Smart Track™ Toolkit

7 WAYS TO BEAT COLLEGE STRESS – PART 1

2012-02-22T11:34:00.000-08:00

By Erika Rae - Grockit

So you beat the SAT, after taking advantage of Grockit test prep, practice tests, and free SAT questions. You wrote a terrific college application essay and did so well in your admissions interview, that you were accepted to your dream school. Now, there are more tests ahead of you as an undergrad – not just chemistry quizzes and history exams, but also physical, mental, and emotional stuff that will challenge you in ways you probably haven't experienced yet. Here are some ways to beat stress in college:

1. Get Busy & Be Patient, Too
To keep your mind off missing home, keep yourself busy with orientation parties, campus events, and dorm mixers. The beginning of the year is a great time to check out lots of clubs and meet lots of people – but it's also a stressful time if you're constantly “on.” Don't try to jump in and join everything – and don't worry about finding your place and your people immediately – or you'll totally drain your batteries. Relax. Be patient. You will feel at home, eventually.

2. Call Your Mom & Email Your BFF
While you're having a terrific time exploring the campus, checking out organizations, and making new friends, you're probably also going to have some lonely days and boring nights. When you have a rough day, it really helps to contact your parents or best friend. Your family and oldest friends know you best, and they might be the best people to get you feeling connected and grounded again. Remember you'll probably see them soon – and even if you don't head home for the holidays, you can keep in touch with calls, emails, letters, and care packages (which you can hint about when you call).

3. When Work Piles Up, Stay on Top
First: Check out the locations of your classes and how long it takes to get to each one, so you don't show up late, breathless, and stressed. Second: Every prof seems to think that his or her class is your only one, and the work will be piled on accordingly – but the workload should balance out, and even if it doesn't, your ability to handle it will improve. Third: Create a schedule of all your classes, study time, and free time and post it in your room. Stay on top of it, and you won't get overwhelmed by it.

4. Escape Pod
Find yourself a secret spot somewhere – preferably off-campus – where you can escape everything college-related. A bike trail that leads to a huge oak by the river. A bench at the baseball diamond in the city park. A corner table at a greasy diner. Go there as often as you can – even for just twenty minutes each day or every week – to get quiet and be alone. Just closing your eyes and breathing deeply for a few minutes can be a very effective form of meditating and reducing stress.

Tips on Completing your FAFSA

2012-02-08T12:16:00.000-08:00

If you’re the parent of a student who is in college or is headed off to college soon, then you’ve no doubt heard of the “Free Application for Federal Student Aid”, or the “FAFSA”. If you’ve never heard of it though, the FAFSA is the Federal Government’s application for financial aid for college. It determines how much you are expected to pay for your student’s college education, one year at a time. Oh, and in case you think that “free” means “easy”, a few years back our Secretary of Education Arne Duncan told Congress, “You basically need a Ph.D. to figure that thing out!”…and he’s a Harvard guy.

The FAFSA is arguably the single most important application in determining how much and what type of financial aid a family will receive. However, it has failed to keep up with the changing composition of our families and our lives. Confusion is widespread and can lead to an inaccurate portrayal of a family's finances.

A more recent example: One of our advisors just attended College Goal Sunday, an event dedicated to helping families complete the FAFSA for their students in one afternoon. After attending, this advisor couldn’t believe the amount of difficulty that people were having. I had to remind him that even the most “basic” questions to college guys like us could be complicated and complex for the everyday person. If you don’t deal with college financial aid everyday, how can you be expected to automatically understand one of the most daunting financial aid applications out there?

When our company hosts local college workshops, we try to take a few minutes to answer individual concerns. Many of the questions tend to be the same for middle and upper middle class families so I thought I'd summarize five of the more common issues here. Quick disclaimer: these responses are general and should be considered a guideline, not a recommendation -- remember, no two families have exactly the same circumstances. Finally, the guidelines for the FAFSA are available through the Department of Education. Keep in mind that it may be similar to deciphering Greek or the entire IRS Code, but these guidelines are out there.

1. The student is the applicant. Any reference to 'You' or 'Your' on the FAFSA and on the CSS/Profile refers to the student! Don’t make the mistake of accidentally listing parent income or assets under the student’s name. This can cause a huge problem and may result in the colleges thinking you can afford more than you’re supposed to.

2. On the matter of children with separated or divorced parents: Dept. of Education guidelines require that the applicant report the household income and assets of the legal parent who provides more support. This is typically the household where the student lives the majority of the time. Just keep in mind that the non-custodial parent's household is largely ignored on the FAFSA, but will likely be counted in the CSS/Profile formula.

