The College Whisperer™ | Navigating The Road To College

For high school students looking for leadership training and college scholarship opportunities, the Posse Foundation offers those with "extraordinary academic and leadership potential" a means to become Posse Scholars.

No, the horse is not included, nor will there be any outlaws to round up and bring to justice. There will, however, be the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to join a diverse, enthusiastic, and engaged group of students (the Posse, in case you were wondering), who, through campus initiatives, serve as catalysts for "increased individual and community involvement."

Students are nominated by high schools and community organizations, and, through Posse's association with partner colleges (38 in all), join multicultural teams of 10 (a nice size for a posse), a full-tuition, four-year scholarship in pocket (holster sold separately).

There may not be a camp out at the Ponderosa for this posse (The College Whisperer is no doubt dating himself, as these days, high schoolers hear "Ponderosa" and think "steakhouse"), but "have gumption, will travel" could well be the credo for the Posse Scholars of tomorrow.

For more info on Posse Scholarships, check out www.possefoundation.org/ or visit the guidance office in your high school.

Let's ride!

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The New York Higher Education Loan Program (NYHELPs) touts itself, on ads seen on buses and heard on radio, as "bridging the gap" in college financing.

After exhausting federal grants and loans, scholarships from colleges, and State programs, such as the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) [itself an extremely limited resource, particularly for the financially hard-squeezed middle class, being quietly phased out in NY (TAP, that is. Not the middle class. Then again, with property taxes what they are, the middle class may also be headed toward extinction)], NYHELPs offers students what it calls "low cost" student loans.

The low down on the "low cost?" Interest rates start at 7.55% for an "immediate repayment" loan, and go up to 8.75% for "full deferment."

Not exactly the "low cost" most students have in mind, considering that home mortgage rates are hovering near 4.25%, undergraduate Stafford (subsidized) loans for 2010-11 are a fixed 4.5%, going down to 3.4% in 2011-12 [unsubsidized Stafford loans hold the rate at 6.80%], and the PLUS loan rate is 7.9%. Private loans vary, but interest rates can be considerably less than what NYHELP offers.

Granted, the 2% and 3% student loans of yesteryear are long gone, but geez, if New York's Higher Education Services Corporation (HESC), a public agency utilizing public tax dollars, wants to offer students a hand up to "bridge the gap," then beat the rates offered by Stafford and the private lenders, with truly low cost gap loans.

As it stands, NYHELPs' version of "low cost" loans to "bridge the gap" is the financial equivalent of the the MTA's efforts to close the gap between station and platform. Too many students, with already insurmountable debt, falling through the cracks. HESC's idea of "bridging the gap" with relatively high interest loans to pay for that college dream is no better than the MTA's exorbitant tolls on New York's bridges as a means of paying for the MTA's mismanagement of taxpayers' money.

Here's a thought, New York. ZERO interest loans conditioned upon attending a college (public or private) in New York, provided that the student continues to reside in New York for at least five consecutive years post graduation, with loan forgiveness for students who commit to a minimum of five years of post-college public service (or enter into a public service career, such as teaching).

We can do better to help our children on the education front, and making college truly affordable, in an economy that is stagnant and an environment where colleges still believe they can charge whatever they like (and they do), must be our top priority.
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Don't let college dreams turn into financial nightmares! Start you search for grants and scholarships at Fastweb.com. Already registered at Fastweb and committed to the search? Search on! Register at scholarshipexperts.com and meritaid.com. [Tip of the scholarship search iceberg, but you have to start somewhere!] Looking for low-cost student loans beyond those offered by the feds or state? Check out SimpleTuition.com.

Be sure to consult with your independent college planning counselor for creative ways to fund your college education. College Connection can help you mine those hidden scholarships and unlock the secrets of paying for college.

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Have the grades to get into colleges like Princeton, Yale, and the University of Pennsylvania, but don't come close to being able to afford the steep tuition and related costs?

