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July 24, 2018

It Is That Time of The Year For The College Scholarship Scam

College Scholarship Scam Warning

Whenever students head back to college it becomes time for the College Scholarship Scam. The Better Business Bureau says scammers are using the college scholarship scam to rip-off students. The BBB estimates 350,000 students and parents are victimized by scholarship scams each year, at a cost of over $5 million.

Many students fall for the sales pitches of a phony organization that require an upfront fee to secure scholarships. They state that they will guarantee free money or they will refund the fee. Their guarantee is bogus. If you want to know why, please contact our office. Never, ever pay a fee for a scholarship service. In addition, we have tracked over the last 28 years the best free web-based scholarship sources available. contact us here for a complimentary consultation and the opportunity to speak with someone to learn more.

Filed Under: College Life
February 5, 2018

Why Families Should Consider a Community College

Consider a Community CollegeConsider A Community College

I just completed reading a recent article on why families should consider a community college. After reflecting on it I was motivated to blog some benefits of community colleges and why families should consider them in the student’s first and second year in college.

  1. The first one is obvious. The cost. Community colleges cost thousands of dollars less than a 4-year state university or private college.
  2. Second, over the years many states have produced excellent community colleges that allows students to take quality classes that will transfer to a 4-year school (as a Minnesotan, I am proud to say that we have some of the best community colleges in the nation).
  3. Third, by attending a community college, it allows many students you wish to be close to home to do so.

In summary, a community college should be a consideration for many families especially when the cost is a major factor.

Read the original article here.
http://www.latimes.com/socal/daily-pilot/opinion/tn-dpt-me-commentary-20180119-story.html

Filed Under: College Life
November 24, 2017

Waitlisted For Your Top College Choice What’s Next?

Waitlisted For Your Top College Choice

You had hoped the admissions process would be over by now, but you have been waitlisted for your top college choice. What do you do now?

33% of colleges and universities use waitlists. These lists are effectively the colleges’ back up plans. They have a number in mind of how many freshmen they want to admit. The colleges also know that not all students will accept their invitations to join their student bodies. So the waitlists are there to fill the gap.

Approximately 10% of student s who apply to a college with a waitlist will wind up on the list. Out of those 10%, 20% of them will get off the waitlist and get into the college.

So here’s your first lesson about being waitlisted. Unfortunately, the odds are stacked against you. You only have a 1 in 5 chance of getting off that waitlist. So if you’re serious about and you really want to get into that school, then you better do some work to improve your chances.

1. The student makes all contact with the college.

First things first… Mom and Dad need to stay out of this process. Here’s a bit of trivia for you…

Out of all the communication that a typical admissions office receives:

  • 85% comes from parents of prospective students
  • 10% comes from high school guidance counselors
  • 5% comes from the students themselves

Only 5% of all communication comes from the students! Do you realize that one of the most effective ways for your student to stand out amongst the thousands of applicants is to be one of the very few students who contact the admissions department themselves? This is the first key to getting off the waitlist. The student should be making all the contact with the college.

2. Decide whether or not to pursue the waitlisted school or schools.

This is an important step, and can easily get overlooked, so answer this big question now.  Take stock and determine if you really want to remain on the waitlist. Is the school that much more desirable than their second or third choice which has already admitted them? Do you want to hang on to the chance they would get in? Since most of the financial resources will have long before been allocated and history shows you are not likely to get a generous award.  If lowering the out of pocket cost is important, it’s worth taking a serious look if you should take the money being offered by one of the other schools.

3. What’s your backup plan?

Third… You and your student need to formulate their backup plan. Remember, only 20% of students get off the waitlist. Also keep in mind that most colleges require you to make a yes or no decision by May 1st. There is a very high likelihood that you will not hear anything about getting off the waitlist until July or August. So you must have a backup plan.

Pick one of the other schools you have already been accepted to, hopefully one with a generous financial aid offer, and send in your confirmation and deposits. You need to pursue your backup plan school as if you will be there in the fall. Then if your first choice school comes through and you get off the waitlist; you can let your backup know and change course. Of course, you have to be willing to give up your deposits at the backup school.

Do not pass up this step. You must have a backup plan. Don’t start telling yourself, “well that doesn’t seem fair to my backup school.”

4. Contact the Admissions office

Fourth… You need to contact the admissions office directly (you being the student). Ask them why you were waitlisted. Was there something missing? Were your ACT or SAT scores just a little too low? Were they looking for more leadership? Find out as many details about the admissions decision that you can without being a pest. Find out who the admissions representative is who has your file.

Now send them a letter reiterating your interest in going to their school. List what you like about their school. Is the location, the staff, its history, your experience at a campus visit. You need to present yourself as someone who is knowledgeable and a good fit for their university.