3. For most business owners, the proper value of their business is “$0”. Why? Well according to the FAFSA, a “business” is only a “business” if it has 100 or more employees. Those with fewer than 100 employees should be exempt, but I’ve seen CPAs make the mistake of reporting a value greater than $0 when trying to fill out a FAFSA and lose thousands in potential financial aid.

4. I get so many questions from parents who want to 'emancipate' their children so that they can be considered “independent” on the FAFSA. Unfortunately, “independent” for the FAFSA and “independent” for your tax return are two completely different things. The Dept. of Education has certain criteria to determine whether a student is “independent” and trust me, you don't want to answer 'Yes' to these questions, at least not yet (like, for example, whether your child is married or has dependents of their own).

5. Work-Study is a great program. You probably realize that most colleges do not give out 100% free money. Most schools award a combination of free money and loans/work-study. You should check 'yes', indicating that you wish to be considered. You can always appeal later or decline the work-study offered, but it's harder to ask for it later. Besides, if your kid works 10-20 hours a week and makes a few extra bucks, that's a good thing.

6. Cash, checking, savings, and investments: Aside from questions about your income, the FAFSA will also ask about assets. A key point is this: You don't have to disclosing the value of your retirement accounts or the value of your primary residence! The FAFSA specifically tells you not to include those assets, so don't! You do however, need to enter the total amounts of cash holdings you have as of the day you file. So, if you have to, make any large payments (like mortgage, etc) BEFORE you file. As for other non-retirement assets, there is an asset protection allowance, and certain annuities and insurance products could also be exempt. A good rule of thumb: consult a professional college advisor if you have more than $50,000 worth of non-retirement assets.

We do cover a lot more information than just this in our workshops, so if you are local to the greater Boston area, we encourage you to come out over the next couple of weeks. We conduct our workshops at venues like high schools and libraries, and they are of course open to the public. If you have college-bound children and want to attend, simply click here to register. If you don't, please send this on to someone who does -- I'm certain they'll thank you for it.

If you are not local or can't make it to one of these workshops, that’s OK. Check out our brand new videos we just finished to see what parents and other professionals are saying about our online college planning toolkit. It’s nice to save time and money, not to mention have a seasoned team of professionals by your side as you try to navigate the college planning process.

Best of success,

Murray Miller, CEO

College Resource Center, LLC

Admissions Boot Camps Across the Country: The Breakdown

2012-02-01T09:08:00.000-08:00

There are many different organizations around the country that provide some kind of admissions “boot camp” for students getting ready to apply to college. Typically they are offered for a couple of days in the summer before the student enters their senior year. They essentially go through the entire college admissions process and get students ready to submit their college applications. They are designed to help students and parents get ahead of the game so that they are done with the process early on in their senior year, eliminating a stressful fall application season. Here we will outline just a few of the college admissions boot camps around the country. As you will see the fees for these events vary immensely although from what we can tell the content and deliverables are quite similar. If you do decide to take advantage of one of these events we suggest reading what it is that each offers carefully and speak with a representative from each company before you hand over your credit card...

Application Boot Camp (ABC)

Overview: Dr. Michele Hernandez and Mimi Doe cofounded Application Boot Camp® LLC after publishing their book, Don’t Worry: You’ll Get In in 2005. Application Boot Camp® LLC is a company devoted to empowering high school students from around the world in the college admissions process. Application Boot Camp® LLC offers a four day program for students entering their senior year of high school. Students have the opportunity to work with Michele and Mimi and leverage their experiences to create applications that rise above the rest.

Intent: Develop an application strategy to increase college acceptance possibilities

Date: August 2012

Length: 4 days

For Who: Rising Seniors

Activities: Work on common application; prepare essay(s); develop application strategy; receive advice on their odds at top colleges; complete an activity sheet; take part in mock interviews and interview training.

Cost: $14,000

Website: http://www.applicationbootcamp.com/application-bootcamp

College Admissions Bootcamp – Via Smart Track™ Toolkit

Overview: The College Resource Center, LLC was founded in 2009 by Murray Miller and Scott Greenameyer to provide families and organizations with an online platform for the college planning process. Murray and Scott, along with their professional staff, combined their years of experience and the tools they use daily to create the company's proprietary Smart Track™ Toolkit. The College Admissions Bootcamp was created to give students the ability to attend a live version of the Toolkit and to jump start their college planning and college applications. For two days during the summer, the College Admissions Bootcamp helps students overcome the challenges of the college admissions process and gets students on the Smart Track™ to college success.

Intent: Get your student on the right track before they start their senior year, before most of their peers, and before they get overwhelmed.