If you are in the top 5% to 10% of your graduating high school class, and have financial "need" (typically translating into family income below $60,000, though circumstances may vary), you may qualify for a full scholarship, courtesy of the Questbridge National College Match Program.

QuestBridge is an initiative of the non-profit Quest Scholars Program that identifies high-achieving, low-income students nationwide, assists them with their applications and helps them connect with competitive colleges they would like to attend. To date, 29 colleges and universities are members of a select coalition, including Princeton, Yale, Stanford, Columbia and Rice universities, as well as liberal arts colleges such as Bowdoin, Oberlin and Wellesley, that partner with QuestBridge.

Through the College Match Program, high school seniors chosen as finalists have their names and applications submitted by QuestBridge to college “partners” during the early admissions cycle in lieu of submitting their applications directly to schools. [That means no initial application submission via either the college's own application or the Common App.]

The colleges then rank the students they are interested in, and the students rank their top-choice colleges. If there is a match, the student may attend the school and receive a scholarship package that includes full cost of tuition, books and room and board. Students who do not find a match during the early admission cycle may apply to their choices regular decision by completing the Common Application Supplement.

Students apply for the QuestBridge College Prep Scholarship during 11th grade and for the College Match program during 12th grade. For more information on QuestBridge visit www.questbridge.org.

Be sure to read the FAQs for the fine print (such as the "binding" nature, with limited exception, of your decision to attend a "matched" college), and do consult with your high school guidance counselor and independent college planning counselor before submitting your Questbridge application. Also, pay close attention to deadlines, here and elsewhere.

The Questbridge College Match program is not for every student, and, clearly, not every student is either eligible or will qualify. Still, if financial need is a consideration, and you've got the grades and scores to be competitive, Questbridge could open doors to some of the nation's top colleges and universities.
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Are you a high school student about to enter the 11th or 12th grade? Don't delay your scholarship search. Start to look for money for college TODAY by registering and completing your profile at the Fastweb.com search portal. It's the important first step toward finding the money you need to pay for college!

Scholarship and grant opportunities are plentiful and obtainable, if you know where to look and how to apply yourself!

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The Long Island Press, an innovative, cutting edge, regional weekly (with which neither The College Whisperer nor his "parent," College Connection, have any affinity, but for the occasional paid advertising), is accepting nominations (through August 31, for its Best of Long Island promo.

You know. Best Barber. Best Chinese food. Best Place to Cure a Hangover (having nothing to do with college life, to be sure ;-).

A beauty contest, indeed. And who could possibly be more beautiful -- in the blogosphere, at least -- than yours truly, The College Whisperer, Long Island's (and tomorrow, the world's) best college planning blogger? [With sincere and profound apologies to my cyber-twin, The College Answer Guy.]

So, why not nominate The College Whisperer (Best Long Island website, perhaps?) and College Connection [there is no category, as of this posting, for Best Long Island College Planning Service -- though we've proposed just such an accolade (good SAT word) to our friends at LIP -- so you may want to nominate us under Best College, Best Family Amusement Place, or Best Tattoo Parlor. Hey, whatever works! ;-)]

To nominate a Long Island business, organization, or person, simply go to the Best of Long Island 2011 (but wait, it's only 2010. How do they know???).

Nominate early and often through August 31, then, come September, don't forget to vote! [Primary elections not included.]

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When "Best" May Not Be "Best" for You

The U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges for 2011 (but it's only 2010) has hit the street (and, no doubt, the desktops of America's college-bound students).

Harvard and Princeton duking it out for top honors. Poor Yale, always in the show position. Not to mention Duke.

List upon list of "Bests." Best National Universities. Best Regional Universities. Best Public Universities. Best for Engineering (of all sorts). Best Business Schools. And the lists go on and on and on.

So how does one quantify "Best?" Oh, they'll lay out a methodology, mind you, but can it all be reduced, qualitatively, to a list? Numbers. Statistics. Damned lies?

Remove the "Best Colleges" lists from their anointed post, reducing them to the stature of, say, a list of "Best Ice Cream" or "Best Running Shoe," and you will instantly be able to qualify the results. Best for whom?

