? Who cares? More member colleges. More greenbacks for Common App. Greater access? Yes, for colleges to those application fees. It's all about the money!

College acceptance rates are the lowest in history. They send you glossy brochures (with your names imprinted on them), bound books (thank you, University of Chicago), emails by the dozen, and enough snail mail to start a bonfire and burn Paris. Colleges (even those you don't have a snowball's chance in Hell of being accepted to #SorryNotSorry) practically beg you to apply. Why? Well, aside from the few that may waive the application fee, the money isn't bad. [Let's see. $100 per application. 35,000 applications. Hmmm. I was a Political Science major. You do the math.] And the lower the acceptance rate, the higher colleges rise in those all-important (to them) rankings. Read my lips: It's all about the money!

Everyone's getting into the college ranking game. U.S. News & World Report. Forbes. Princeton Review. Money (as the name implies). The New York Times. Hey, it sells magazines, books, and newspapers, and drives up revenues. What's it all about? You guessed it. It's all about the money!

Oh The Humanity! Promoting access while dehumanizing the application and admissions process. People or prospects? Names or numbers? Admissions officers or recruitment and enrollment agents? All about the love for the students and of education? Or is it simply, all about the money?

There's "humanity to admissions?" Yes, and we've got several bridges to sell you over New York's East River.

Well, at least the admissions community is finally beginning to publicly admit, to some extent, what many of us have been grumbling about for years: It's not about access, the future of our students, or "love." It's about the numbers, the rankings, and, shall we say it yet again? The money!

Oh. And did we mention the now highly compensated recruitment of International students, who comprise upwards of 10% of the incoming class? We did, didn't we? Well, let's say it again.Thank you, NACAC!

It's not so much about admissions these days. It's about enrollment.

Follow the money! [For those old enough to remember Watergate.]

So, boys and girls, parents and guardians, be a bit more than weary about those come-ons from colleges, the exalted invites to apply, the ersatz rankings and mock rumblings, and all the love bestowed upon you by the college community, far and wide.

Time for the IRS to take a closer look at the not-for-profit status of the likes of Common App, College Board, and the colleges themselves. There's absolutely nothing wrong with making a buck, mind you. [Give me College Board's cash registers for a day!] Just stop hiding behind mission statements and press releases that tout your service as being for the greater good. Holistically speaking, and even just taking a long, hard look at the bottom line, it's all about the money!
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At COLLEGE CONNECTION, We've Got Your Back. And Your Best Moves Forward!

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Posted by College Connection. Posted In : College Admissions

The College Essay: Keep It Simple. Keep It Real. Keep It About You!

September 18, 2014

First piece of advice when setting out to write your college essay: Keep Calm and Just Write -- It's Only An Essay!

Seems there's nothing more unnerving to students (and, by extension, their parents) than the college essay. What to write? How do I say it? Will it be good enough? Can I tell my "story" in 650 words or less? And what about Naomi?

Indeed, with all the hype and hyperbolae surrounding the college essay (as to form, content, style, and overuse of SAT words), it would seem to be a more difficult undertaking than sending a man to Venus, and bringing him safely back home. [Wait. That would be a woman who goes to Venus. Men are from Mars! :-)]

One of the best essays I ever read was written by a "B" student I worked with several years ago. Like so many before her, she was stumped as to what to write or where to start. ["Always start at the beginning," I said.]

I asked her if there was anything that she was particularly passionate about. Was there something that moved her. No response. Taking another poke at it, I queried, "Is there anything that opened your eyes?" Suddenly (and without warning :-), her eyes opened wide and she blurted out, "In the fourth grade I had to get glasses!"

"Okay," I said, inquisitively. "Tell me more."

"Well, I was mortified. You see, I always looked at kids who wore glasses as freaks. They were, to me, disabled in some way."

I gazed at her with absorbing interest, as she began to weave her story.

"Frankly," she said. "I'd rather have died at the moment. But, as I could barely see the blackboard, let alone the writing on it, and death not being an option, I had no choice.

"So, I got glasses, this in the days before designer frames had matching accessories. Not only could I see the board, but I started to look at my classmates differently. Kids who wore glasses weren't really that much different than I. And then, I started to look at other people who may have seemed different, whether physically or even mentally challenged in some way, and began to realize that we had more in common than I ever knew. I actually began to see people in a different light, for who they are, and was able to make a positive connection."