Date: August 2012

Length: 2 days

For Who: Rising Seniors

Activities: Create an initial college list; work on the Common Application; prepare essay(s) and receive feedback from professional essay editors during the event; develop an application strategy; take part in mock interviews and interview training; engage in SAT/ACT test prep; and not only receive advice from experts in admissions, but also attend workshops presented by experts in financial aid and student-athletics. Attendees will also be addressed by an actual admission officer from a top tier college and will be given a behind the scenes private campus tour while onsite.

Cost: $1,595 (discounts are available for early registrants)

Website: https://smarttracktoolkit.com/bootcamp

College Admissions Boot Camps 2012

Overview: College Admissions Boot Camps (CABC) are interactive, informative, activity-oriented and intensive four-day workshops for navigating specific elements of the complex, anxiety-ridden and competitive college admissions process. They are programs held jointly with BHA Education Consultants and Pinnacle Educational Center. Sessions are in July and August, in Greenwich, CT and Midtown Manhattan. Participants will receive inside tips, recommendations and expert advice from BHA Education Consultants and former admissions officers and representatives from Ivy League, highly selective and competitive colleges.

Intent: Aiding students in navigating specific elements of the complex, anxiety-ridden and competitive college admissions process

Date: July & August 2012

Length: 4 days

For Who: Rising Seniors

Activities: Receive inside tips, recommendations and expert advice from leading college admissions experts; design an activity sheet that makes you shine; write a "Why the college" essay that will dazzle the admissions committee; learn to impress in interviews; garner the right recommendations; finish applications before senior year starts; gain a competitive edge in the hypercompetitive college admissions environment. General topics to be covered include: standardized test preparation, choosing the right college, what top colleges are looking for, planning campus visits, developing a college admissions calendar, an admissions committee review, sessions for student-athletes and student-artists, financial aid / scholarships, post-admissions process.

Cost: $7,500

Website: http://www.collegeadmissionsbootcamps.com/1801.html

3 Critical Questions to Research So You Can Get Grants, Scholarships and Other Financial Aid You Deserve

2012-01-25T08:12:00.000-08:00

So how do you beat the colleges at their own game? Here are three areas to research.

1. Determine what percentage of financial need each college on your list has met historically. All things being roughly equal, wouldn’t you rather attend a more generous school compared to a stingy one?

2. Determine how that college meets need – i.e. the breakdown between free stuff (grants and scholarships) and self-help (loans/work study.) Two colleges could meet the same overall percentage of need, but your financial aid could be vastly different between the two.

3. Pin down the priority deadlines – some schools require forms as early as November 1! Others may want you to file by February 15th. Make sure you research deadlines for each college on your list, since a lot of financial aid is first come, first served.

Now, a quick word on how to use the information uncovered in #1 and #2, above. The ‘formula’ used by each school to determine your financial aid award is as follows: COA (Cost of Attendance) – EFC (Expected Family Contribution) = Need. Schools award financial aid based on how much need you show. As noted above, once you identify the percentage of need that your college meets, you have a decent handle on what your award will look like. Here is a simplified example:

Assume two colleges with a $50,000 Cost of Attendance and a $25,000 EFC. Your Need is $25,000. If “College A” meets 100% of need, you’ll receive an award of about $25,000 and your cost will be your EFC of $25,000. However, only the most elite, competitive colleges in the country will meet 100% of need. Most do not. If “College B” only meets 80% of need, you may only receive $20,000 in aid, and you’ll have to pay about $30,000 (this is your EFC + the 20% unmet portion). So your total out of pocket for one year at the second school is $5,000 more than the first school, even though their sticker prices may be the same.

How can you obtain these facts? The first place is to look on the websites of each college. Understand that you will have to click around for a while – colleges don’t make this information easy to find. You can also call the financial aid office but you may end up frustrated by the lack of responsiveness, according to most of the parents we work with. Another great resource is College Board - www.collegeboard.org. The information on there is trustworthy for the most part, but you have to really dig at it. You’d be well-served to consult a qualified college finance specialist. For example, our firm has all of this information at our fingertips and we get a lot of it directly from the colleges and some from the Department of Education. Our Smart Track™ Toolkit website has the tools (many of them for FREE) to help you project what each college will award within a small margin of error, and suggest legal and ethical ways to qualify for more grants and scholarships than you would on your own. No matter whether you seek out expert help or do it yourself, preparation and research can pay off in a big way. Don’t put it off or you could lose out – on tens of thousands of dollars in financial aid.

MurrayMiller is a financial educator devoted to the college planning space for over a decade. Murray is the President and CEO of the College Resource Center, LLC. You may contact him by emailing info@smarttracktoolkit.com or by calling 800-863-9440. For more information, including a schedule of free college workshops, visit www.SmartTrackToolkit.com.

About Smart Track™ Toolkit: The toolkit is a web based service that assists families with everything from admissions and test prep, to student athletics and financial aid. Our intuitive software and on-demand workshops are key components to making sure students find their top choice colleges, and families can afford to send them there.

