The College Whisperer™ | Navigating The Road To College

FAFSA versus CSS-Profile: The Battle of the Financial Aid Forms

Most people believe that FAFSA -- Free Application for Federal Student Aid -- is the end-all when it comes to looking for money for college.

Not so!

In fact, if you do nothing more than file your FAFSA online (which can be done on or after January 1, 2011), you're not likely to see a dime in scholarship and grant money, other than that which the school itself may provide (including work-study and loans) as part of your financial aid package.

If you don't file your FAFSA, look for no money (as in, nada, zippo, gornischt) from your college financial aid office.

As we've noted on this blog, time and time again, you have to begin and carry out an extensive and exhaustive search for scholarship money (it is out there, by the millions, if you know how and where to look, and, beyond that, you actually apply yourself. [HINT: Start by registering and creating a profile at Fastweb, and then, contact your counselor at College Connection on what to do next.]

This post, however, is not about the scholarship search, but rather, completing all of the necessary pre-reqs (what we used to call "paperwork") in order to qualify for those scholarships, grants, loans, assistantships, fellowships, work-study programs and so on, as offered by colleges.

While almost every college insists on the FAFSA filing (and this is widely known among applicants and their parents), many schools also (meaning, "in addition to the FAFSA") require the filing of what is called the CSS-Profile. [Click HERE to see if the college(s) on your list require the CSS-Profile.]

Administered by the College Board (who else?), the CSS-Profile is a more detailed, school-specific filing, versus the general, broad application of FAFSA.

There are subtle -- and not so subtle -- differences, both in the information and data requested of the applicant (and his or her parents) and in the methodology by which financial aid is calculated.

The biggest differences between the CSS PROFILE and the FAFSA, as enumerated by finaid.org, are:

• Submission dates: The CSS PROFILE can be submitted in the fall; FAFSA cannot be submitted before January 1.
• Specific questions: The CSS PROFILE contains questions specific to the school or program you're applying to; FAFSA contains the same questions for everyone.
• Different methodology: The CSS PROFILE determines your financial need differently than the FAFSA, taking into account such factors as whether your family owns a home. In general, the CSS PROFILE asks for more detailed information than FAFSA.
• Minimum student contribution: The CSS PROFILE requires this; the FAFSA doesn't.
• Greater reliance on professional judgment: The CSS PROFILE gives financial aid counselors greater freedom to grant aid based on a student's particular circumstances.
• Cost: CSS PROFILE costs $5 plus $18 for each school or scholarship program selected; the FAFSA, as the name implies, is free.

That last distinction, cost, is, of course, not so subtle, and should surprise no one who has ever had to register for anything with College Board. They want even more of your money (as if registration for the SAT and the sending of scores to selected colleges wasn't enough of a money maker).

Imagine that. Charging you money in order to qualify for money. Who but College Board would think of -- and get away with -- such a concept?

While there are nuances to completing and filing both FAFSA and CSS-Profile, the former is relatively straight forward, while the latter presents more of a challenge, mostly because of the details and particulars sought. On both, how you answer and the information you furnish will be used to calculate the now-infamous Expected Family Contribution (EFC), ultimately determining, through formulae of the colleges' own devise (greater secrets Los Alamos did not hold), how much aid you will get, and in what form (i.e., scholarships, work-study, loans).

While FAFSA cannot be completed and filed until after January 1 (you can, however, get an estimate of your financial standing at any time by going to the FAFSA4caster), the CSS-Profile can be completed online beginning on October 1, 2010. It is considered prudent, and we will neither argue nor belabor the point, to file your CSS-Profile early in the game rather than to wait, say, until you complete and file your FAFSA (which itself should be filed as soon as practical after January 1). The reason: Colleges often dole out financial aid awards on a first-come-first-served basis. When the money's gone, it's gone!

Other considerations -- merit, need, program-specific aid among them -- go into the mix when colleges decide who is to get what, and how much, and this, together with the information you provide, will create a matrix that allows the college's financial aid office to paint a financial aid picture for each individual student. With how broad a brush, and what kind of stroke, that picture is drawn is almost entirely dependent upon the content of the CSS-Profile and FAFSA filings.

Confusing? You bet. A bit scary, even, given the costs associated with college and the purse strings held by the folks who will decide your financial aid fate. Absolutely.

Do not take the completion and filing of either FAFSA or CSS-Profile lightly. Do consult with your independent college counselor and/or your financial advisor before you file. And be aware of both State and school deadlines when filing these forms.

Remember. There's money for college in them thar hills. You just have to know where to look, how deep to dig (use a shovel, not a toothpick), and be sure to dot the "i" and cross the "t" on every form you complete and submit, particularly the FAFSA and the CSS-Profile.

