The College Whisperer™ | Navigating The Road To College

The Mayan calendar, in the ultimate homage to Montezuma's Revenge, passes into eternity in 2012. December 21, 2012, to be exact. The winter solstice.

It is then, according to 2012 theorists, that the world shall meet an apocalyptic fate. [Assuming anyone could spell  a·poca·lypti·c, or actually knew what it meant!] Witness the many books, movies, and  entrepreneurial merchandising efforts attempting to capitalize on the 2012 version of Y2K. The coming of the Apocalypse.

Calendars, and the prophesies that flow from them, often foreshadow events, much like Nostradamus' prophesies are said to have foretold events for centuries beyond his life -- at least in hindsight. [Of course, had Nostradamus really been able to forecast the future, he would have loaded up on Apple and Google stock! What did he know?]

The Jewish calendar, for instance, recognizes an "end of days" of sorts, which is said shall follow the 8 days of eating matzoh and matzoh by-products, whereupon a cataclysmic explosion shall occur.

Then there's the Gregorian or Christian calendar, which predicts, if not the end of the world, then certainly, the end of money, each year on April 15 (this year, April 18) when the IRS comes a calling.

All of these prophesies have one thing in common. They play upon people's fears. Fear of the unknown. Fear of death. Fear of the future. Fear, as Franklin Roosevelt so aptly put it, of fear itself.

And there's one calendar yet to be mentioned here that strikes the most fear into the hearts of a certain segment of the population. An ensuing mass hysteria, to be sure.

The college application and admissions calendar.

Indeed, few things cause such upheaval in the lives of the college-bound (and their parents) as do those frightful dates on the calendar that portend the end of all life (not to mention reason) as they know it. ACT/SAT test dates. Application due dates. Admission decision notification dates.

Dare we mention those intermediate days of stress and stammer, where the college calendar-watchers fret over the Common App, uncommon essays, AP scores, and extracurricular activities. Ahhh. Would that we only had to worry about an ensuing extraterrestrial invasion of Earth in 2012.

As if the college calendar was not fear-inducing enough, the true college "revelation" may yet unfold before the class of 2016, when declining acceptance rates in 2012 dwarf the dwindling admissions of 2011. Apocalypse deferred.

Yes, only the prepared will survive. The truly prepared, like those buying into the bunkers and stockpiles of survival gear on sale now for the great apocalypse of 2012, will thrive. [Okay. Those buying into the Mayan calendar myth will likely find themselves out big bucks to the swindlers who made millions come 2013. But we digress...]

Fear not the college calendar, my friends. Face your college future, head on. Do as the Mayans would have done, had they given thought to a perpetual Mayan calendar.

Go digital?

No. Embrace the coming days, with awe and splendor. And as the college calendar ticks off the days toward that fateful time in 2012 when the mail (or e-mail) from your fav colleges arrives with news of your destiny, rejoice. [But please, don't drink the water...] This is not the end of the world. In fact, it's only the beginning!

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Plan. Prepare. Prevail!

The views and opinions expressed in this blog are solely those of The College Whisperer, the authors of referenced articles and websites, and such guest bloggers as may appear.
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Comments? Questions for The College Whisperer?
Write us at info@TheCollegeWhisperer.com

The road to college ~ and through college ~ begins at College Connection. Call us for a FREE telephone consultation. 516-345-8766.

WOW! You made the cut. You've gotten into college - several of them, actually. Congrats! Now comes what you thought would be the easy part: deciding where to spend the next four years of your life.

Hmmmm. Decisions, decisions...

Our friends at University Language Services have some sound advice to help you make that all-important decision. Read on...

The daunting application process has paid off, and now you can relax - sort of.

These colleges may have chosen you, but how do you choose a college? If you have no particular favorite in mind, then you have a little more work to do (sorry!). Luckily, we have some advice on how to choose the right college out of all those terrific options:

1. Return to each campus.

Take another tour, attend another informational meeting, ask more college visit questions and meet more students. Pay attention to how you feel on the campus now that you know you're accepted, and whether or not you can see yourself meshing with the social setting on campus. Many colleges even offer prospective students the chance to do overnight college visits, which let you experience sleeping in a dorm, visiting what's off-campus or even attending courses.