Connect with us

http://www.facebook.com/smarttracktoolkit

http://twitter.com/uchoosecollege

The Academic Perspective

2012-01-11T14:25:00.000-08:00

When applying to colleges, we suggest you consider four different perspectives and weigh them each accordingly:

• Academic Perspective (40%)
• Financial Perspective (30%)
• Social Perspective (15%)
• Campus Perspective (15%)

This week we’ll discuss the most important perspective to look at when considering where you are going to apply to college – academics. After all, you are going to college to earn an academic degree in order to acquire the knowledge and skills you need to get a well-paying job in your intended career field after graduation. Let’s not forget that!

Safety, Target, Reach: If you haven’t heard these terms before, you will.

Safety schools are schools that you have a really good chance of getting into. Your academic profile (GPA, SAT/ACT scores) is stronger than most of the other applicants. For example, you have a GPA of a 3.7 and the mean GPA for admitted students is a 3.4. We suggest you apply to about 2-4 safety schools so that you have a back up plan in case you don’t get into your top choices. We also suggest you apply to safety schools because most schools that will give you merit-based financial aid awards will be your safety schools. You will be a very strong applicant at these schools and colleges will be very interested in you.

Target schools are schools that you have a decent chance of getting into because your academic profile is average for what those colleges typically accept. For example, if you have an SAT score of 1800, the mean SAT for incoming freshman at that school is an 1800. You are right on “target” with the school’s standards. We suggest you apply to about 3-5 target schools. While you have a good chance of being accepted, don’t forget that your academic profile will look almost identical to thousands of other applicants. You will need to do something to set yourself apart in your applications. You will need to work hard on your admissions essay and consider scheduling an admissions interview.

Reach schools are colleges where it would be a stretch for you to be admitted. Your academic profile is weaker than most candidates. For example, if you have an ACT score of 21, these colleges may require ACT scores of about 28 or even higher. Now, we would never tell you not to apply to a reach school. Your chances are limited, but you never know. You could write a stellar essay or have an amazing interview. But don’t forget that even if you get in to some of your reach schools, you will want to ultimately pick a school that challenges you but that is not TOO challenging. We want you to be stretched, not stressed. Just because you got in doesn’t mean you can handle the work once you get there. We suggest you apply to 2-4 reach schools.

Depth vs. Breadth of Courses Offered: When making your college list, you will want to consider what you are interested in and potential majors and career fields. If you know exactly what you want to major in, for example engineering, you will want a college with a depth course catalog for engineering (ex. – chemical, mechanical, aeronautical, etc). However, if you are unsure of what you will major in and will go in undecided and declare your major later, you will need to make sure that you have a breadth (wide variety) of courses and majors to pick and choose from so that you’ll have options when you learn what you want to do.

Special Programs: When looking at colleges, you need look into any special programs that you will want your future school to offer. Do you want an honors program? What about a cooperative or internship program? Are you looking to study abroad? Do you want to have distance learning options? If you are interested in a special program such as one of these, you need to make sure that your colleges offer them.

Graduation Rates: According to College Board, the national average for graduating college in 4 years is a staggering 44%. Some colleges do a lot better than others in getting their students to graduation in four years. Some colleges offer great academic counseling and advising and additional support and others don’t. Search for your colleges on CollegeResults.org and see what the graduation rates are. On your visits and tours, consider asking why the rates are what they are. Taking more than four years to graduate means two things: wasted time and money. Be sure you have the resources you need to get through college in four years.

Alumni Network: Alumni networks can be very helpful at colleges. Some colleges will connect you to alumni in your chosen career field who will be available to answer your questions and even connect you to other professionals. This is a great networking opportunity and they can even help you with your job search during and after college.

Employment Stats of Grads: In this economy, you will want to research the employment statistics of graduates of the colleges you are looking at. Are most of them able to get jobs right after graduation? Is there any kind of program at the college that helps or even guarantees students jobs after graduation? Most of these statistics you can find right on the college’s website. However, if they aren’t exactly up to par, you may have to dig and do additional research to find them. Also be sure to look into the college’s career services. Do they have a career center? What services do they provide? Are they accessible? Go in with the end in mind and make sure that you have the best chances possible to have a great job after you graduate.

Remember, college research takes a lot of time to do well and to truly find the best fit college for you. Start early and take your time. Gather input from people who know you well – parents, teachers, counselor, coach, friends. You’ll need to visit your schools and ask questions, ask questions, ask questions. Ultimately, you really want to find a school that will value you for what you do well and somewhere where you will be happy. This is not an overnight decision. Don’t wait until the last minute!

Any additional tips to share? Leave your comments!