Her story went on a bit (sans word limits, which did not exist at the time), and she brought it all together in this wonderful penultimate (great SAT word) paragraph:

"Eventually, when I got to high school, I started working with a group of Asperger's children. I saw them in a way that few others could. And, I suppose, had I not been forced to get glasses back in the fourth grade, my eyes would never have been opened to the people and places that truly make us who we are and who we strive to become."

I sat there, in awe and speechless, for the better part of a minute (Oprah would have referred to this as an "Aha Moment"), and found the only words that I could utter: "There's your essay!"

Whether that essay helped get this student into her first choice college (she actually went to her second choice, which, as often happens, quickly became her first choice), I cannot say. Clearly, it didn't hurt.

The key, in my opinion, is to keep it simple. Keep it real. Keep it honest. Stay positive (a little humor or self-deprecation could work, if you know how to handle it). And make it about you. Regardless of the essay prompts (which, in most instances, with a bit of tweaking, are broad enough to encompass the "topic of your choice"), always keep in mind the three questions that all college admissions officers truly want you to answer: (1) Who are you? (2) Who do you hope to become over the next four years?, and (3) What would you bring to campus (other than those Donald Duck boxers) and to the community beyond?

Remember, you are not writing for the Pulitzer committee, or the cover story of the Sunday Times Magazine (though, you never know). You are penning a piece about the one subject you know better than anyone else in the world -- YOU!

Have fun with your essay, and, write on!

P.S. The above consists of 733 words, beyond the limit set forth by the folks at Common App. Damn!
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Posted by College Connection. Posted In : College Applications

Ten Things The College Admissions Office Won't Tell You

September 15, 2014

Just when you thought it was safe to get into the college admissions game... [Cue the theme from Jaws!] What you know. What you think you know. What they tell you and, sometimes, what they don’t tell you. Let the college applicant beware!

1. Your Application Is Incomplete. Yes, most colleges have so-called “Application Checkers” which allow you to see (though not always in real-time) what, if anything is missing from your application. Test scores. High school transcript. Supplements. Recommendations. Colleges will not even review your application until it is deemed complete, and it is entirely up to you to make sure it is -- as in, “signed, sealed and delivered.”

2. You Missed The Application Deadline. A candidate for Early Action, are you? Regular Decision more your speed? “Missed it by that much!” simply won’t suffice. Sure, colleges will take your application -- and your money for the application fee -- but your chances of getting in should you miss the application deadline are often zero to nil.

3. Highly Selective Doesn’t Make Us A Better School. The fact that the competition is keen and your safety school has now become a reach has more -- if not everything -- to do with the sheer number of students applying than it does with the college’s academic standing. Not many years ago, colleges had to struggle to fill seats. Today, a college looking to welcome a Freshman class of 3,000 may have over 40,000 applicants. You do the math!

4. Your Seat In The Freshman Class Is Being Outsourced to China. The admission of International students is on the rise. Upwards of 10% of the entering class this fall at many American universities is comprised of foreign students. You are not merely competing with your classmates or cross-town rivals for a spot on campus, but with students from around the globe.

5. You Are Little More Than A Screen Shot On An Admissions Officer’s Monitor. Scores. Grades. Activities. Essays. The Common App itself. They all appear on the computer screen, reducing you to a matrix to be compared with thousands of other students. Talk about giving you a number and taking away your name. You have one chance to impress and to stand out among the crowd!

6. We DO Consider Whether You Will Be Applying for Financial Aid in the Admissions Process. The vast majority of colleges are “need blind” when it comes to admissions. A few, unfortunately, are not. Know before you apply!

7. We’re A For-Profit College from Which You’ll Likely Never Graduate (and if you do graduate, you’ll be indebted for life). With tuition being what it is (and what it is likely to become down the road), it is hard to believe that most colleges in this country are not-for-profit. Beware colleges out there that are for-profit, existing substantially on loan money borrowed by students to finance their education, with little if any return on investment for the unsuspecting students. There are many legit for-profits. Weed out the bad and those that are suspect -- or under federal investigation.

8. Your College Essay Carries More Weight Than You Think. It’s not all grades and scores. Making that connection to campus, demonstrating what you will bring to the college community, defining yourself as an individual, as one who is involved, passionate, empathetic and not likely to turn out to be that lone gunman on the quad can literally make or break your application. You have 250 to 650 words (no more and no less) in which to market yourself successfully. Make your best case!