2. Double-check each college's majors and requirements.

It has been a long time since you sent in your applications. You may have liked one college more than another back in the fall, but what about now? Consider what you want from your college academics now, and which college matches your goals closest. Get these questions answered (for the second time, if necessary):

• Would one college be able to accommodate your interests more than another?
• Is one college more flexible about changing majors, double-majoring, or letting you take a variety of classes?
• What majors does each college specialize in?
• How attentive is the faculty?
• How big are the classes?

3. Compare financial aid packages.

Talk to your parents about how to choose the right college based on financial feasibility. What has each college offered you in terms of financial aid or scholarships? Are there work-study options? Feel free to contact each college's financial aid office for more information, but go in informed.

4. Think about it.

Really think about how to choose the right college by answering these questions:

• Where can you see yourself getting the most out of your courses?
• Where can you see yourself living, working and eating for 4 years?
• Where can you see yourself feeling comfortable on campus?
• Where can you see yourself making the greatest friends?
• Where do you see yourself going, career-wise and otherwise, after 4 years?
  
• Where can you see yourself being happiest?

I know everyone has said this to you already, but college truly is the greatest time of your life. How to choose the right college depends on you and your values, so consider carefully and choose wisely...

As always, your COLLEGE CONNECTION counselor is here to help, in the college decision process, on the financial aid front, and in making college a wonderful experience, for both students and parents alike.

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Plan. Prepare. Prevail!

The views and opinions expressed in this blog are solely those of The College Whisperer, the authors of referenced articles and websites, and such guest bloggers as may appear.
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Comments? Questions for The College Whisperer?
Write us at info@TheCollegeWhisperer.com

The road to college ~ and through college ~ begins at College Connection. Call us for a FREE telephone consultation. 516-345-8766.

There are lots of "How To" books, courses, videos, etc. on getting into and paying for college, but how many of them are FREE? Many, to be sure, aren't worth the cost of the paper they're written on -- or, for that matter, the cost of the blank DVD. But who could argue about free?

Newsday, home of College PrepTalk, is offering a FREE Webinar, entitled, "GET THEM THERE!", a "How To" on financing that college education.

Date: Thursday, April 7
Time: 8 PM

Registration for the How To Finance College Webinar is required, and you may do so online at newsday.com/VirtualEvents, or by calling 1-877-545-4834.

The Webinar is presented by Hofstra University. Newsday's College PrepTalk appears in cooperation with the Western Suffolk Counselors' Association.

Okay. So exactly what can you get for free? Check out this Webinar to see. As they say, nothing ventured, nothing gained. [And who doesn't like FREE?]
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Plan. Prepare. Prevail!

The views and opinions expressed in this blog are solely those of The College Whisperer, the authors of referenced articles and websites, and such guest bloggers as may appear.
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Comments? Questions for The College Whisperer?
Write us at info@TheCollegeWhisperer.com

The road to college begins at College Connection. Call us for a FREE telephone consultation. 516-345-8766.

There's an old adage that goes something like this: An idiot with a plan is better than a genius without one.

Well, I'm not so sure I agree that an idiot will do well (though, apparently, many have ;-), but certainly, the smart move, particularly when it comes to college admissions, is to have a plan -- and, once you have a plan, to wisely put it into action.

This is especially so when, year after year, colleges are becoming more selective (this year being no exception), and applicants, so much more competitive.

Just take a quick look at the acceptance rates at some of the most highly selective (we won't use the word "best," as "best" for whom is a subjective, explored elsewhere on this blog) colleges and universities.

The New York Times’ The Choice blog recently published a table of admissions statistics from 32 selective U.S. colleges and the data shows a drop in acceptance rates across the board. Not surprisingly, the lowest acceptance rates were at Harvard (6.2 percent, an all-time low for the Ivy), Columbia (6.9 percent), Stanford (7.1 percent), Yale (7.4 percent) and Princeton (8.4 percent) but what’s interesting is that this year, records were broken for applications received. The schools’ explanations for the limited percentages of accepted students? They just had far too many outstanding applicants.