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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S.K. of Jericho, NY writes:

My daughter, a high school senior with a 4.0+ GPA (weighted), nearly perfect SAT and ACT scores, and a resume of community service and extracurricular activities second to none, is in the process of applying to college. Hopefully (fingers crossed), she is Ivy bound. With the selection process so extremely complex and competitive, we reached out to a college coach who "specializes" in the Ivies, only to find, to our dismay, that she charges $950 per hour and upwards of $40,000 for a complete "package." I simply cannot fathom paying that much. Is this the norm?

The College Whisperer responds:

The College Whisperer doesn't know a single Norm who charges $950/hour for his services. Not even Norm the Plumber, Norm the Plastic Surgeon or Norm the Patent Attorney. Then again, I'm almost certain they're out there, the gougers, the greed-mongers, the "take-em-for-everything-they've gotters," the PT Barnums of whatever field or endeavor, looking for that sucker born every minute.

It's the perennial question: How much is too much?

How much is too much parental involvement in the college application process? How much is too much focus on standardized test scores? How much is too much to pay for college planning services?

What are you getting for your money? What are those services actually worth? What will this crazy college market bear?

Granted. One person's "excessive" is another person's "reasonable," but $950 per hour/$40,000+ per package? For that, I'd want not only the expertise and guidance that will get me into the Ivy of my choice, but breakfast in bed every day for the next four years, a chauffeured limo to class, a gourmet chef at my beckon call, and someone to take and transcribe notes in every course offering. And that's just for starters!

Yet, parents pay, and pay heftily, for college coaches. What gives?

Do those who prey upon parents'/students' fears of not being accepted to the college of choice (in this case, an Ivy League school) charge "excessive" fees for services because the services offered warrant them, or simply because parents, confused over and overwhelmed by the insanity of the admissions process, and alarmed by the thought of the possibility that their sons and daughters might not find passage through the ivy-covered gates, will seek any recourse, and pay any price, to garner that coveted acceptance letter?

Or is the price to be paid, that upwards of $40,000 for the "package" (almost a year's tuition, even at an Ivy, and enough to cover two years' worth of tuition, room & board, books, and incidentals at a "Public Ivy," such as New York's Binghamton University, simply what the market will tolerate; that cost of being accepted.

Too much too pay? The College Whisperer certainly thinks so, but who is he to say?

True, I've already said as much in a previous blogpost pondering the wisdom -- and the cost -- of the 4-day, $14,000 (not including room and board) College Application Boot Camp. Then again, who am I to argue with a sold-out, wait-listed program that the best and the brightest apparently flock to and gladly hand over many a C-note for?

I called it "chutzpah" (an old Chinese proverb meaning a "heck-of-a-lot-of-nerve") to charge for it, and nothing short of nuts to shell out the big bucks toward it. Others call it money well spent.

Considering, as I do based upon my experience as a college coach, that Ivy-bound students are bright, self-motivated, and, for the most part, "get it," generally speaking, they actually need less in the way of coaching than your average student. Sure, the carefully crafted tweaks of apps and essays are required, as are the nuanced admission and interview strategies and "show me the money for college" insights that a good and qualified college coach can and does offer. Then, too, that modicum of hand-holding (mostly for the nervous parents) must be added to the mix. But $950 per hour? $40,000+ for "unlimited" counseling?

This is college admissions, folks, not a manned mission to the outer reaches of the universe. Then, too, there are the criminally insane, confined for life to maximum security mental institutions, who do not require such "unlimited" counseling in this brief window of time, the likes that $40,000+ would secure.

But, The College Whisperer is not here to judge (only to offer you what he perceives to be more fair and reasonably balanced alternatives to turning your life savings, or a good chunk of your college fund, over to a college coach).

In essence, we report, you decide.

And in that decision-making process (please don't retain the services of a coach for that), consider what others have had to say on the high-priced college coach debate.

Take a look at I Can Get Your Kid into an Ivy, as reported in BusinessWeek in 2007. [Note: Only the prices charged by these coaches have changed. Upward!] Then read Forbes 2008 seemingly spoon-fed piece, Acing Your Application. Is there anything -- come on, folks, ANYTHING -- that any self-proclaimed Ivy Coach, at $46,000 a shot, or thereabouts, is telling her students, that any college counselor worth her salt isn't saying, and for far less?

Juxtapose these scions of raking it in under color of college coaching (real or perceived. Worth every penny or wanton waste of money) against the mores and principles (not to mention extremely low fees) of The Admissions Whisperer. [No relation, mind you, to The College Whisperer]. Out of her single bedroom San Fran apartment, this college coach counsels the college bound, among them, the top of the class, many headed to the Ivies. Mary Clarke's hourly fee was reported in 2008 to be a mere $90, her complete "package" (covering more than a year of homework assignments, SAT prep, the college application process, and so on) averaging about $6500 per student.