5. Follow up with the College

Fifth… You need to be following up with the college as you are able to provide them with important information which will cast you in a good light and help them make their decisions. Here are some good reasons to contact your admissions rep and update them:

  • Your ACT or SAT score went up measurably
  • Your GPA has improved
  • You have just received a school or community award.

This is not the time to Twitter your admissions counselor to death. They don’t care who you went to prom with. They don’t care that you’re going on a really cool senior trip. And they don’t care that your group won the high school battle of the bands.

You want to provide them relevant information.

6. Don’t Obsess over the Waitlist

If you’ve put together a well thought out admissions plan, you should have several other schools who have already accepted you. You are just as likely to have a great college experience at those schools as you are at your first choice school. So don’t worry about it. Get on with the rest of your Senior year and have some fun!

If you would like a complimentary financial aid evaluation, please contact our office.

Filed Under: College Life Tagged With: , , , , , ,
September 21, 2017

2018 CSS Profile Filing Is Soon Approaching, What You Need To Know

css profile 2017Like the Free Application For Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), Families can file the CSS Profile as early as Oct. 1 for the 2018-19 academic year.

What you need to know: Like FAFSA, each college will have their own deadline which could be as early as Nov. 1 and will vary from school to school. Unfortunately some families don’t know about the Profile that is required at many colleges. Every year we talk to parents that say that they have no knowledge of the form and in some cases they have missed the deadline. If the college does require Profile, they will use it solely to determined how much institutional gift-aid (grants) the student will receive, not FAFSA.

Another important fact that parents should know is that unlike FAFSA, the CSS Profile is not mandated. Therefore the Profile will ask for considerable more personal information compared to FAFSA resulting in less financial aid for many families.

If you would like more information on how to properly deal with the Profile, please contact one of our staff.

Filed Under: College Life, News
January 5, 2017

January 2017 College Financial Aid Update

2017 College Financial Aid Advice

This is our January 2017 financial aid update.  This information is inspired by the last couple of weeks and the many families we have spoken to that did not know some of their child’s college(s) had a January 1st deadline for financial aid. The result, some of these families missed the deadline. One common mistake is that families will go by the Federal deadline for FAFSA, not the college’s deadline. Big mistake. In addition, families are being misinformed by various sources including high school guidance counselors pertaining to the financial aid process. For example, they are being told that the FAFSA is the form that needs to be filed to be considered for financial aid. For many families this is simply not true.

There is another form that is required at many colleges called the CSS Profile (please see my earlier blogs on Profile). If the profile is required, the college will utilize the information solely for the purpose of awarding gift-aid (FREE money). So if Profile is not filed or if one misses the deadline, the student will lose out on good aid.

The bottom line here is that families should not always rely on the system for the correct and appropriate information. These resources will not assure them of complete success in the process. What families should do is seek out a proven and trained expert. They will provide families with invaluable information, advice, and insurance that they will receive the best financial aid award(s) possible.

If you have missed a deadline, please contact our office for appropriate advice. In addition the next two hard deadlines at some colleges for Profile are Jan 15th and Feb 1st.

Filed Under: College Life
June 9, 2016

FAFSA Changes 2017-18

Starting with the high school graduating class of June 2017, the timetable and tax year associated with the FAFSA changes 2017-18. The high school class of 2017 will be eligible to file the FAFSA starting on October 1st, 2016, three months earlier than in previous years. They will use 2015 Federal income tax returns (known as Prior-Prior Year (PPY)).

Take special note there is some uncertainty for the high school class of 2017. For example, the deadlines for institutional aid may change at some colleges. Also, students may initially receive estimated financial aid packages because college costs for the coming year may not be finalized and/or because state grant data may not be available. If this is the case, the families will subsequently receive confirmed financial aid packages. In addition, financial aid is based in part on the family’s income, and if that changes during that two-year period, the family could either lose money or have to file an appeal and go through a lengthy process to retain it. Instead of streamlining it, for a small portion of people, it adds an extra step if their circumstances change. Many things can happen in a year.

One thing that parents need to know is that they have the option to utilize their 2016 tax information to file FAFSA and the CSS Profile and they should if there is less income reported compared to 2015.

If you would like more information on FAFSA Changes 2017-18 and information on how to increase your financial aid options, please contact our office.

Filed Under: College Life Tagged With: , , , ,
May 4, 2016

What Is A College Gap Year?

mind the college gap year

Recently the term college gap year has been getting a lot of attention since President Obama’s Daughter’s Malia decided to utilize one with Harvard University. Many colleges are encouraging the delayed entry to give students the opportunity to build upon life and work experiences with a volunteer work program, part-time work, or travel and internships in foreign countries. Students have found that they entered college more mature and focused.

I personally agree have been a proponent for students taking off a year or two before entering college for many reasons. However, student’s need to know the do’s and the don’ts when pursuing a college gap year(s). For more information, please contact our office.