While one of our fellow college bloggers quipped, tongue-in-cheek, that Princeton University had garnered the title of lowest admission rate in the nation, this by simply rejecting every applicant, the low odds of gaining admission to selective colleges (and we're not simply talking the Ivies here) is no laughing matter.

Here on Long Island, where there are so many bright applicants from a plethora of highly competitive school districts -- making demographics yet another consideration in the admissions process' mixed bag of entrance factors -- the odds of "getting in" are even further diminished.

Think it's bad this year for the class of 2015? Just wait until next year's admission decisions are rolled out.

Better yet, particularly if you are a high school Junior (even more advantageous if you are a high school Sophomore), don't wait until next year -- or even this summer -- to get a jump on your fellow would-be college applicants.

Get a plan, and begin to put that plan into action!

The time to start distinguishing yourself from your classmates, rising above the madding crowd (and you already know how tough that competitive spirit is, even in your own school), is now. Where weighted GPAs routinely exceed 4.0, near perfect scores on the SAT and/or ACT dot the high school landscape, and everyone and his cousin is taking three or more AP courses, you simply cannot afford to rest on the laurels of great grades and phenomenal test scores. Quite frankly, they may not be enough to get you in to the college of your choice.

Now is the time to challenge yourself in course selection, prepared to match colleges to your needs and goals. Now is the time to chart your extracurricular activities, out of the "done that, been there" cookie cutter mode. Now is the time to create a professional looking resume, far afield from that boilerplate activity sheet. And yes, now is the time to develop themes and organize thoughts for those all-important (indeed, more important than ever) personal statements and essays. Truly, that which you do now to enhance your standing, academically and otherwise, may very well be the difference between acceptance and rejection.

And then, there's the matter of money. While college acceptance rates are going down, tuition, room and board, and related college costs are going up, up and up. [Even an idiot knows that!] Now is the time to plan and implement a winning (not in the Charlie Sheen sense ;-) strategy to get the money you need to pay for college.

Yes, the college admission process is nothing short of zany. A stress-inducing, frustration-riddled, hair-pulling, nail-biting, "there's got to be a better way" experience.

Truth is, there is a better way. You can reduce the stress. You can increase the likelihood of being accepted. The entire application and admission process can even be fun. [Yes, I said "fun!"]

How? Well, it doesn't take a genius to figure this one out. Get a plan and put it to work for you!
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Plan. Prepare. Prevail!

The views and opinions expressed in this blog are solely those of The College Whisperer, the authors of referenced articles and websites, and such guest bloggers as may appear.
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Comments? Questions for The College Whisperer?
Write us at info@TheCollegeWhisperer.com

The road to college begins at College Connection. Call us for a FREE telephone consultation. 516-345-8766.

For the scoop on everything from college applications to admission strategies, paying for college to finding the best food on campus,find The College Whisperer/College Connection on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter.

Up-to-the-minute info on scholarships, financial aid, test prep, essay development, getting into college, and college life from A to Z, all at the tip of your finger. The experts. The opinions. The "how to", "where to" and "what to" (as well as "what not to" for every college-bound student!


Help is but a mouse click away!
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Plan. Prepare. Prevail!

The views and opinions expressed in this blog are solely those of The College Whisperer, the authors of referenced articles and websites, and such guest bloggers as may appear.
* * *
Comments? Questions for The College Whisperer?
Write us at info@TheCollegeWhisperer.com

The road to college begins at College Connection. Call us for a FREE telephone consultation. 516-345-8766.

Now that the college acceptance letters are beginning to roll in, The College Whisperer is amazed by just how many college-bound students abandon the search for money to pay for college.

Sure, you've filed your FAFSA (hopefully), and registered at Fastweb and other scholarship search engines, but has your quest for college cash ended there?

