College Admissions Help Blog

Today I am starting something new. Every Wednesday I will be answering your most common college admissions questions.

This week we are talking about choosing the right school. Recently I had someone ask me “how do I know that I am picking the right college to attend?” This is a tough one. The truth is you can never know for sure until you get there, start taking classes and immerse yourself in the campus culture, but if you follow this advice you can come pretty close to making a flawless decision.

1: Determine a location that suites you. Some people are city people and some people are rural people. Some people like a self-contained campus and some people like a campus that is spread out. You need to figure out where you think you will be comfortable. You also need to figure out how far away from home you want to go. Maybe you cannot wait to move to the opposite coast or maybe you would prefer to be able to go home on the weekends.

2: Make sure the schools you are looking at have the academics that suite your needs. If science is your thing try not to fall in love with a business school no matter how fun it looks. Additionally, you may think you know what you want to do now, but if you change your mind and go to a school with limited options you might have to go through the hassle of transferring.

3: Do an exhausting amount of online research. There are so many websites out there that connect you with college that might fit your needs. How To get In even has its own college and university search engine that allows you to do all of you preliminary investigation.  If you are considering the online education route Edvisors.com can help you learn everything you need to know about online courses and degrees.

4: Visit the top ten schools on your list. You cannot make an educated school choice without visiting schools first. Colleges are extremely visitor friendly especially during college application season.  Colleges and Universities schedule and extensive number of tours, group information sessions, and even overnights. While you are visiting schools make sure you see what the residence halls look like, eat in the dining hall, visit the classrooms take a tour of the athletic facilities. The more information you can get the better.

5: Make sure you have safety, target and reach schools that you are interested in. If all of your favorite schools are admissions long shots and you do not end up getting into any of them, you will probably end up having to make a choice you are unhappy with. Have at least one safety school that thrills you.

6: Do not limit yourself to only looking at schools you think you can afford. Usually you will have people tell you the opposite, but I believe that if you find the perfect school there are ways to make it work. The Student Loan Network can help you determine what all of your financial aid options are.

In the end the college you choose is a decision that will stick with you for the rest of your life. If you know yourself and your own personal needs you cannot go wrong.

There is one thing that every college student experiences at least once a semester; sticker shock at the bookstore. Textbooks are an added cost that most first year students are not prepared for. Textbooks cost some college students thousands of dollars annually and paying for them dries up months of summer paychecks and years of savings.

Although many students have their textbooks subsidized by student loans and scholarships, the upfront costs for $190 biology books and $98 statistics books comes out of their pockets. Students sometimes wait months to see that money back in their wallet. After all of the other costs associated with college paying for books, even temporarily, is painful. However, one Massachusetts school is making paying for textbooks a lot easier. Williams College has adopted a policy that will allow students who receive financial aid to swipe their college ID and get their books for free. The costs are then assigned to the student’s bill and paid directly by college grants. Hopefully, after recognizing the benefits of this policy other schools will follow William’s lead.

If you do not attend a school with this procedure there are other ways to save on textbooks. Buying used books is one way to save. Although these books may be already marked or highlighted they are significantly cheaper. Another way to save is to split the cost of the book with a friend.  If you know you do not have the same study schedule as another person in your class you might be able to get away with one book between two people. Finally, you can usually sell you books back at the end of the semester and then use the cash you get back to buy your next set of books.

Search for Cheap College Text Books

With the current state of the US economy, the task of financing a college education is increasingly difficult. Because of this, many students are forced to let go of their dreams of attending their number one school. After years of picturing themselves writing for the Harvard Crimson or attending UConn basketball games, senior year comes with a dose of financial reality. This is when many high school students realize that getting into their school of choice will not be a problem, but paying for it will be.

After you have passed the SATs with flying colors, received recommendations from the best teachers at your school, and have acceptance letters in hand, settling for the number two or three school on your list can be heartbreaking. However, if you are set on attending your dream school you can, and should, make it work.

First of all, apply for federal financial aid by completing your FAFSA. The FAFASA is the most important financial aid form you can complete. Without it you will not be eligible for the Stafford loan, PLUS loan or Pell grant. Many students qualify for this type of aid; even student who do not think they will be eligible at all. Visit FAFSAOnline.com to find out more about the FAFSA and apply.

Secondly, if you were accepted to your dream school you must have done a few great things to get there. Because of your achievements, there are thousands and thousands of scholarships out there that you are eligible for. StudentScholarshipSearch.com can help connect you with scholarships you should apply for.

Finally, if you need additional funds after federal financial aid and scholarships apply for private student loans. Private student loans can help you pay for expenses beyond tuition including room and board, and transportation. You can also apply for these loans at any time during the semester if unforeseen expenses come up. PrivateStudentLoans.com can tell you more about your private student loan options and even help you apply.

As juniors and seniors in high school you are probably well on your way to planning your college career. Getting ready for college can be extremely stressful on top of everything else you have to worry about, but luckily most high schools have resources to make the search and apply process a lot easier.