How much is too much? You tell me!
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Much comment from the Peanut Gallery on this blogpost, chiefly from fellow college plannings. Does The College Whisperer smell a hint of indignance and more than a waft of entitlement? Who knows? Maybe its just me!

Yes, you can charge what the market will bear, and what folks are willing to pay. The only limits, I suppose, are set, if not by reason (on the part of either counselor or parent), then by conscience.
Posted by The College Whisperer
It dismays me to see yet another negative posting on the cost of independent college counseling services that uses extreme examples of per hour/per package fees. These examples, as with any other profession, reflect the minority of independent planners. I would invite such posters to do their homework by checking out the qualifications and background of 'typical' independent college counselors, the type and scope of services provided as well as the standards and ethics adhered to by professionals who maintain membership in such organizations as HECA, National Association for College Admission Counseling or IECA.
Posted by Devon O'Brien

Why should I not charge what my market bears? I not only coach but counsel in NYC and Boston, two of the highest priced markets in America. I chose those markets for a couple of reasons, the main reason being that I have homes in both of those cities. I adhere to the highest ethical standards, belong to several organizations (but don't all the time because I find them not as useful to me lately as I am to them). Why should there be regulated fee schedules? As an attorney...much higher ethical standards and I could charge what my market bore. Why would this be any different? This is a capitalist society, thank you. Charging what you, I or anyone else charges has nothing to do with ethics. Do I think a year's tuition at an Ivy League School is absurd to charge? Of course. Can my market afford it? You bet. Will my market pay it? Yep. Do I personally know coaches who charge it and get it? Yep. And they do bulk , I mean, group coaching, not even counseling to get it.

I have my degrees in counseling, law, HR, and more. I can and do charge what my product (me) cost to produce.
Posted by Lisa Kay
I am an Independent College and Career Advisor and I do not charge anywhere near that amount. If a family is retaining a counselor for at a rate of $950/hour they are paying WAY too much. I offer the same service for a lot less. And, no, it doesn't make me any less effective.
Posted by Cherise Ogle
I've written about this issue on my own blog, College Counseling Culture ( http://funnyhamlet.wordpress.com ) and have come down squarely on the side of those who ridicule people who feel they need to spend any substantial amount of money on a college coach. Those who charge an arm and a leg for "soup to nuts" counseling are preying on people's insecurities and status-consciousness, in my opinion.

I think a private counselor is needed only when a school counselor is unavailable or clearly uninformed, or when there are special circumstances that might need some expertise outside the usual norms. Otherwise, it's unnecessary. I have a few private clients, although that's not my main business (see www.collegeforall2.org) but they're either friends or referrals in specific circumstances, and my charges are modest by most standards that I've seen.
Posted by Willard Dix

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

Sure. The college admissions process is as shrouded in mystery as the road to college is full of twists, turns, detours, and, yes, the occasional pothole.

Still, there are some general observations that can be made about the process, and particulars that every college-bound student -- and his/her parents -- should be aware of.

Here are some thoughts -- and prudent pointers -- from the folks at Howstuffworks.com:

Introduction to How College Admissions Works

Planning for college can be one of the most exciting times in a young person's life. But it can also be stressful, because there's a lot that has to happen before you're actually moving into your new dorm room. The process of selecting a college or university and applying for admission probably starts around the time you take your PSATs and concludes (happily, we hope) by April of your senior year in high school when you're notified of your status (acceptance or rejection) at the college of your choice.

Whether you are a student or a parent, the entire college admission process can seem mysterious. In this article, we'll make the admissions process much more understandable. With the help of Duke University director of undergraduate admissions Christoph Guttentag, we will use Duke University in Durham, N.C., as a real-world example of how college admission works in America.

Also noteworthy: How College Financial Aid Works Cappex.com: College Search

Remember that every college and university -- and there are many, many schools in the United States, not to mention abroad -- has its own admissions standards and processes. So, depending upon where you apply, your experience may be different from the rather rigorous one employed by nationally ranked Duke. However, you'll definitely learn something about what can be a somewhat mysterious process -- something that can help you gain admission to the college of your choice!

Let's start at the beginning: When should you begin to think about college applications?

Thinking About the Future

Where do I start? "One of the things that continues to surprise me over the years is the randomness of student's decisions about which college to attend," Guttentag says with a grin. That randomness might include the flip of a coin, the decision to follow a girlfriend or boyfriend to college (no matter where they're going!) or a "gut feeling" they really can't explain. But most of the time, high school students are influenced by: Parents, who have significant influence College choices of friends they look up to Their own perceptions (however formed) of what a school is like National rankings (and their own internal ranking systems!) Campus visits Are students attracted to colleges that have successful sports programs? While Duke applications rose significantly back in the mid 1980s when the men's basketball team began to reach the Final Four, that influence is not obvious today, Guttentag says. How important sports are to a prospective student should be part of that student's internal dialogue about social and cultural environment.