About Smart Track™ Toolkit: The toolkit is a web based service that assists families with everything from admissions and test prep, to student athletics and financial aid. Our intuitive software and on-demand workshops are key components to making sure students find their top choice colleges, and families can afford to send them there.

About the author: Laura Guarino is the Student Services Coordinator with the College Resource Center, LLC. Laura has a degree in Human Development from Boston College and is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in School Guidance Counseling. She is also enrolled in a certificate program in College Admissions Counseling. Laura is at the forefront of the college admissions process for the families of the College Resource Center and The Smart Track™ Toolkit.

Connect with us
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http://twitter.com/uchoosecollege

Infographic: An Inside Look at College Admissions Today

2012-01-04T14:11:00.000-08:00

An Inside Look at College Admissions Today
StudentAdvisor.com

The changing nature of college admissions in the US has been the source of much stress and confusion to college-bound students and their parents. To understand how the process of getting into college has evolved over time, counselors, educators, students, and parents look to various research studies to derive meaning from the numbers.

Curious to know what the college admissions process is like today? Take a look at StudentAdvisor's infographic "An Inside Look at College Admissions Today" containing data from recent research findings from the National Association of College Admissions Counseling, College Board, and the US Department of Education:

7 Surprising College Financial Aid Facts That Could Save You Thousands

2011-12-14T07:51:00.000-08:00

Although college costs continue to skyrocket in the face of our economic woes, proactive – even affluent - families will pay less than “sticker price” because they learned how the financial aid system really works. Here are seven facts that could help you pay “wholesale” for college:

1. Some Colleges Have More to Give Than Others. Although most schools use the same financial aid formulas, they differ significantly in how much they award in grants, scholarships and other financial aid. Example: the older, prestigious colleges – Ivies and other private universities– offer significant amounts of aid thanks to their large endowments. Public universities offer very little financial aid as they rarely have endowment money worth mentioning.

2. High Sticker Price Colleges Can Cost Less Than “Cheaper” State Schools. One year at a state university can run around $20,000-35,000 (tuition, fees, room and board, etc.). A private college can cost more than $55,000. But frequently, the more expensive college is cheaper! How? Private colleges and universities use their endowments to meet 90%, 95% or more of financial need. State colleges meet roughly 50-65%.

3. “Forgotten Middle Class” Families Receive Generous Grants, Scholarships and other Financial Aid. Recently, colleges and universities have publicly courted upper middle class families – regularly awarding five figure sums to parents with six figure incomes. DO NOT pass on filling out the financial aid paperwork if you think you won’t qualify. One study showed that 53% of eligible families did not bother applying – leaving millions on the table.

4. Grades Have Little To Do With Financial Aid Awards. Many parents assume that their child must have good grades to qualify for grants and scholarships. This is inaccurate. Most colleges award a majority of their grants based on financial need, not merit. Merit scholarships comprise less than 2% of the total “pot.” Although it’s fun to talk about merit scholarships around the office water cooler, the big money - more than 98% - is in the need-based financial aid system.

5. Two Families Can Have the Same Amount Saved - But One Will Receive Far More Financial Aid Because of Where They Saved. An examination of the financial aid formulas reveals that some assets count against you more than others. And some don’t count against you at all. In general, money saved in a student’s name will penalize you more than money held in a parent’s name – strange but true. You could be better off shifting assets out of your student’s name, perhaps into an asset class that’s entirely exempt (such as retirement accounts, insurance, some annuities, and some business assets).

6. Graduation Rates Differ – More Than You Realize. Unfortunately, the odds are stacked heavily against getting in and out of college in four years. Take a look at the four-year graduation percentages at your local state university (www.collegeresults.org is a good site). You’ll likely see that about 50% of full-time undergraduate students get out in four years! Why? The answer may surprise you - it’s because kids can’t get classes they need to graduate – not because they’re “slackers”. Private colleges do a better job at getting kids through school in four years – a typical four year rate is 85% or higher at most prestigious private schools.

7. The Financial Aid Office may not be your Best Resource …. Most people don’t understand why you’ve got a better shot of seeing Paris Hilton inducted into MENSA than getting meaningful help from a financial aid office. The reason you won’t is related to the nature of higher educational institutions themselves – they are BUSINESSES. I’ll wait for you to recover…yes, I know that they’re ivory-towered, institutions of higher learning. However, they have bills to pay – six figure salaries to pay to most University Presidents, upgrades to their facilities, high wages to pay to tenured professors. So the university has bills to pay and it maximizes its income which can limit your chances for Free money. That’s why asking an employee of that institution for help may be like calling the IRS and demanding that they reveal all their latest loopholes so you can pay less in taxes.