9. Where You Went To High School Matters. It’s a matter of demographics. Colleges can’t take everyone from Long Island (though it may seem otherwise once you get there :-). That kid from Iowa, or from Monticello High, with equivalent grades and scores may well have an edge over the senior from Garden City High, Plainview or Syosset. So, when it comes to your application, essays, extracurriculars and such, you need to stand out. Make everything you do and say count -- because it does!

10. We Know What You Did Last Summer. And we’re not talking about the essentials of boosting your profile in the work place or in your community service endeavors. No, we mean all those Tweets, Facebook posts and other online ventures that you thought nobody, other than your closest friends, would notice. Guess what? When you post on the Internet, it’s out there and it stays out there. Assume that whatever you post online, in whatever forum, will be seen and/or read by a college admissions officer. Don’t let a lurid photo or an indiscreet 140 characters sink your college application. Nuf said!

This list could go on and on, almost ad nauseum. It’s up to you to gain the upper hand in the college admissions game, to avoid the pitfalls and the detours along the way, and to score points without being penalized. When it comes to college admissions, you’ve got one shot. Do it right. Your objective isn’t just to apply to college – it’s to get in!
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Posted by College Connection. Posted In : College Applications

To The College Fair -- Or Not!

September 12, 2014

A few years ago, a reader inquired as to whether it was worth going to the National College Fair. A number of errant links (they tend to break or disappear over time) aside, the advice on the Fair is certainly as valid today as it was then, and well worth repeating.

L.B. of North Merrick, NY writes:

There's a College Fair coming up at the Nassau Coliseum. Is it worth attending, for college-bound students and/or their parents?

The College Whisperer™ responds:

A definite maybe. ;-)

In days of old, long before the advent of the Internet and the coming of age of electronic media, other than visiting campus after campus (there were no virtual tours), and relying on snail mail for glossy brochures and, if you were lucky, a course bulletin or two, college fairs were it.

A place to gather much needed information on colleges and universities, far and wide; to schmooze with admissions officers; to pick brains on financial aid, program selection, and where to get a decent manicure in walking distance to the campus. Not to mention more give-aways -- from pens to notepads, rulers to tee shirts -- than you could possibly stuff into a bag, which was also a give-away (go canvas, not plastic).

Enter the era of the worldwide web, and, in terms of connecting to colleges and bookmarking Viewbooks, to paraphrase Walt Disney on the portended decline of the College Fair, it all started with a mouse. [Different mouse. Same idea.]

Today, you can get all the information you need (and much that you don't) on college websites, supplemented by touchy-feely material that schools will be happy to send you (again and again) by snail mail. [And you wonder where all those tuition dollars go!] Many colleges even offer prospective students "live chat" sessions and/or "webinars" hosted by admissions and financial aid officers, providing a virtual cornucopia for students without ever having to leave the comfort of home (or change out of their PJs, as if that would be a consideration).

And yet, folks continue to flock to College Fairs, some 400,000 annually, according to the folks at the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC), sponsors of the still popular and well attended National College Fairs.

Why do most people go to the fairs, absence of cotton candy and midway games notwithstanding? Some go to meet and greet reps from smaller colleges, or those too far away to visit. Not sure if the University of Guam has a booth, but you can have a nice talk -- at length -- about your prospects with a representative of, say, the University of North Dakota, gaining insight and perspective that you would not be likely to find online. [At last year's College Fair at the Nassau Coliseum, The College Whisperer™ had a most lovely chat with the rep from UND. She seemed so lonely, tucked away in the corner, few students stopping by, even just to say "hi." Take solace, North Dakota. While you may not pull in many kids from New York, at least you have Mount Rushmore. Wait. That's South Dakota! Never mind...]

Others stop by the College Fair, fighting their way, goodie bags in hand, through the madding throngs, hustling from table to table, packed in like sardines (hopefully, with skin and bones), to supplement what they already secured through the Internet, or to ask specific questions, assuming they can get close enough to the table. [Don't expect to do much more than to sign up for additional info, typically sent to you by e-mail or snail mail, at the booths of the most popular schools.]

The College Whisperer™ used to tell his students, back in the day, to sort through the give-aways from each college, applying to those schools that have the best gizmos, gadgets and sticky pads. [After all, they have the most money to spend!] Alas, just this past College Fair season, NACAC declared give-aways to be off-limits, citing a possible "unfair advantage" to those schools that do not or cannot hand out the upper level premiums. [Duh! Wasn't that the idea? Lull them in with frisbees and gel pens, then let them eat Sloppy Joes four nights a week in the dining hall. Too bad Oprah wasn't in on this. She'd give-away cars or a year of study abroad in Australia to every student who came through the door. Oh well..]