The subject of college comes up with most students when they take the Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test, better known as the PSAT -- usually in fall of the 10th grade and no later than fall of the 11th grade. Even if you aren't thinking much about college yet, after the PSATs (which give you a good idea of how you'll do on the Scholastic Aptitude Test, or SAT), you might start to get information in the mail from colleges and universities.

How do they find you if you haven't contacted them? Colleges and universities can actually purchase mailing lists from the College Board (the organization that sponsors PSAT and SAT tests), the company that gives ACT Assessment Tests (another college admissions test) and the National Research Center for College and University Admissions (NRCCUA). Guttentag describes the lists that Duke purchases as defined mailing lists -- lists of students who did well on their PSATs and who had good high school grades. Duke uses these mailing lists as a recruitment tool, according to Guttentag. It definitely has an effect -- about 25 percent of the undergraduates accepted at Duke each year come from these defined lists.

In case you or your parents are wondering, you actually gave permission for colleges to purchase a list with your name on it if you checked a box on your PSAT agreeing to participate in a "student search" program. There are several other ways you can get on a school's mailing list -- writing to them yourself, calling them, visiting the college and meeting admissions staff or attending college fairs. It's a pretty good idea to get on mailing lists for the schools in which you're interested. You can get a feeling through regular reading of their materials for the kind of place that school might be and what it might offer to someone with your background and interests.

So how do you know if a particular school is right for you? Read on to find out.

Selecting a College

So Many Choices While there's no set formula to knowing how many schools you should apply to, Guttentag suggests that students apply to six or eight different schools (application fees run from $10 to about $60), including a couple of "safety schools" (places where you're almost certain to be accepted), two or three "target schools" (places where your chances of being admitted are about 50 percent) and a couple of "reach schools," schools you'd like to attend but aren't sure you qualify for. But remember, all of the schools you apply to should fall within the "comfortable and challenged" category. Students generally find it easy to pick their reach schools, Guttentag says, but difficult to choose their safety schools. "That's unfortunate because they might wind up there, and there are many wonderful colleges and universities where you can have as enriching and rewarding experiences as you can at a more visible school," he says. (His favorite book about college admissions is "Colleges That Change Lives," by Loren Pope. The book looks at about 40 small schools and focuses on how they're preparing students to go out and make a difference in the world.)

Guttentag believes that a very important criterion for choosing a college should be the question: Will I be both "comfortable and challenged" there? He believes that these criteria should be applied to every college or university that you consider. He also advises thinking about these three kinds of college environments:

• Physical environment - Is the college big or small, old or new? Which would you prefer? It's important -- after all, you'll be there for four years!
• Academic environment - Does the college have the programs and/or major you want? Is it academically rigorous? What are the faculty's expectations of students? What's the overall academic atmosphere -- is it a grind or a party school?
• Social/cultural environment - Is this university a rural school or a city school? Is it conservative or liberal? Is it religious? Again, we're back to the question: Will you be comfortable there? Guttentag encourages students to view diversity on college campuses as a good thing -- something between the homogeneity of high school and the wide diversity of the "real world."

Other considerations should include a frank look at the question: What are my chances of being admitted to this school? It takes some homework to get the answer, Guttentag says. Start with a school's Web site, checking to see if it includes a profile of the entering class or discusses the kind of students it is looking for. Another revealing way to learn about a school is to visit it! You'll get a pretty good idea rather quickly about what the school is like. In fact, a campus visit is very often the decision-maker in cases where students are accepted at more than one desired college. (Check out Collegiate Choice's Walking Tour Videos for a look at 330 universities and colleges in the United States and abroad.)

Of course, you and/or your parents will want to know how much the college costs per year. And that's certainly important. However, Guttentag urges high school students not to let cost stop them from applying to a school they'd really like to attend. "Don't let the 'sticker price' of a school keep you from applying. As a rule, the less you can afford a school, the more financial aid you can get there," he says. "You might be pleasantly surprised -- even without scholarships -- at what need-based financial aid can offer."

Once you have an idea about which schools you want to apply to, you have to begin the actual application process. Let's see how that works.

College Applications

Again, application forms vary from one institution to another (and some let you apply online). Some colleges have very brief forms for students to fill out, while others, like Duke, have comprehensive forms with several requirements:

• Three letters of recommendation - Duke requires letters from two teachers and one counselor. These are extremely important, according to Guttentag, even though students seek letters from teachers they know will say positive things. There are real differences -- differences that matter -- in what letters reveal about students. When faced with several qualified applicants, admissions staffers will look to these letters for information that sets students apart.
  