Visit and revisit those college scholarship search engines. Tweak your profile. Keep an eye out for emails containing links to scholarship opportunities. And, for goodness sake, don't just look at the search sites, actually apply for the scholarships for which you qualify!

Too many students quit the search for college money once they've been accepted. Shame, because while others choose to sit back and coast into college with little in the bank to show for it, the astute (that would be you, wouldn't it?) are continuing to look for grants, scholarships, and free (or at least, inexpensive) money to help pay the ever-rising costs associated with going to college.

Okay. We know the routine. The searches get tedious. Keep searching. The good scholarships are few and far between. Keep applying. I haven't gotten any money yet. Keep digging!

Utilize all available resources -

Your Guidance Counselor. Sure, the application process may be over (though many colleges offer rolling admission, so if you haven't applied yet, there may still be time), but new scholarships flow into the Guidance Office daily. Ask your counselor about available scholarship opportunities. Seize the moment. Apply!

Your Community. Canvass community groups, local businesses, and civic-minded organizations. From Kiwanis to Lions, civic associations to PTA, there are scholarship opportunities right in your own backyard. Seek them out. Apply!

Your Computer. It doesn't get any easier. You don't even have to change out of your pajamas to search for scholarships (just make sure the webcam is off ;-). Use Google, or your fav search engine, to seek out college scholarships. Register. Complete the profiles, and do so accurately and completely. Apply!

Your College Websites. Already decided upon a college? Narrowed down your choices to a select few? Great! Now check the college websites. Scholarship opportunities, as well as Work Study, and other sources of funding, can often be found under "Financial Aid," or simply, "Paying For College." To qualify for institutional aid, sometimes all you have to do is submit your FAFSA. Other aid options, including certain scholarships and grants, require separate application, typically available on the college website. Apply!

As with any search for money (and the fundraising professionals know this quite well), if you don't ask, you won't get! Ask you Guidance Counselor. Ask a college financial aid officer. Ask your independent college counselor. If all else fails, Ask Jeeves.

Not satisfied with the financial aid award offered by the college you plan to attend? Ask for a review. [Most colleges have an appeal process.] Negotiate. You can often -- but not always -- get a better package. Again, it never hurts to ask.

The college experience presents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Don't let the price tag get in the way of going to the college of your choice!
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Plan. Prepare. Prevail!

The views and opinions expressed in this blog are solely those of The College Whisperer, the authors of referenced articles and websites, and such guest bloggers as may appear.
* * *
Comments? Questions for The College Whisperer?
Write us at info@TheCollegeWhisperer.com

The road to college begins at College Connection. Call us for a FREE telephone consultation. 516-345-8766.

With the warmer weather approaching (we can only hope ;-), high school seniors poised to make those all-important college acceptance decisions, and juniors pondering just where they should apply, visits to college campuses, near and far, are in the offing.

Yes, there are virtual tours galore, and, by all means, you should take every last one of them. Still, as the old saying goes, there's nothing like being there! [Check out our previous post on campus visits and virtual tours.]

From January to May, many high school students will be taking college trips. These visits can be the most important factor in deciding which school to attend since being on campus can help high schoolers experience the culture, environment, and student life at a college. However, planning a college trip presents challenges, from deciding on schools to visit to organizing travel.

Keeping in line with our credo to bring you the best of everything college, from application and admission advice to finding and getting the most bang for your college bucks, we thought a look-see at those college tour websites would be in order.

One website that has caught our attention is Go See Campus, (with which neither The College Whisperer nor College Connection have any affiliation or financial interest) offering free (always nice) college trip planning for high school students and their parents.

Go See Campus, launched in March 2010, helps high school students and parents by providing them with a first-of-its-kind, online College Trip Planner. New additions let users plan visits to over 2,300 campuses. Students can search for colleges, connect to activities like campus tours, and create itineraries to take on the road.

In addition to the expanded College Trip Planner, Go See Campus has launched a new "Resource Library" on Facebook, which offers exclusive information not yet available in the website's "College Advice" section. For example, one article on Facebook outlines issues that parents and high school students should discuss before overnight college visits. Go See Campus has also launched "Connect with Colleges". This new feature lets students request admissions information from schools and enter to win a college scholarship.