Filed Under: College Life Tagged With: , , , ,
April 18, 2016

How To Avoid Financial Aid Awards That Shrink Every Year

Financial Aid Awards

Many parents approach me after their son or daughter has started their private or public school education and ask how to avoid financial aid awards that shrink every year. Assuming the decrease in aid was not do to financial reasons, here are some suggestions for parents and students to avoid the trap:

  • After receiving your financial aid offer for the first year and before you commit to the college, ask them what you can expect from them in the following years
  • Keep your grades up. If the student retains a high GPA, it will be less likely the school will play money games with your financial aid awards
  • Like the GPA, get involved with school activities and be an asset to the college
  • If the college is still playing the game, the student may want to consider one of the college’s rival schools. Many colleges don’t want to lose students to their competitors due to only issues to financial aid awards
  • The family may want to consider retaining a trained and proven financial aid expert. This person will be able to negotiate with the college to better their award

If you are like most parents you are well-intentioned in attempting to maximize the financial aid for your family without help. College Aid Consulting Services has over 26 years of experience working with federal institutions, colleges, universities and others that decide how much money you will receive. If you are reading this we hope you take advantage of our complimentary consultation and contact us today.

Filed Under: College Life Tagged With: , , , ,
November 8, 2015

Five Tips On How To Transfer Colleges Effectively

We get a few questions every semester from students and parents interested in the details of transferring their financial aid to a new and different college or university.  Below are some of the most common pieces of advice we offer.  If you think your financial aid position might have changed please contact our offices for a complimentary consultation.

  1. Make sure that all of your credits will transfer or you may have to repeat the course(s) you have already taken
  2. After checking out course transfers, inquire about financial aid packages. Not all colleges will offer generous awards
  3. Ask about “in house” scholarships at your new school that you may qualify for
  4. Ask the admission office for an application fee waiver. FYI, many colleges will have earlier application deadlines
  5. Student loans do not transfer so resubmit your FAFSA immediately.
Filed Under: College Life Tagged With: , , , ,
July 5, 2015

10 Things You Have To Do Before Going Off To College

We know it’s an exciting time. You’re about to move away and start college. While you’ve probably already done everything you need to do, you should double check. Sometimes we can forget something — minor or crucial — because we’re so excited, nervous, scared or in shock.

Here are the top 10 things you should make sure you’ve completed before heading off to college.

  1. Make sure all of your financial aid/grants/loans have gone through. Check the status on your FAFSA online and call your school’s financial aid office to ensure your everything has been processed with out issue.
  2. Sign up for freshman or transfer orientation, which will likely occur before the school semester starts. While orientations vary, many set out to achieve the following: Meet other students Discuss classes and majors with academic advisors Register for classes (if you haven’t already) Learn about campus resources
  3. Call the housing department at your school to verify your dorm situation or double checking with a landlord or roommate that you’re all set to move in to an apartment or house.
  4. Plan out which welcome week events you’ll attend. Many colleges pack the first week of college with events that orient new students to the school. Colleges welcome week events consist of: Free barbecue food and ice cream Residence hall meetings Informational sessions on academic offerings A football game Plan ahead so you won’t miss out on the events you want to attend.
  5. Don’t leave your house and hop in the car or on that plane without crucial little items, like retainers, inhalers and spare keys (for that surprise visit home).
  6. Make sure you’re registered for the classes you need and that none of none of them got cancelled. It’s rare, and you’d likely be notified, but sometimes a class may get cancelled if not enough people signed up. You’ll want to know if that happened as soon as possible, so you can replace the course.
  7. Can you even make it to your new city? Make sure the car you’re taking there is capable (get an oil change or have a mechanic take a look at it) or that your flight is booked and you have a way of getting to your new home from the airport.
  8. Colleges sometimes inform you who your dorm-mate will be. Meet this person if they live in your city, or video chat if you live in different cities. If you don’t click and have a chance of swapping for someone else, you’ll want to do that before the semester starts to avoid awkwardness.
  9. Don’t forget to buy some crucial dorm accessories if you’re living on campus. The checklist for this includes: Desk lamp Laundry bag Shower caddy Umbrella Backpack You can buy these when you arrive, but you may want to not add to your already large to-do list and buy them ahead of time. 
  10. Have a going-away party. Even if you’re the type who thinks throwing yourself a going-away party is narcissistic or arrogant, or are uncomfortable because it makes you the center of attention, it will give friends, family members and acquaintances a chance to say goodbye in person. You may see them when you visit but it’s good for everyone, including yourself, to celebrate the closing of a life chapter (and opening of a new one) together formally.

If you can check everything off of this list, then you will likely be ready to start at your new college and begin your new life. Enjoy the experience!

Filed Under: College Life
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