  
• One or two essays - Students are asked to write on a variety of topics, such as describing a significant experience or writing about someone they admire even though they disagree with that person. "We want to learn more about what students are interested in as well as the quality of thought and writing in the pieces," Guttentag says. (Check out these tips on application essay writing.)
  
  
• Extracurricular activities - Students are asked about non-academic activities, including clubs, sports, community service and jobs.

  Guttentag likes to use a baseball analogy to describe how factors contribute to a student's advancement in the admission process. "Think of it as a baseball game. Everybody gets their time at bat. The quality of their academic work that we can measure (through test scores and analysis of high school courses) gets about 10 percent of the applicants to third base, 50 percent to second base and about 30 percent to first base. And 10 percent strike out," he says.

  Most students can be nudged toward "home base" by what they do outside of class -- especially if a student is a published writer, a national leader making an impact in some area or a championship athlete. In an overwhelming number of applicants, academic and extracurricular activities are pretty balanced, Guttentag says.

  So grades and outside activities definitely make a difference in whether you get accepted to a particular school. But what about those pesky SAT scores we hear so much about?

SAT Scores and Minority Students

It may come as a surprise, but most schools consider how you did academically in school to be more important than SAT scores. And most colleges don't have a cutoff SAT score. The way SAT scores are perceived has changed somewhat since, several years ago, colleges began to report scores differently. (To read more about the SAT and related issues, take a look at Secrets of the SAT from PBS.)

For example, many colleges now report the middle 50 percent of admits. An easy way to think of it is like this: If your SAT scores are in the bottom 25 percent of what the school reports, you have to be better than most other students the school admits in other areas to make up for that. If you're in the middle of the 50 percent, it doesn't matter much where your scores fall. "There's a very fine distinction between a score of 1460 and a score of 1410," Guttentag says. "Going back to our baseball analogy, it doesn't matter if you got your double by hitting a 300-foot shot to the back wall or whether you took what should have been a single and hustled extra hard and made it to second base. A double is a double, no matter how you get there."

Bear in mind, however, that it's all relative. If your SAT score is under 1000 and you're trying to get into a highly selective school that admits less than one-third of its applicants, you'll have to do some pretty fast talking to qualify!

There are other factors that can affect admission besides grades, scores and activities. A big question is whether the color of your skin or your heritage can actually make a difference when you're applying to schools.

While the debate about the role of affirmative action in college admissions continues around the country, Guttentag says he doesn't believe most selective schools (those that admit a third or fewer of their applicants) will admit students simply to make the school's minority numbers look better. "Most schools want students who are going to succeed there. To admit someone who isn't likely to be successful is not good for anybody -- not for the university and not for the student," he says.

So does race matter when it comes to college admissions? "Diversity matters," Guttentag says. "The working world in the 21st century is going to be increasingly diverse, particularly racially diverse. I tell students that the diversity of college is a transitional place between the homogeneity of high school and the diversity of the 'real world.'"

Again, he advises all students who are looking at various colleges to ask themselves the "comfortable and challenging" question and to think about something else, too: "A big part of college is having your assumptions challenged. The way this happens is through interacting with people whose values and backgrounds and experience are different from yours," he says. (If you have questions, check out the College Board's document responding to the Office of Civil Rights Resource Guide.)

Back to basics -- when do you actually start applying to these schools you've chosen?

College Admissions

Most colleges accept applications up until sometime between December 15 and February 1 for the next fall semester. (Some schools accept applications as early as the summer before a student's senior year.) NOTE: Deadlines vary. Be aware. Don't miss out!

Decisions, Decisions If you go the "regular decision" route and get accepted by more than one school, you've got a decision to make. Go visit them all -- that settles the question with most students. Whatever happens, you're lucky -- you're going to be attending a great school.

Some schools have what is known as rolling admissions, which means that they will notify you of your status (acceptance or rejection) in about two to three weeks from when your application is received. Hard-to-get-into schools, such as Duke, usually have two deadlines -- early decision (for those students who have made the school their very top choice) with a deadline somewhere between November 1 and December 15, and regular decision, with a deadline somewhere between December 1 and February 1. Early acceptances reach students by mid-December, and a binding agreement between students and Duke is reached -- basically, if you get in "early decision," you're supposed to go there. (Early admission allows colleges and universities to go ahead and enroll 25 percent to 45 percent of the incoming class.) The remaining admissions notices are sent out by early April.

For more on this topic, check out http://money.howstuffworks.com/personal-finance/college-planning/admissions/college-admission.htm

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Again, no absolutes here, and this general advice, to be sure, may not be applicable -- and should not be considered as the Gospel -- for any particular student applying to any particular school. It is also but the tip of the college application and admissions iceberg. Be aware that 75% of the whys and wherefores are still hidden below the surface.

Consult with your high school guidance counselor on a regular basis, as well as with your independent college planning counselor at College Connection, for the right (and write) moves at the right times.