Many high schools host college information nights for juniors and seniors, and their families. Information nights give students and parents a broad overview of the college application process. Guidance counselors are on hand to provide direction and answer questions. Sometimes a school will even bring in a college admissions counselor to lend advice from their perspective. These events are particularly helpful to families who are sending their first child to college, but everyone should consider attending since things change so frequently.

The following is a list of topics that are usually covered at college information nights:

SATs and ACTs: All of your questions about when and where to take the SATs or ACTs will be answered. You will find out what the test dates are, where they are being offered, where to send your scores, what scores you should aim for and how many times you should take a particular test.

Visiting Colleges: You will learn how to schedule college visits and when the best times to visit are. You will find out what questions you should ask when you take a tour and how many schools you should visit to make the right decisions.

The Application Process: College applications are more than just pieces of paper. Someone from the guidance department will outline everything you need to include with your applications from the essay to the application fee.

The College Essay: Someone will go over the basics of writing a college essay. They will cover how to choose a topic, how long the essay should be and who should see your essay before you send it off.

Letters of Recommendation: Most colleges require that you submit letters of recommendation with your application. A guidance counselor will explain who these recommendations should come from, how many you should submit, and what they should say about you and your achievements .

FAFSA and Financial Aid: Financial aid can be the most confusing part of applying to college. Someone from the guidance department will go over when and how to fill out your FAFSA, what kinds of federal student loans and alternative student loans exist, and how to search for scholarships.

You are probably still looking for creative ways to help pay for college and live on campus. If you have completely ruled out the resident assistant idea there may be other on campus leadership opportunities at your school that offer financial benefits. At my school many of the student government leaders received a stipend for their service. These people were elected student body representatives who put tens of hours every week into weekend programming, implementing change at student senate meetings, and balancing class and committee budgets. A lot of schools even offer financial benefits to their orientation leaders; students who volunteer or are chosen to help first year student make the transition to college life.

Another way to earn extra money in college is to take advantage of work study programs. Many students receive this grant as part of their overall financial aid package, but there are also jobs for students who do not receive it as part of a package. This is the issue of Federal vs. Non-Federal Work-Study. The truth is that work study is an easy way to earn extra spending money or shave dollars off of your tuition. Almost every department on campus employs student workers including the athletic department, admissions office, alumni affairs, conference services and the financial aid office. Chances are you will be able to find a job that meets your interests and gives you extra money to go to the movies, put gas in your car and make a late-night Wendy’s run.

The moral of the story is that where there is a will there is a way. Yes, living on campus is financially difficult, but there are plenty of ways to defray your expenses and still enjoy the sleeping until 11:00am and eating midnight pizza life of a normal college student.

For some people nothing compares to the experience of living at college for four years. What could be better than having the library, the gym and the dining hall right at your fingertips? Not to mention being able to get together with your friends every Thursday night to watch Grey’s Anatomy in the lounge or being able to roll out of bed on Friday mornings and go to class in your sweatpants. I would not trade in my four years on campus for anything, but financially living at school was a stretch for me.

After federal loans, private student loans, scholarships and grant options are exhausted many students still struggle to afford campus living. I know I did, but I was determined to make it work. I found out that there are other ways to earn money and living expenses through campus jobs and leadership opportunities.

During my sophomore year in college I applied to become a Resident Assistant. I found out that RAs have the sweetest financial deal on campus. Every school has different benefits for their RAs, but at my school our room and board expenses, including meal plan, were covered and we had single rooms. During my senior year I even had a room with its own bathroom! Some students would never even consider this option because they think that being an RA and having a campus social life are mutually exclusive. This was not true for me however. Although there were some long nights of duty and the occasional need to be the “bad guy” the benefits far outweighed the drawbacks. Some of my best friends from college are people I met through the RA program. Being an RA allowed me to connect with more students and faculty members than I otherwise would have. It also gave me the opportunity to make a huge impact on campus.

If you do not think that being a resident assistant would suite you there are similar opportunities out there. For more ideas stay tuned for part two!

Institutional aid is something all students should consider when deciding on a school. Many schools provide need-based and non need-based aid to their students. This type of aid is usually referred to as institutional aid and varies by school. The importance of institutional aid has increased in recent years as educational costs have increased.

Your application for admission to a school might not automatically trigger consideration for institutional aid. You should always read the school’s catalog to find out what aid the school offers and what additional forms or applications are required.

Sometimes institutional aid is granted to full time undergraduate students in a particular field, while other times you will find institutional aid in the form of an inter-school fellowship. Regardless, every dime you can get today that you don’t have to repay tomorrow is huge. So be sure to check on the institutional aid at all colleges you are considering.

With the fall semester approaching at warp speed it’s now officially scramble time for those looking to tie up loose financial ends.