Clearly, what is "best" is subjective, not objective. Your mileage, as they say, will definitely vary!

No single college or university is the perfect fit for any particular student. Which school is "best" for you is dependent upon more variables that U.S. News could possibly conceive, let alone reduce to a mere list.

Do you favor big universities or small colleges? City campuses, suburban settings, or no campus at all? Does the so-called "Best College" offer the "Best Programs" and "Best Courses" to pique your interests and meet your needs? And which college has the best mattresses? Best toilet paper? Best placed electrical outlets?

You get the idea.

Selecting the best college for you, matching school with persona, is surely serious business for the college-bound, and by no means an easy task. Look over those lists, of course, but take them with much more than a grain of salt. They are, at best (pun intended), a guidepost offering but some insight into how a college or university is perceived. At worst, and most lists are just that, they are someone else's perspective of which college or university is "best."

For bragging rights, nothing beats topping the rankings. Just remember, as with rankings for college basketball, they don't always hold true come "Sweet Sixteen" or the "Final Four."

Create your own list, or several. Do your research. [The Internet makes it simple.} Visit colleges. Ask questions. Consult with your guidance counselor and independent college planning counselor. Then find the college that truly is "best" for you!
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Speaking of lists, here's a cute piece by Linda Holmes at NPR/Monkey See entitled, Do College Students Really Think Beethoven Is A Dog?

The lists go on. And so will you!

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S.L. of Williston Park, NY writes:

With the senior year of high school yet to begin (I'm counting the days), our daughter -- an otherwise well-rounded honors student -- is driving her Mom and Dad bonkers. We say "up," she says "down." We say "no," she sulks, broods, and exhibits defiance in every way. Is this normal? The stress is almost unbearable, and we have yet to begin applying to colleges. [I can only imagine!] What can we do to achieve detente?

The College Whisperer responds:

Define "normal." ;-)

If you say "tomehto" and she says "tomahto," I'd suggest an intervention. Short of coming to fisticuffs, however, it would appear that the disconcerting behavior -- a scenario no doubt repeated every hour on the half hour in households across America -- is not that unusual.

Indeed, assuming you have read the manual (now on sale in the College Connection gift shop), as well as the fine print in the union contract by which children and their parents are bound (that compulsory arbitration is a minefield), you would know that "acting out" in a contrarian manner is all a part of the sport.

So, put your game face on in Williston Park -- and elsewhere across this great land -- for the battle of the college-bound is just getting underway!

Yes, it's that strange and bewildering combination of hormonal rage (theirs and ours) and genetic disposition to rebel (them against us). The stuff that keeps therapists busy well into the wee hours. Teens anxious to have their independence from the parental units, while awkwardly trying to hang on to the security of the womb. Parents wanting their children to achieve at least a modicum of independence, while struggling with the notion that they may not long hold on to the last vestiges of childhood.

Add to the mix the angst of college admissions -- the applying, the essays, the waiting, the anticipation, the paying -- and the cauldron doth boil over, if not regularly, then certainly, on occasion.

The College Whisperer's wife has a theory that some may take comfort in. The squabbling is simply God's way of telling parent and child alike that it is time (and okay) to let go.

Being of a more secular vein, I look at the ensuing struggle as an opportunity -- for teens and parents alike -- to strengthen familial bonds, using the senior year of high school as a time for reflection (accompanied by some necessary deflection) and personal growth.

Easier said than done, especially when tempers flair and that short fuse is about to burn down, igniting the nitro.

Take solace that you are not alone in this process, nor in your feelings. The emotions will run high on both ends. Try not to let them get the best of you.

Take a deep breath, or several. Relax.