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

Yes, The College Whisperer said, FREE -- as in gratis, no cost, complimentary, on the house. In other words, FREE!

What could possibly be offered for FREE, you ask?

College Planning Workshops, absolutely FREE for churches, temples, synagogues, religious and fraternal groups, and other not-for-profit (though you will, by attending a workshop) organizations.

From finding the perfect match of student to college to finding the money to pay for that match, we'll take you through the winding and seemingly endless road from application to admission, Common App to uncommon ways to locate (and win) scholarships and grants. Help -- and all of it FREE -- to navigate the road to college!

Want to host a FREE College Planning Workshop at your house of worship, for your community group, or for the benefit of the members of your not-for-profit organization? Who wouldn't?

Call College Connection today at 516-345-8766 for more information, and to schedule a FREE -- yes, we said FREE -- College Planning Workshop!

The views and opinions expressed in this blog are solely those of The College Whisperer and his guest bloggers.
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Comments? Questions for The College Whisperer?
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The road to college begins at College Connection. Call us for a FREE telephone consultation. 516-345-8766.

"Play nice!"

Parents have been admonishing their children with this omage to civil obedience since the days of Cain and Abel. [Would that they had listened!]

Get along. Be respectful. At work. At play. In the home.

If it seems that civility, from the street corner to the world stage, has not been a presence since the Small World Pavilion opened at the 1965 World's Fair, you are not alone in such thought.

Indeed, Rutgers University, the flagship of the New Jersey State University system, recognizing this lack of "niceness" (and, perhaps, hoping to capitalize on it), has launched "Project Civility, a two-year initiative to engage the New Brunswick campus in a series of activities and discussions that aim to cultivate an environment of courtesy and compassion through thoughtful communication and interaction."

Yes, civil discourse, on and off campus, as an engagement of both diplomacy and humanity.

No, not just basic manners, as in no elbows on the table, but, as Barry Qualls, vice president of Undergraduate Education, whose office is co-sponsoring the project with the Office of the Dean of Student, opines, "It is about the ways we relate as individuals, as social groups, as nations. It is about the ways different people and countries define what constitutes a civil society – a place where we live without fear and with ease of interaction."

No one could disagree (at least with a straight face) that more civility is needed in today's "me first," "everyone else be damned" world, and not only among nations.

Could it be that civility, like laughter, is contagious? That it will spread from New Brunswick clear down Interstate 95 to, say, the nation's capital? Or half way around the globe, impacting upon some fanatic warlord in Afghanistan?

We wouldn't hold out for miracles, a thousand Project Civilities notwithstanding.

Then again, random acts of kindness have been known to spontaneously spring from the well, being gratuitously paid forward, even by strangers.

Maybe a world where civility is the norm is beyond the realm of imagination, whether on Planet Earth, as a whole, or provincially, in the very heart of the Garden State. Still, we could hope. And if civility should bathe the campus with the warm glow of understanding and compassion, might that the underlying dialogue spawning such niceties migrates well beyond the ivy-covered gates.

Who knows? The Rutgers project might even bring some civility, or at least an aura of sanity, to the college application and admissions process. We're not holding our collective breath on that one. . .
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By the way, there may even be some money in being civil. Project Civility will also feature an essay contest with three cash prizes totaling $1,500 funded by The New York Times and offices of Undergraduate Education and Dean of Students. Contest details will be announced at the inaugural event on Sept. 29.

The views and opinions expressed in this blog are solely those of The College Whisperer and his guest bloggers.
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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.

. . .It's The College Whisperer!

What: FREE College Planning Workshop

When: Monday, September 20
          7:00 PM to 8:30 PM

Where: West Hempstead Public Library
            500 Hempstead Avenue
            West Hempstead, Long Island, NY

Why: [Because we like you!] To give you the ins and outs, ups and downs, and everything in between on the college application process, college admissions, and financing that university degree.

Admission is FREE (to the College Planning Workshop, not necessarily to college ;-), and all parents with college-bound high school students are invited -- and encouraged -- to attend.

Bring your friends. Bring your questions. Bring your high school student along, if you'd like.

Don't be overwhelmed, confused and angst-ridden about applying to college. Be informed by The College Whisperer. Be prepared to successfully navigate the road to college!

For more information, call the West Hempstead Public Library at 516-481-6591 or College Connection at 516-345-8766.

The views and opinions expressed in this blog are solely those of The College Whisperer and his guest bloggers.
* * *
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.

L.B. of North Merrick, NY writes:

There's a College Fair at the Nassau Coliseum on Sunday, October 3. 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?

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!

See you at the fair!

The views and opinions expressed in this blog are solely those of The College Whisperer and his guest bloggers.
* * *
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.

