What Type of College Application Plan is Best for YOUR Teen?
Learn how to choose which type of college application type and plan is best for your teen.
Are You Properly Prepared When Asking for Letters of Recommendation?
Updated for 2020 and the Constraints of the Coronavirus Pandemic Most college applications require two teacher recommendations. It is important to ask two teachers who know you well to write this letter. Preferably, the teachers you choose will be ones who taught you during your junior year. Usually, when asking a teacher for a recommendation, it is best to ask IN PERSON and at the beginning of the school year. Since many high schools will open the school year online, EMAIL your preferred teachers with your request. Many teachers will commit to writing a specific number of recommendation letters, and [...]
COVID-19 Impact on College Applications
Get tips for getting into college, new application process, no more SAT/ACT testing for some college admissions, check college admissions for new application rules, summer internships and how to get them.
3 Tips for Applying to Private Scholarships
When to Apply for Scholarships The earliest deadlines for scholarships hit in October – well before any college application is due. Almost all are due before March – before many students will have heard from the majority of their schools. If you really want a private scholarship, you should think of the money separately from the academic application process. Scholarship money will follow wherever you go – if you’ve got it in place. To that end, make sure you know the due date of each scholarship you’re applying to – and try to get your application in early. Scholarships [...]
10 Financial Aid Forms You Can’t Afford to Forget
A previous blog discussed the importance of timely completion of the FAFSA. Parents should be diligently completing this form and strictly adhering to the timeline. The form is complicated and there are many websites devoted to helping you. This blog is equally important in your search for financial aid. Wendy David-Games, from StudentAdvisor.com, wrote a compelling article about all the financial forms you may need to complete in order to be eligible for the MOST financial aid. The article is reproduced below. Colleges determine which financial aid applications they require to calculate financial aid awards. There are billions of dollars in [...]
How to Write a Compelling Essay for your College Application
Almost all colleges require applicants to write an essay. Why, you may ask? Aren’t great grades and SAT/ACT scores more important? Colleges have many requirements for gaining admittance and grades and SAT/ACT scores are just part of the overall picture you present to a college. However, the number of applications received by colleges far exceeds the number of available spots. Even if you pass the numbers test, you still may not be accepted. The application essay can be the defining feature on your application and may be the difference between you receiving an acceptance or rejection notice. Most college essays are [...]
35 Best Questions to Ask on College Tours
Many high school students take college or University tours over holiday or summer break to determine if the school is a good fit. The questions you ask on the college tour can help determine if the school is right for you. Ideally you should talk to more than just the admission staff. In advance of the trip try to arrange a visit with a professor or two in your field of interest and ask to shadow a current student in your chosen field of study for a few hours. Not every school will comply with your request, but most [...]
What Type of College Application Plan is Best for YOUR Teen?
Most families do not realize there are several types of application plans offered by colleges and universities. Deciding which is best for your child, will help determine what schools to apply to, and the timelines that need to be adhered to when applying to specific schools. Before deciding on which type of application plan is right for your child, you need to thoroughly understand the difference. There are two types of application plans, Non-Restrictive Plans and Restrictive Plans. Non-Restrictive Applications Plans allow students to wait until May 1 to confirm enrollment. These include: Regular Decision is the application process in [...]
How to Decide Which College to Attend
The long wait is finally over and you have heard from all the colleges on your list. Deciding which one to choose may seem like a daunting task, but if you break your decision down and focus on the ultimate goal, graduation and life after college, deciding which college to attend becomes more easily attainable. When you first started the college process you focused on “fit.” This is an intangible that is different for each person, but generally includes: location of the college, size of the college, cost of the college and whether the college has your major. Now you [...]
Which Matters More – High Grades or Challenging Courses?
This is the time of year many students are getting ready to select high school classes for the following school year. With that in mind, I am re-publishing a blog I wrote about the how and why behind choosing high school classes with an eye to future college admission. Andi Teens today are usually in a quandary when deciding what courses to take during high school to enhance their college applications. Are high grades or challenging courses more important? Should the student go for the “easy” A or take the tough AP course? Should s/he take a college course while [...]