Most people, students and parents alike, even those well-versed in the nuances of Internet searches, go to the College Fair because (a) they are curious, (b) everyone else they know is going, and (c) they're afraid they will miss something (who knows what?) if they don't go. [Heaven forbid someone gain the upper hand by standing on line half an hour just to get a Viewbook they could have downloaded in 15 seconds (broadband sold separately ;-)].

Go to the fair? Sure. Why not? But first, pick up a copy of the Long Island College Conference Manual at your Guidance Office. It is a must read before the Fair, and will come in very handy at the Fair. [You can even scan QR codes for information.]

Careful that you don't park next to the fella with the dents and rust all over his pick up truck. Check out the colleges that you may have overlooked online. Look for The College Whisperer™ in the crowd (and ask him how College Connection can give you the competitive edge in the application and admission process).

Can't make it to this year's College Fair? No sweat! Local high schools -- most likely yours -- often host College Fairs or College Application/Admission Days. Be certain to attend. You may not learn anything new, but, hey, you never know.

And NACAC may be the biggest, but they're not the only College Fair game in town. Here's a list of College Fairs in New York, courtesy of HESC, NYS Higher Education Services Corporation. Why, there are even virtual College Fairs available online, where you can get advice, search for scholarships, and, perhaps, even be recruited by a school that's interested in you!

Whether you choose to attend the College Fair, or not, you'll have questions, seek answers, and be, more or less (probably more, given the barrage of information thrown your way), as overwhelmed as ever by the college application and admission process.

Have no fear. That's why The College Whisperer™ and College Connection are here. We help students and their parents successfully navigate the road to college. It's what we do!
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At COLLEGE CONNECTION, We've Got Your Back. And Your Best Moves Forward!

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Posted by College Connection. Posted In : College Planning

Are You Going To The Long Island College Fair?

September 12, 2014

National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) Long Island College Fair

Sunday, October 5, 2014

11 AM - 3 PM

Nassau Coliseum

Uniondale, NY

For more information, click HERE

For student registration, click HERE

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Posted by College Connection. Posted In : College Planning

Guest Post: Make Your Scholarship Application Stand Out

September 10, 2014

From time to time, we present guest posts here on The College Whisperer™blog, offering viewpoints, insights and opinions that may complement or even differ from our own.

Today, we are pleased to bring you a guest post written by Jocelyn Paonita, a recent graduate of the University of South Carolina ("debt free," we might add), and author of The Scholarship System: 6 Simple Steps on How to Win Scholarships and Secure Financial Aid, with some essential pointers on acing that scholarship application.

NOTE: This posting and publication does not constitute an endorsement of any product or service. It is intended for informational purposes only.

Guest posts are welcome and may be submitted for consideration, in Word format, via email to info@CollegeConnect.info.

How to Make Your Application Stand Out

It’s no secret that you have to compete in order to win scholarships.

Sometimes you will find those awesome scholarships where you are only competing against a few others. Other times, you may be competing against hundreds if not thousands of other students. The problem is that you really want, and NEED, the money!

But don’t let the competition bring you down. Let it motivate you!

So how can you blow a scholarship application out of the water?

How can you guarantee that your application will STAND OUT among the others??

Here are 5 quick tips on how to make your application catch your judges’ eyes!

1. Make sure you fit the criteria

This is very important to be successful. Before putting time into an application, you want to make sure your application won’t be thrown away. Chec k the criteria before moving on. This includes GPA requirements, what you want to major in, city you live in and much more. Believe it or not, some of your competition will apply without meeting the criteria. Don’t do that!

2. Presentation matters

You know the saying “Don’t judge a book by its cover?” Unfortunately, this saying does not apply when it comes to judging scholarship applications. Judges look for applications that are well put together, contain all the required materials and have zero grammatical errors.

How can you ensure your application is suitable?

First, have someone else proofread it. It’s easy to overlook errors when you have been working on an essay for a couple of hours. Getting a fresh set of eyes to review it increases the chances of catching any errors. I always had my high school teacher review my essays and he caught something I missed every single time.

3. Go above and beyond

When you can, try to go the extra mile. My secret trick to doing this? I sent a professional resume with my applications. This was never required and sometimes I couldn’t submit it but typically applications let you submit one “miscellaneous” item. TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT! You can either write a KILLER essay about why you should get the scholarship over anyone else or you can submit a resume. But never leave the optional part empty. Always go the extra mile.