At this point you should have already completed your FAFSA and received your awards letter from the school outlining your financial aid options, which may include the following;

• Pell Grant
• Scholarship (Institution or Private)
• Federal Work-Study
• Federal Perkins Loan
• Federal Stafford Loan
• PLUS loan

The first two options, grants and scholarships, are obviously the best as they are free money which you don’t need to repaid. Next, if you were offered a work-study I hope you took it. A work study is the amount you are eligible to earn while working either on campus or at an approved off-campus job. This helps to further decrease your cost of tuition. After that comes the land of borrowed funds.

Perkins and Stafford loans are those listed in a students name which do not require repayment until after school. PLUS loans are available for either the parents of a dependent undergrad student or a student attending graduate school.

Unfortunately most students will not have all of the options listed above available to them, and if they do they are still short funds which is why private loans are generally needed to help bridge that gap. Private student loans have favorable interest rates at this time due to the stale economy. Both the LIBOR index and prime rate are at historic lows. In the summer of ‘06 the prime was at 8.25%, last summer it was down to 5%, and today it’s at a jaw dropping 3.25%!

To qualify for a private loan you will most likely need to be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident with a credit worthy co-signer who is also enrolled in school at least half time or greater as defined by the school (usually 6 credits). In a tough economy it’s good to know you still have options. Get the funds you need today!

ScholarshipPoints code: PRIVLOANS.

Many students who could not afford college out of high school elected to join the military as I did. And one of the most alluring benefits of joining, at least for me, was the tuition relief you were entitled to when you got out. Right now the military tuition assistance program is called the Yellow Ribbon Program.

The Yellow Ribbon GI Education Enhancement Program (Yellow Ribbon Program) is a provision of the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008. This program allows institutions of higher learning (degree granting institutions) in the United States to voluntarily enter into an agreement with VA to fund tuition expenses that exceed the highest public in-state undergraduate tuition rate. The institution can contribute up to 50% of those expenses and VA will match the same amount as the institution.

The Institution of Higher Learning (IHL) must agree to:

• Provide contributions to eligible individuals who apply for the Yellow Ribbon Program on a first-come first-served basis, regardless of the rate at which the individual is pursuing training in any given academic year;
• Provide contributions during the current academic year and all subsequent academic years in which the IHL is participating in the Yellow Ribbon Program and the student maintains satisfactory progress, conduct, and attendance;
• Make contributions toward the program on behalf of the individual in the form of of a grant, scholarship, etc;
• State the dollar amount that will be contributed for each participant during the academic year;
• State the maximum number of individuals for whom contributions will be made in any given academic year.

Check to see if your school participates in the program.

Fall serves as the perfect transition between summer and winter while playing host to Halloween, the start of the NFL season, and of course the start of a new school year. Growing up in New England I also enjoyed the foliage and smell of warm apple pie wafting down from the dorms as I walked to class.  But I wouldn’t have enjoyed those sweet sights and smells on campus had I not done my homework over the summer.

I was a first generation college student, and had little help with the enrollment process from Mom and Dad when I went to school back in the early 90’s. My parents were very supportive in my pursuit of Higher Education, they were just a bit naive to the whole process. As crazy as this sounds I actually found getting my enrollment credentials in order more challenging than my micro and macroeconomics classes. It was truly awful, and I don’t want anyone to feel as overwhelmed and confused as me.  So lets make sure you’re using your time leading up to the fall judiciously. Time, as well all know, can either be your foe or ally depending how you use it.

Here are 5 smart tips to make sure you stay on course.

Free Money: These summer months are a great time to surf the net for scholarship opportunities, which of course would decrease the amount of funds you need to borrow.  There are many scholarships to be had ranging from merit based opportunities to free scholarships with minimal requirements.

Class Availability/Schedule: When you’re the new kid on the block you often get the shaft when it comes to your schedule.  Check for updates on class enrollment numbers.  You should be able to access those details online.  I used to check the Red Sox website daily which is how I would score great seats for face value as they would release some from time to time.  The same principle applies for your classes.  Your diligence over the summer may make for a better fall.

Loan Order: Your awards letter from the school will highlight your loan options.  The most common loan type, which students secure first, is a Stafford loan.  The Stafford loan is listed in the students name with modest maximum allotments.  The second most common loan type is a Parent Plus loan, which is in a parents name and listed on behalf of the student.  Third is a private student loan which lists the students name first with the parent listed as the co-signer.  The Plus loan and private option are sometimes switched around pending the circumstance and the market.  Right now favorable rates in the marketplace have made private loans more enticing for some than Parent Plus loans.

Waiting List Update: If you didn’t get into your dream school and were relegated to the much maligned waiting list – check back with them.  Write a letter to the regional admissions officer concerning what that school means to you and keep them apprised of anything new going on in your life that may showcase you in a different light.

Smell the Roses:  You made it happen.  You scored the marks in High School, fared well on the entrance exam(s), and are ready for this next exciting chapter in your life.  It’s ok to allow yourself some indulgences from time to time.  After all, all work an no play makes Jack a dull boy.