Keep a sense of perspective, and, of at least equal import, a sense of humor. The world is not coming to an end. Your child will be off to college, yes, but s/he will be home often, longing for Mom's cooking or Dad's off-the-wall jokes. And kids, the countdown clock will soon run. You'll be off to campus, and, no, Mom and Dad won't be perched upon your dorm's doorstep every weekend. [Every other weekend, perhaps, but not every weekend! ;-)]

There will be times of joy and moments of sorrow. Laughter, loud and resounding, and tears (even the kind that crocodiles are said to cry). All a part of growing up, moving on, and (believe me, this is the sweetest part, as you will one day come to realize), coming home again.

Stress? You bet. It goes with the territory. You can, however, with a little work and a load of empathy (on both ends), relieve the tension and ease the transition.

Don't sweat the small stuff, especially this applying to college silliness. Laugh in the face of adversity -- as well as in the face of the folks at the Common App and College Board. It all works out, and, typically, for the best. Enjoy one another's company. Be there for each other. Shoot some hoops. Play Scrabble®. Share and polish off a gallon of Forbidden Chocolate ice cream. [Worry about that Freshman 15 some other time.]

Perhaps the best advice can be taken from the Broadway show RENT. There truly is No Day But Today. Live in the moment. One day at a time. Life is too short to go tit for tat. And this, too (like the SAT, AP exams, and having your wisdom teeth yanked), shall pass!



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Tough times call for tough measures and often difficult decisions, both for students and university administrators alike.

All the more difficult, especially in these hard economic times, when the State cuts back on financial aid to students, often hitting the hardest those who are most in need.

The College Whisperer's good friends at the NY Student Aid Alliance report on cutbacks in New York's Tuition Assistance Program (TAP), and summon a call to action on the part of students and parents alike.

New York, not the most generous State when it comes to financial aid for college students (its TAP awards still stuck in the 1960s in terms of what the Empire State doles out), will now give students even less, just when they need a little extra to make the grade.
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Last week, New York’s Legislature and Governor finalized the State Budget for the fiscal year that began in April. Throughout the Budget negotiations, student aid funding saw ups and downs.

First, the Governor proposed cuts to Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) as part of a plan to close a growing Budget deficit. In a move to protect student aid, the Legislature then passed a revised Budget that restored TAP funding. However the Governor later vetoed these restorations, an action that the Legislature was unable to override.

In the end of this especially hard-fought budget cycle, here’s what the final agreement means: Every student TAP award is cut by $75; TAP for graduate students is eliminated, and the maximum TAP award for two-year degree seekers at two-year institutions that do not offer four-year degrees is cut to $3,925 from $5,000. These changes take effect with the new school year.

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It’s important that we continue to communicate the importance of TAP and other student aid programs to our state’s leaders. New York’s extremely difficult economic climate is expected to continue, and we need your ongoing support. With next year’s budget process already upon us, we will send periodic updates when your calls, e-mails and meetings with policymakers will help.

With the new academic year just weeks away, we hope that you’ll invite your family, friends, and colleagues to join New York’s Student Aid Alliance. Please share this link http://www.nystudentaidalliance.org to encourage their participation.

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Top College Newspapers

Princeton Review -- which magically conjures up its "Best" lists every summer -- adds to the Hit Parade the best college newspapers.

Among the recipients of this year's honors are schools you would expect to sit atop the literary scale. The Harvard Crimson. The Chronicle of Duke University. Northwestern's Daily Northwestern. The Cornell Daily Sun. Yale Daily News.

Then there are those of which many would have asked, "Who would have thunk?" Diamondback of the University of Maryland. The Independent Florida Alligator of the University of Florida. Binghamton University's Pipe Dream.

Not only well-written, but well-read, as the Princeton Review polled university students in a survey of the best of the best (much as the do for their Best Dorms and Best Food lists) in determining the Top Twenty college rags.

So, as it turns out, you don't have to go the Harvard, Yale or Cornell to be among the best. A four year stint at, say, Binghamton University, long distinguished as a "public ivy" and part of the State University of New York, could bring you similar kudos, and often at a quarter of the price. [As many New Yorkers "in the know" often say, "Smart kids go to Cornell. Smart kids with smart parents go to Binghamton!" ;-)]

" It's really great to see our students get recognized for their hard work," said Gail Glover, Senior Director of Media and Public Relations at Binghamton University. "And they're in with a very selective bunch of schools, so quite an honor for all of our up-and-coming Binghamton University communicators."