Another way you can go above and beyond? Contact them prior to submitting your application! If you do so professionally and with good questions, you can really catch their attention and make them anticipate your submission.

4. Be unique in your essays

Many people begin an essay with the question they are answering. While this can be effective, try to start off your essays with an interesting story or quote instead. You want to grab judges’ attention and stand out from the others. Starting your essay differently will do that!

Here is an example response to “What is one of your greatest challenges you’ve overcome?”

Option 1: One of my greatest challenges was completing a sport even when I didn’t feel like I was good at it.

Option 2: Imagine you are up to bat. The whole game rests on whether or not you get out. You know you need to get on base so that your team does not lose. You swing as hard as you can but before you know it, you hear the call – “OUT!” And just like that, you lost the game. This was me during my last game in 7^th grade. I no longer felt like I was good at baseball. That was when I faced my greatest challenge - getting back up to bat.

As you can see, the beginning of option 2 sucks you in. You can try to do the same!

5. Get recommendation letters made for a rock star

Having a strong recommendation letter can be the deciding factor between two common applicants. When choosing your recommenders, make sure they are passionate about your success. That would mean they are going to write an even better recommendation letter.

Secondly, prepare them to write a great one. In order to do so, send them your resume and/or a short description of what you are involved in. This equips them with necessary information to write an insanely great letter on your behalf.

Did you find this helpful? Share this information by sending your friends to www.thescholarshipsystem.com!

Jocelyn Paonita is a recent graduate of the University of South Carolina and author of The Scholarship System: 6 Simple Steps on How to Win Scholarships and Secure Financial Aid. Having left school with absolutely NO DEBT, she is on a mission help families have a similar experience by using scholarships to reduce or completely eliminate their college bills. When she is not championing students and families through the scholarship process, she works full-time as a financial analyst.

Twitter: @ScholarshipSyS Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheScholarshipSystem

*** FREE ebook giveaway on September 16th. It also comes with an audiobook. You can find it here on Amazon.

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At COLLEGE CONNECTION, We've Got Your Back. And Your Best Moves Forward!

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Posted by College Connection. Posted In : Paying for College

Your Sherpa Guide To College Admissions

September 6, 2014

M.S. of East Williston, NY writes:
Do I really need a college planning counselor for my child? Aren’t the resources available through her high school guidance counselor, the colleges, and the Internet, sufficient? It all seems so expensive.

The College Whisperer™ responds:
Back in the day, when the earth was young, and college applications were written by hand and mailed to one or two schools along with a check for $15, a visit to your guidance counselor, along with a thumb-through of the college Viewbook (assuming the school had one) or bulletin, was not only sufficient, that’s all there was.

Today, with high school guidance counselors spread so thin, the Internet spewing forth information (much of it incorrect) faster than Congress can recess for another vacation, the application process complex and confusing, and the competition for college admission, even at state schools, so very fierce, students (and parents) need all the help they can muster.

Consider, too (as if you haven’t), that the cost of a college education -- approaching, and, in many instances, exceeding $100,000 for four years (and I’m being conservative here) -- requires more than an Internet search, or the gamble on a lottery ticket, to seek out and find the money to pay that tuition bill.

College is not only four very critical, as well as special years in a teenager’s life, where deciding which colleges to apply to should entail more than “my friend goes there” or “everybody is applying to that school.” It is also, as if I’m telling you something you don’t already know, a major life investment. A private university, over the course of four years, can gobble up as much as $250,000 after tuition, room and board, books, transportation, and incidentals are accounted for. [If you don’t believe me, feel free to do the math yourself.] Even a four year stint at a state school is likely to run in the neighborhood of $80,000 or more.

Surely, you want to invest wisely and prudently, in both the best interest of your child and her future, and in the best interest of your bank account. Financial planning, an integral part of the college planning process, is crucial.

Just what is it that a college planning counselor -- at least a good college planning counselor -- can and should do for you? Among other things (aside from the hand-holding and nerve-soothing), he will set an agenda, so critical to college admission success, giving you a clear and concise road map, showing you the where, the when and the how.

He will help your child decide, based upon a thorough assessment and evaluation of a multitude of factors (many beyond GPA and SAT/ACT scores), which colleges would be a perfect fit, and what strategies would likely provide that better shot at actually getting into the college of choice.

Is that “reach” school really within reach? Is there a way to manage my profile on that admission officer’s matrix so as to improve my chances of admission? Does my personal essay help me stand out above the crowd? Am I doing everything I possibly can to enhance my application, or have I done too much? What kind of questions will I be asked during my admission interview? Will I even have an admission interview? Do I really want to spend sub-zero winters eating cheese on the barren plains of Wisconsin? [Please, no letters or e-mails from irate alumni of the University of Wisconsin...]