Kevin Preis, the website’s founder, says, “Go See Campus' goal is to help students and parents get the most from the college search. Expanding the universe of schools and offering new college trip resources are part of that effort.”

The website has a growing audience of students, parents, and college professionals, including The College Whisperer and the folks here at College Connection. Go See Campus is great when you’re planning a college trip because it details the activities you can participate in at the schools and why they are important.  With the ‘Travel Arrangements’ and ‘Find Restaurants Nearby’ options, you can get everything you need for each visit.

Initiatives such as advice articles on Facebook and the "Connect with Colleges" feature join other site efforts, like "College Resources" and "Campus Bookstore" pages, and represent Go See Campus' continuing work to support families in the college search.

Keeping college-bound students, and their parents, on the cutting edge and in the know. It's what we do at College Connection. So, go see campus, and check out Go See Campus!

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Plan. Prepare. Prevail!

The views and opinions expressed in this blog are solely those of The College Whisperer, the authors of referenced articles and websites, and such guest bloggers as may appear.
* * *
Comments? Questions for The College Whisperer?
Write us at info@TheCollegeWhisperer.com

The road to college begins at College Connection. Call us for a FREE telephone consultation. 516-345-8766.

Donna of Louisiana writes:

I am married and have one daughter. She will be a college freshman in the fall. I have contributed money in my state's 529 plan (I live in Louisiana) since she was 8. We were in the process of figuring out whether we were required to report the amount of money in the 529 on the FAFSA application. I found out yesterday that we do report it. One question i have is this. The state has invested the money and we have received "enhancements." There is more money in the account than I have put into it. (If I were to decide to withdraw it all and not use it for education, I would not get these enhancements.) Do I report the entire amount on the FAFSA form, enhancements and all, are
just the amount I contributed?

Another question is this. I am 52. My husband is 57. We read online that you can "shelter" a certain amount of savings on the FAFSA application, and the amount that can be sheltered rises with the age of the eldest parent. We haven't gotten through the whole form yet, but does the FAFSA automatically do this sheltering for you, or do you need to ask for it? Is there some part of the application where this info is entered?

The College Whisperer Responds:

No one said getting money for college would be easy, even in The Big Easy!

J.K. of Lake Success, NY writes:

We're working on our college financial aid applications and notice that there are all kinds of deadlines, in addition to all kinds of forms from so many sources. We've even come across something called "Priority Deadline." How do we find out what these deadlines are, as well as the best possible sources for aid, giving ourselves the best shot at money for college?

The College Whisperer responds:

And there you were, applications for admission submitted, thinking the pressure was off. Home free, right?

Well, not quite. Assuming you need money to help pay for tuition, room and board (and who doesn't these days?), the race is still on, the clock is ticking, and, yes, deadlines loom.

With respect to financial aid, we've been encouraging you to file early, and, when searching for scholarship dollars, often.

Step One: Complete and submit FAFSA online. [Don't wait to file your tax returns. You can submit "Corrections to FAFSA" after you file your returns.]
Step Two: Complete and submit applications for State aid, such as New York's Tuition Assistance Program.
Step Three: For those schools requiring the College Board based fin aid app, complete and submit the CSS Profile (as well as related forms, as may be called for, such as IDOC and the "Noncustodial Profile").
Step Four: Complete and submit college-specific forms, as may be required by the schools you have applied to.
Step Five: Search and actually apply for scholarships and grants, both institutional and private. [Nothing beats paying for college with other people's money!]

Now, about those deadlines...

Yes, there are federal (FAFSA) deadlines, state deadlines, and even college deadlines, spread out from February through June of the following year. [Be sure to check with the admissions/financial aid offices of the colleges you've applied to for the specific filing deadlines.]

Then there's the so-called "Priority Deadline," which can best be described as the start of the race to get the most buck for your bang.