An honor, indeed. And more than a footnote to the credo that dedication, hard work, and that extra effort -- along with brains, wit and moxie -- can pay off big time, no matter what college you ultimately decide to attend. As with most things in life, you will get out of the college experience what you are willing to put into it. [The same holds true, believe it or not, for the college admissions process and the search for scholarship money.]

Congrats to the editors, writers, and staff of all the top college papers, and GO BEARCATS!

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Perhaps, but the second mouse usually gets the cheese!

Plan. Prepare. Prevail! That's the mantra of The College Whisperer, and his advice to the college-bound (and their parents) as they set out on the road to college admissions success.

So what's this we hear about the rush to file the Common Application, being among the first to submit initial paperwork needed for college admission?

READ Pulling an All-Nighter for the College Application, a feature of The Choice in The New York Times.

Whatever happened to thoroughness? Completeness? Tried and true? Slow and steady wins the race? [Remember, the rabbit lost his bid to beat out the turtle, and the shelled-one had a lower composite score on the ACT!]

Deadline for application at most colleges isn't until December 1. Even Early Action/Early Decision applicants have until November 1 in most instances.

So, what's the rush to submit a college application in mid-August? There is none!

Sheer madness. This creeping neurosis among teens and parents alike compelling them to strike, not while the iron is hot, but before it is even plugged in.

College admissions officers themselves reveal that they won't begin looking at college applications for weeks, and, even then, no application will be considered "complete" (and thus, ready for review) until recommendation letters and transcripts are received from the high schools, which (obvious to other than the totally oblivious) cannot even begin to happen until schools open in September.

Does submitting that college app this early in the game give one an edge? Not at all. Take off the edge? Not really. Add to the anxiety of the now longer wait to hear from colleges the mind-scorching queries, "Did I complete my application properly, thoroughly, or merely hastily?" "Did my personal statement (essay) truly reflect the person I had hoped to give voice to?" "Would a once-over by my guidance counselor or college planning counselor (or both) had made a difference?" "What, if in the coming weeks (or ensuing months), I should change my mind about something, anything?" Oh, the angst!

Once you hit "submit," folks, there's absolutely no going back. Be mindful of deadlines. Indeed, submit your college apps well in advance. [October will suffice for the early bird, by any measure.]

Don't just get it done. Get it done right!

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The college search goes iTech!

You knew this one was coming. Actually, it's here. An App for iPads, iPhones, and similar devices that allows the college-bound to match themselves with colleges. It's called CollegeApp®, the brainchild of The College Whisperer's college counseling colleague, Erin Avery of Avery Educational Resources.

I've (or is it, i'Ve?) yet to test this app, but it does seem rather interesting as a 21st Century approach for matching students with colleges, and vice versa.

As Erin explains on her blog:

Users build a version of their ideal college characteristics using an avatar with rotating body parts that correspond to attributes such as size, location, cost, Greek life and selectivity. After the selections have been made, a list of colleges appears that match these chosen characteristics. The results page includes the most updated specifics self-reported by each college so that the information is accurate, current and pertinent. A map appears to show location with a direct link to each college website! Users can explore myriad possibilities and use CollegeApp® again and again using different combinations of college attributes...CollegeApp® also offers a search feature geared toward guidance counselors, educational consultants and parents alike! In a moment, users can isolate every college with Greek life, or every college located in a small town or city, or every college in a hot climate, or any number of combinations of the above. CollegeApp® helps to narrow from hundreds of great colleges to a manageable number and encourages all to focus on best-fit decisions.

Certainly worth a download, which can be done through iTunes (where else?), and a look-see by students and college counselors alike.

Let no one say The College Whisperer doesn't keep you on the cutting edge. Which way does this app cut? We report. You decide. Write to The College Whisperer with your reviews of this innovative and engaging college search/college match tool.

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