Two high school seniors, college bound. One from an affluent school district on Long Island. The other from a small town nestled in the foothills of the Adirondacks. Both with stellar academic records, sufficiently proficient SAT and ACT scores, exemplary extracurricular activities, and abundant community service.

What distinguishes these two students, one from the other, in the eyes of the all and powerful college admissions officer at XYZ University?

Demographics, yes. All things being equal (which they seldom are), the edge and the admissions nod go to the smart kid from the small town, and not to the top performer from Long Island, viewed as a bright star among a galaxy of glowing suns. Alas, life is not fair. We have to deal with the hand we are given, and the island on which some of us are raised and schooled.

Hanging in the precarious balance, however -- that void between acceptance and rejection -- is not necessarily where you are (in either time or space), but rather, who you are.

On that great screen shot that is your college application, there is but one opportunity to truly shine, to stand far above the crowd, to give voice to the inner you beyond the grades, the scores, the rankings, and the lead role you played in the junior year dramatic production of The Iceman Cometh.

The college essay. Often the final arbiter in the admission decision process.

So, what makes for a winning essay?

Length? Ahh. Brevity is still the soul of wit. And pity the poor admissions officer who, reading your essay at 4:45 PM, had to digest some 100 other "My Experience As A Camp Counselor" or "Building A Habitat for Humanity in Honduras" writings before yours. Indeed, go for more than the minimum of 250 words suggested by the Common App, but please, no War and Peace treatise.

Depth? Who wouldn't want to read about obscure theories in astrophysics or the intricacies of foreign affairs that only a policy wonk could appreciate? [Then again, if you are applying for a specialized program that calls for a recitation of such knowledge, or you can otherwise make an essay about nanoparticles hurtling through an accelerator a fascinating read, hey, go for it.]

Keep it simple, so even the likes of The College Whisperer could understand. Keep it real. Write about what you know and who you are. Incorporate and elaborate upon your own life experiences. What will you bring to campus (aside from your entire wardrobe and a high def TV to be named later)? Why are you the perfect match for this college?

Add a touch of humor (shying away from the stand-up routine for which you are known in high school lunch rooms, far and wide), and a tad of pathos. Humble yet confident. Assured but not a braggart.

Show the world who you are, and who you hope to become as you go through your college career. Tell your story.

What to write about? No idea how to get started? Well, as the essay that follows demonstrates, the topic can be about almost anything and practically everything. [The College Whisperer wonders whether Jerry Seinfeld's application -- to Queens College -- contained an essay, like his television show, about nothing?] As long as the focus is you, your accomplishments, your goals, and the means you choose to take you from here to there.

You needn't be an Einstein -- or a Dale Earnhardt -- to write a successful essay. Just be you, and you will be fine!
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Driven To Succeed

In life, I can't just recklessly pursue my passions, without considering how my actions will affect those around me, as well as my own future. In the world, I must be aware and abide by the rules in order to avoid chaos. With good judgment and a sense of maturity, I was able to set out on the road.

"Wow, it's finally over," I thought to myself. After what seemed like years, I successfully completed Driver's Education. "I stuck with it and didn't give up, and look where I am now - I have my license," I said to my father as he gave me a hug of approval and acknowledged my accomplishment. Not only could I maneuver the car through the local streets, while resisting the urge to play bumper cars, I was able and secure enough to enter major roads and the Long Island Expressway. I passed my road test on my first attempt, and proved  to myself that I have come a long way - measured not only in miles, but also in confidence.

Freedom does have a price; it's called responsibility! I am now ready to face all the challenges of the world, applying the brake, as necessary, and always ready to accelerate!
***

Happy writing!

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Plan. Prepare. Prevail! 

The College Whisperer™ is the Trademark of COLLEGE CONNECTION, Official Sponsor of College Admission Success. The road to college begins at COLLEGE CONNECTION! Whether you are applying to college, planning for college, paying for college or simply thinking about college, COLLEGE CONNECTION can help! Call TODAY for a FREE telephone consultation. 516-345-8766 

For up-to-the-minute news, apps, info and insights on college applications, admissions, scholarships and just about everything college, follow The College Whisperer™ on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/GetCollege 

A good friend to every parent of a college-bound student (and, by osmosis, every high school student hoping to get into and find a way to pay for college), James Boyle of College Parents of America opines on the upsides, downsides, and inside-outsides of so-called merit aid.

The College Whisperer shares this piece with his readers for their edification (good SAT word), enlightenment, and reading pleasure.

Examining the Merit of Merit Aid

On its surface, merit aid for college is an appealing concept to most parents, especially those who are Moms and Dads of high-achieving students.

But questions and objections start to arise with attempts at implementation of merit aid, as colleges try to ensure that available money fairly gets into the hands of students who most deserve it.