In essence, the priority deadline is the date to apply by to be considered for and have the best chance for all available aid. Some aid is very limited, so meeting the priority deadline gives you more of a chance if you are eligible. This is not just for institutional aid but also for some limited federal aid such as SEOG grants, Work Study, or Perkins loans (all have very limited funding). Missing the priority deadline means you get considered for what, if any, money may remain after those that meet the deadline have been awarded aid.

In other words, submit your completed applications before the priority deadline to assure consideration for the best financial aid package you may qualify for.

Miss the priority deadline filing date for your school? Apply anyway, and do it right away. While the early bird may well get the worm, there's usually enough in the pot for the second mouse to get at least some of the cheese. [Love those mixed mataphors, don't you? ;-)]

What about a date designated simply as deadline? Well, typically a deadline means just that -- last day to file before you're plumb out of luck. Should you file anyway, even past deadline? Absolutely! You may get nothing. You may get crumbs. Or, who knows, you may get lucky. And remember, there are no deadlines for certain forms of financial aid, such as Pell Grants and Stafford loans. [Though you will need to file in a timely manner in order to secure funds to cover upcoming college costs such as tuition, room and board.]

Keep in mind that institutional aid (money awarded directly by the colleges) is often limited, being awarded to qualified students on a first-apply, first-to receive basis. This includes, in most instances, merit aid, need-based aid, and federal Work Study programs.

Not sure what type of financial aid you may qualify for or exactly how to go about applying for it? Check with your college counselor, guidance counselor or college financial aid office. And be sure to puruse the blogposts right here at The College Whisperer for insights, tips and invaluable information on scholarships, grants and other resources for funding your college education.

Contrary to popular belief, there really is quite a bit of money out there to help students (and their parents) pay for college and related expenses. You just have to know where to look for gold and how to mine that mother load!

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Plan. Prepare. Prevail!

The views and opinions expressed in this blog are solely those of The College Whisperer, the authors of referenced articles and websites, and such guest bloggers as may appear.
* * *
Comments? Questions for The College Whisperer?
Write us at info@TheCollegeWhisperer.com

The road to college begins at College Connection. Call us for a FREE telephone consultation. 516-345-8766.

What's more powerful than having the expertise, guidance and college admission know-how of the premier college planning and counseling service on your side? Having the folks with the inside track on what it takes to get through college right along side with them.

That's what College Connection, the renowned and respected college planners, and The Real College Guide, America's trusted resource on life on campus, have created by establishing a strategic partnership.

College Connection, with its highly successful college admission programs, gets students into college. The Real College Guide gets students through college.

From the application process to financial aid, choosing a major to pledging for a fraternity, the College Connection/Real College Guide team takes you every step of the way. From the day you first visit the Common App online until the day you are handed that sheepskin at graduation, College Connection/Real College Guide is with you, offering guidance, support, practical advice, and, most importantly, a plan for successfully navigating the road to -- and through -- college.

College Connection (www.CollegeConnect.info) provides students and their parents with the resources and assistance they need to achieve their goal of gaining acceptance to the college of choice, while taking the stress out of what is often an overwhelming and confusing process. Whether it's application enhancement or essay development, selecting the best colleges to apply to or finding scholarship money to pay for that degree, College Connection leads the way.

The Real College Guide (www.therealcollegeguide.com) is a peer-to-peer resource for advice and insights on making the most of the time spent on campus. From practical tips on how to live on the cheap and boost a GPA, to advice on how to deal with parents, The Real College Guide spans a wide-range of editorial topics, covering the essentials of college life, and well beyond.

Together, College Connection and The Real College Guide make formidable allies in assuring that students get into college and, once on campus, thrive as they go through their college careers.

Check out The Real College Guide at www.therealcollegeguide.com. Then, check in with College Connection at www.collegeconnect.info.

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Plan. Prepare. Prevail!

The views and opinions expressed in this blog are solely those of The College Whisperer, the authors of referenced articles and websites, and such guest bloggers as may appear.
* * *
Comments? Questions for The College Whisperer?
Write us at info@TheCollegeWhisperer.com

The road to college begins at College Connection. Call us for a FREE telephone consultation. 516-345-8766.