Then, of course, there’s the penultimate question on every parent’s mind. How in blazes am I going to pay for all of this? [Cheese sold separately.]

High school guidance counselors, like travel agents helping you to prepare for a tour around the world, are an excellent resource. Use them (but please, don’t abuse them). The Internet, too, is an invaluable tool and an essential source of information, provided that you know how to use it effectively, where to look (and where not to), and how not to fall prey to the wealth of misinformation that is only a mouse click away.

It is easy, as you navigate the road to college, to not only get lost, but to become overwhelmed by the voluminous amount of information -- much of it just plain awful -- that is out there. Once lost, good luck getting back on the right track.

With respect to the expense of retaining a college planning professional, do not think merely of cost alone, but rather, of the value of this now necessary service in an increasingly tedious, complex and stressful process. Think, too, of the peace of mind, knowing that you are being guided in the right direction to the right schools, and not being waylaid off the beaten path.

You seek the advice of a financial adviser when it comes to investing your money. You retain the services of a real estate pro before to buy a house (another major life investment). You spend countless thousands feeding and clothing your child, packing her off to summer camp or on teen tours, nurturing her through 18 years of life. Are you going to stop now, when the finish line (short of the wedding) is in sight?

Surely not. You are going to do everything within your power to help your child achieve her goals, gain acceptance to a college where she will thrive and be happy, and enable you to pay for it all, without jeopardizing your retirement or robbing the federal reserve. [The latter is not recommended, forbidden by law, and may subject you to fine, imprisonment, or both.]

Look. To answer your question simply and succinctly, of course you could do the whole college application gig yourself, with a little help from your Uncle Phil, who once sat across from a college admission counselor at a diner in New Hampshire, and is a self-professed expert in finding online sweepstakes that could win him millions. Then again, do you really want to go that route?

Save yourself the ulcer, the agita, the sleepless nights and bleary-eyed days. A knowledgeable college planning counselor will empower your child, the soon-to-be college student (can you believe it?) and de-stress the parent (that would beyou). Those benefits, in and of themselves, are, to quote the VISA commercials, priceless.

Applying to college in this day and age is the educational equivalent of setting out to climb Mount Everest. Could you go it alone? I’m not about to stop you. Ask my advice, however (and you did), and I will tell you: When preparing to climb Mount Everest, and on every treacherous step of your ascent, take along that trusted Sherpa guide!
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Posted by College Connection. Posted In : College Admissions

School's Open: Strive Carefully!

September 2, 2014

Wow, another school year begins. [Where did the summer go?]

That means a full and hopefully rigorous courseload for high school seniors, aside from dealing with the trials and trbulations of the college application and admissions process.

Yes, senior year is a whole lot more than planning for prom and putting together that high school yearbook. After all, colleges to which you will apply shall see what courses you are taking, your mid-year grades, and the activities you're engaged in this year BEFORE they make a decision on your application.

Are you building that Resume? Working Naviance? Completing the Common App? Planning an admission strategy to give you the competitive edge at gaining entry to the colleges that are "best" for you?

So no slacking off or slowing down (except when driving near schools, particularly in Nassau County, NY, where "speed cameras" are now operational on roadways near and around many schools).

And high school juniors, this is your time to shine -- and to prepare for the journey to college that lies ahead. Steady as she goes. Max out those grades. Plan your rigorous courseload for senior year. Take the ACT and the SAT once (repeating the test you score higher on). Sign up for college credit courses offered on the high school campus by local colleges (most colleges prefer these to the AP tests, believe it or not).

For seniors, juniors, and even sophs and frosh, now is the time to buckle down. As it is for searching and applying for college scholarships from outside sources. Scholarships are NOT just for high school seniors, after all!

CHECK OUT our College Planning Timeline to see what you should be doing and when!

Speaking of scholarships, if this is September, it must be time to apply for the $2000 No Essay Required Scholarship. Easy as filling out a form!

School is open. There's much work to be done. Let's get to it!
- - -
At COLLEGE CONNECTION, We've Got Your Back. And Your Best Moves Forward!

Find Us on the web at College Connection
Check out The College Whisperer™ blog
College Connection on Twitter Follow Us
The College Whisperer™on Facebook Like Us On Facebook

Posted by College Connection. Posted In : College Planning

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