Today’s column endeavors to define for you what merit aid is, where it is utilized, how it is typically disbursed, who tends to receive it and why it appears to be losing momentum as colleges grapple with the concept and the practical difficulties of implementation.

Now, if I were to be cynical about merit aid, I could make a pretty good case that parent supporters and opponents of merit aid fall into two distinct camps: supporters of merit aid are those with children who are recipients of merit aid; and opponents of merit aid are the parents of all other students, the vast majority of young people who do not receive merit aid.

Despite my frustration with many things college-related, I am still not that cynical, and I hope you aren’t either.  Let’s both be skeptical, however, and together let’s dissect the what, where, how, who and why questions of merit aid.  Let’s ask:

• WHAT is merit aid?  To answer that question, let’s start with what merit aid is not.  It is not need-based.  Instead, merit aid is based on a college’s subjective evaluation of a student’s admission credentials.  In its simplest terms, merit aid is most often awarded to a student with GPA and standardized test scores higher than the average accepted student at a particular school.

• WHERE is merit aid available?  To be consistent with my first answer, I’ll start by delineating where merit aid is not available, and that includes a number of very different colleges.  First, merit aid is not available at America’s most selective schools, such as the Ivies, Duke, Northwestern, Stanford, etc.  At these schools, admission is need-blind and all financial aid is need-based, as the pool of applicants is so strong that it would be difficult, if not impossible, to single out certain applicants as deserving of merit aid.  Merit aid is also often not available at some state schools, which sometimes operate under government mandate to only make financial aid available based on strict need criteria.  Merit aid is often available at less selective private colleges and universities which aspire to be stronger in terms of their student bodies.  To be frank, it is used as an enrollment management tool at such schools, helping them to recruit stronger students who might otherwise wish to attend a more selective private school or a brand-name state school.

• HOW are merit aid decisions made and how is the money disbursed?  Very mysteriously is the short answer to both of those questions.  While an individual student is, of course, the end beneficiary when merit aid is awarded, it is often for purposes of rounding out an entire class that merit aid is made available.  Schools want to have entering classes that include football quarterbacks, student government leaders, actors and actresses, marching band members, mathematicians and on and on, all the specialties that make up the various activities on campus.  As a result, school officials decide who should receive merit aid and how to disburse the funds based on enrollment management goals.  If a school has decided it is important to have a chamber orchestra, then it logically wants to have students who can make up that orchestra and it may be willing to “pay” for those musicians, not in hard cash, but instead in the form of a tuition discount.  This leads to the related question of. . .

• WHO receives merit aid?  To be cynical for just a moment, the answer to that question is not necessarily the most meritorious students, but those who have outstanding – and usually very specialized – credentials and who happen to be in the right place at the right time.  In some cases, this specialized credential is an absolutely outrageous GPA and several really high standardized test scores, not just on the SAT, but also on multiple SAT II exams.  Again, however, if that student chooses to apply to Harvard or MIT, then he or she is literally a dime a dozen.  If he or she is debating whether to attend local private school X, however, then such aid may be available with an original offer of admission, or if a student makes clear to the admissions office that he/she would only attend that school if a significant amount of aid were to be made available.  This is not something that you can count on, however, as momentum is building among schools to stop using – or dangling – aid for such purposes.

• So, WHY exactly is the tide turning on merit aid, with more and more schools deciding to go back to a purely or mostly need-based aid system?  The seeds to the answer to this question can best be seen in my answers to the previous four queries dealing with the what, where, how and who parts of merit aid.  As much as we parents would probably not wish to admit it, merit aid, for the most part, is really not merit aid at all.  It is tuition discounting, used sometimes sparingly, but sometimes on a widespread basis.  It gives a school cover to raise its tuition sticker price, which some families do indeed end up paying, in order to proudly claim a high percentage of students receive aid, and therefore also claim that the “net price” to families is much lower than the sticker price.  Merit aid used this way is bound to engender cynicism, especially among the large percentage of parents whose students are not among the fortunate recipients of such aid.  To put merit aid in employment terms, merit aid has too often become a “signing bonus” for a potential student that a school really wants to recruit. This policy results in aid funds  being less available or not available at all to current students who have risen to the occasion and performed well in college, after high school careers that perhaps were not as stellar.

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Taking into consideration the good, the bad and the downright ugly, The College Whisperer encourages students (and their parents) to seek out merit aid (meritaid.com is a great starting point), and to search for merit aid opportunities, by way of scholarships and grants as part and parcel of a college's financial aid package, and as are often offered independently by and/or through the college, appearing, without much fanfare, perhaps, on the college's website.


The views and opinions expressed in this blog are solely those of The College Whisperer and his guest bloggers.
* * *
Comments? Questions for The College Whisperer?
Write us at info@TheCollegeWhisperer.com

The road to college begins at College Connection.

As Jews the world over usher in the year 5771 (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!