Murray Miller is a financial educator devoted the college planning space for over a decade. Murray is the President and CEO of the College Resource Center, LLC. You may contact him by emailing info@smarttracktoolkit.com or by calling 800-863-9440. For more information, including a schedule of free college workshops, visit www.SmartTrackToolkit.com.

Connect with us

http://www.facebook.com/smarttracktoolkit

http://twitter.com/uchoosecollege

Why It's Important to Explore Career Options Early

2011-12-07T09:59:00.000-08:00

You may be wondering: Why focus on planning my career while I'm still in high school? Can't I make the decision later? The colleges I'm considering won't make me decide upon a major until my sophomore year in college.

Exploring Career Options Early Helps You:

Choose the best college for the career(s) that interest you.
Avoid having to extend your time in school. When students switch to a new major later in their college career, it may require taking additional courses and extending the time, and often the money, you must spend on college.
Make sure you enjoy the career you choose. Imagine spending four years studying for a particular career only to find once you start working that you hate it!
Make contacts that could help you later on with internships, jobs and recommendations.
Open possibilities for career-based scholarships, such as those promoting science and technology.
Improve your impression on college admissions and scholarship committees.
Be happier. Being well-matched in the right school and major makes the whole college experience more enjoyable.

You can always make a final career decision later. It's important to at least begin to explore your interests, abilities, and values and to weed to out the careers that you are not interested in or that may not be suitable for you. Many colleges specialize in specific areas of study. For example, one school may have a world-renowned engineering program, but have very little to offer in the areas of languages or performing arts. Therefore, it is important to have an idea of your interests before starting your college search.

If you make the decision to major in a particular field after you are already in school, you may be forced to change schools in order to accommodate the educational requirements of your newly chosen major and/or career path. Chances are high that not all of your class credits will transfer, and you will end up having to take additional courses. Not to mention the hassle of physically moving to a new location and getting used to a new school. This would cost you and your family a lot of valuable time and money. Depending on the situation, it could add as much as year or two to the time it takes to graduate!

Ways to Explore Your Options Now

Get a job or internship in a field you may be interested in. This gives you an opportunity to try on a career and investigate an industry. It also gives you marketable skills and experience, making you more attractive to both employers and colleges. You may have to work for free at first, but it might be worth it.

Interview people with interesting jobs. You'll learn a lot about various career options, and you'll make contacts that may help you with a job or internship later. Not only that, but the more you know about a particular field of study, the more educated a decision you can make later on.

Develop your hobbies and talents. Try new things. Explore what you love to do, and get out and do it! Not only will life be more enjoyable, but you just may find a career that you love. Also, you'll be improving your attractiveness to colleges and scholarship organizations.

Utilize career assessments to help you identify your strengths and opportunities. Research-based assessments of work-relevant interests, abilities, and values help people explore career options that are a good match for them. It provides guidance and information to help people make important career and educational decisions. Ask your guidance counselor if your school offers any of these types of assessments to their students.

Research the trends of various fields - economic, demographic, geographic, etc. You'll want to know which fields out there are growing with many new opportunities, great income potential, in your favorite locations, working with people you enjoy as opposed to a declining field where your choices and opportunities will be limited and there would be a large chance of facing unemployment and returning to school to be trained in a new career. You won't know this unless you do the research!

Attend career fairs. It's a good way to build new contacts and explore career options. Check with your guidance counselor and in the job section of your newspaper for a schedule of upcoming events.

Any additional tips to share? Leave your comments!

About the author: Laura Guarino is the Student Services Coordinator with The Smart Track™ Toolkit. Laura has a degree in Human Development from Boston College and is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in School Guidance Counseling. She is also enrolled in a certificate program in College Admissions Counseling. Laura is at the forefront of the college admissions process for the families of The Smart Track™ Toolkit.

Connect with us

http://www.facebook.com/smarttracktoolkit

http://twitter.com/uchoosecollege

What Should I Do if I Hate the Colleges My Child is Applying to?

2011-11-30T11:47:00.000-08:00

By Sam Coren of Student Advisor

Hate is a strong word. But when it comes to looking out for your kid, it's easy for parents to have knee-jerk reactions when it comes to the college search. Like many teenagers I too had to deal with defending the colleges I wanted to apply to until I was blue in the face. My dad? Every school I thought would be a good fit for me he deemed too expensive, too dangerous (I wanted to be in a city), or too far away and no amount of arguing could convince him otherwise.

While I know he had my best interest in mind, it made my college application process much more stressful than it should have been. Fortunately things worked out in the end - I went to my dream school, graduated with honors, and have a pretty fantastic career. My dad came to the realization that I probably would not have gotten to where I am today if I didn't go to a college I was 100% behind. However getting to that point was not easy, and I couldn’t help but think that much of the tension could have been eliminated if we were better at communicating with each other.

So let's say you're in my dad's shoes 6 years ago and you absolutely can't fathom your child going to any of the schools they have in mind. What should you do to avoid a whole mess of unnecessary drama? Here are some suggestions:

Before you express your disagreement, ask your child "Why?"

Understanding your child's reasons for choosing schools to apply to is absolutely essential to being a supportive parent in the applications process. For me, I only focused my search on schools with strong internship programs and those who offered the niche major I wanted. Size was also another important factor - I didn't want to be lost in a sea of 100+ undergrads in every class. When I explained this to my parents they had a much easier time digesting which schools were going to be better for me than others even if they weren’t completely in love with them.

Don't be a victim to college rankings and brand appeal.

Everyone knows about the various "best college" rankings that come out every year. It's easy for parents (and students) to get caught up in the craze of getting into the highest ranking, most-selective schools. But guess what? The "best college" according to whatever magazine might not be the best college for your child. There are over 2,000 four-year colleges in the US alone and there are plenty of amazing lesser-known schools out there that don't make the Top 100 for any given year. Use college match tools to uncover the hidden gems that might be a good fit and read up on college reviews to see if current students and alumni believe if the school is worth the money.

Understand that picking a college is the first "grown up" decision many teenagers will have to make.

For 18 years you've helped your child make decisions on everything from which clothes they should wear, which classes to take, what friends they can hang out with, etc. Now it's their turn to control their path to success and plan for their future. Badgering your child into picking the college that you would want to go to is a surefire way of alienating them and hurting your relationship. This isn't to say that you should remove yourself from the process completely - it's important for you to guide your child to the places where they can find answers if they're having trouble.

Be careful how you dish out your advice. It's better to ask questions that make them think about consequences than to accuse them of being flat out wrong. For instance, if a school on their list looks out of your family's price range ask them if they've looked into the financial aid program, scholarships or loans. Once they understand the risks and responsibilities of choosing a pricier school they can make a better-informed decision on the matter.

Sam Coren is the Content Manager for StudentAdvisor.com, a Washington Post education site for college reviews and free resources on “all things college.” You can read more of her insights about the college search process on the StudentAdvisor blog.

Researching & Choosing a College

2011-11-17T07:58:00.000-08:00

What is the ideal college for ME? Which colleges and/or universities offer the courses of study, campus size, geographical location, extra-curricular activities, quality of faculty and political atmosphere that you want or need in a school? Ideally, your final college choice should meet, or even exceed, your desired criteria.

Be careful not to select a college for the wrong reasons-- where your friends are going, where your boyfriend or girlfriend is going, where Mom or Dad went, which has the better sports teams, or where you think you and your family can afford. Choosing the wrong school can result in lost time and money in the long run.

It is likely you are going to spend at least four years at a college. Therefore, it is important to find a school that is an excellent match for your interests and needs. Don’t settle for less. But don’t start the college search process with any prejudices about any type of school. Keep your college options open.

Seven Steps to Finding the Perfect School

1. Compile an initial list of colleges that interest you based on specific criteria (majors offered, size, location, extra-curricular activities, etc.). Your original list of schools should include twelve to thirty potential schools that meet most (or all) of your general selection criteria. Ask your guidance counselor if your school uses a college search software program to help with this process. Otherwise, College Board has a good college search function that's free.

2. Find schools where you fall in the top 20% of the admitting class. These students routinely receive more free college scholarships and grants and need less student loans and work study money. If financial aid is important to you and your family, doing this will increase your chances of receiving free college scholarships and grants.

3. Narrow your list of possible colleges to about fifteen by doing further research into the original list of institutions you selected. At this point you will be able to eliminate institutions from your original list based on more specific criteria.

4. Finally, cut your list to a minimum of six. You will now be able to do more extensive research and go visit their campuses. Compile a list of your top schools in order of preference. Your final six or more colleges (we recommend having 8-12) are the ones to which you will actually apply for admission. We recommend to have at least (2 - 4) "Safety schools," colleges you're very likely to gain admissions to, (3 - 5) "Target schools," colleges that you're pretty sure you will get in to based on standardized test requirements and GPA, and (2 - 4) "Reach schools," those colleges that may lie just outside of your academic achievement statistics, but not out of the realm of reality.

Apply to your finalists.

Research the requirements.
Mark deadlines on your calendar.
Ask for recommendations.
Work on your admissions essays.
Fill out your applications.
Apply for financial aid.
Send all documentation in accurately and on time.

6. Analyze award packages. There is an art to comparing award packages. You must first determine if each offer is really the best you can get from that college. If not, there are often ways to successfully request more money and improve your package.

7. Decide and go for it! Now that you have a firm handle on the financial packages, put it into perspective with all the information that you collected from the schools, and decide which school would be the best overall choice for you. Sign on the dotted line. Obtain financing, including filling out applications for any loans you may need.

Any additional tips to share? Leave your comments!

About the author: Laura Guarino is the Student Services Coordinator with College Planning Strategies, LLC. Laura has a degree in Human Development from Boston College and is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in School Guidance Counseling. She is also enrolled in a certificate program in College Admissions Counseling. Laura is at the forefront of the college admissions process for the families of CPS and The Smart Track™ Toolkit.

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Preparing Applications

2011-11-07T13:06:00.000-08:00

The Common Application vs. College Applications

Will you use the Common Application? This question often echoes in the minds of high school seniors as deadlines to submit their college applications approach. The Common Application is a not-for-profit organization that provides a single admission application form students can submit to any of the participating colleges (current 450+). Currently, many of the nation's most selective institutions accept the Common Application.

With the Common Application, a student applying to six different participating colleges can, in theory, fill out one single application and send it off to all six schools with one click of the mouse. The purpose of the Common App is to make it easier for students to work on their college applications. Yet, as the intensely competitive race to get into a good college heats up, some students worry schools will favor applicants who fill out the school's own application over those applying via the Common App.
Some colleges that accept the Common App have other requirements, such as Supplements, that need to be submitted in addition to the Common Application. Be sure to read the application requirements carefully.

View the Common Application Website here.

Think Ahead and Stay Organized

1. Start your success file. Start a file where you collect and/or note your work history and experiences, successes, interests, awards, leadership activities, community service, etc. The earlier you start, the easier it will be to come up with your achievements later on in the process. Freshman year isn't too early to start!

2. Prepare for your SAT/ACT. Start as early as possible to prepare for any tests that may be required. Advanced preparation can help improve your scores. Last minute cramming won't.

3. Talk to your guidance counselor to make sure you are taking the courses you need to meet your college admissions requirements. If appropriate, look into AP courses and/or placement tests to help boost your impression on admissions officers.

4. Fill out forms required by your high school. Many high schools have their own protocols when it comes to teacher recommendation requests, transcript requests, counselor recommendation requests, and so on. There will probably be high school specific forms you will need to fill out and a certain amount of time before your applications are due. Many schools are now going “paperless” when it comes to college applications, so make sure you know the correct protocol for requesting and submitting all of the related paperwork.

5. Use a planning calendar. Keep track of all the application requirements of your potential colleges and write down all of the deadlines on a planning calendar. Work backwards from each of these deadlines to figure out when you need to take care of each component of the application. For example, jot down on your calendar when you'll need to start your essay in order to have it edited, re-written and completed on time. Figure out when you'll have to call and schedule your admissions interview, leaving time for any travel arrangements and scheduling issues you may encounter.

6. Don’t forget to send your test scores. Standardized test scores are a crucial part of your application and entirely your responsibility. You will need to self report your scores on your application, but you will also need to send your official test scores through CollegeBoard (SAT & SAT II) or ACT.org (ACT). Make sure that you don’t forget this critical part!

7. Apply as early as possible. Getting your application on an admission officer's desk before most other students puts you at the head of the line for an admission offer and shows that you are a diligent and punctual person.

Quality is Key

1. Use a word processor, such as MS Word, to type your writing samples before cutting and pasting or uploading them into the online application. It is much easier to edit and review your work and to catch spelling and grammar mistakes.

2. Edit your work! It may sound elementary, but be sure to carefully review all portions of your application for spelling and grammar mistakes. Have a parent or teacher review your paperwork also. Sometimes the little things (spelling errors or omitted information) can make the difference between acceptance and rejection.

3. Get EXCELLENT letters of recommendation from outstanding people in your community. Letters of recommendation are a vital part of the college admission application and should be treated as such. Make sure to ask for recommendation letters far in advance. The last thing you want to do is rush the people who are doing you a favor. Be sure to share your interests and aspirations with them to help your letter be as effective as possible. We suggest you prepare a resume/profile to help jog their memory and help them be more specific. Your high school may also have additional forms you will need to fill out.

4. Essays are Essential. Start thinking about topics early, and see if you might be able to use the same essay topic for more than one application. Be personal, concise, watch your spelling and grammar, and seek multiple opinions for feedback.

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Scholarships

2011-10-29T07:10:00.000-07:00

Good vs. Not-so-Good Scholarships

There are three types of college scholarships:

1. Merit Based Scholarships

2. Private Scholarships

3. Campus Based Scholarships

The most abundant types of scholarships are typically the need-based and merit-based scholarships. You may be surprised to learn that private scholarships can actually work against you with regard to financial aid.

Many students spend countless hours searching and applying for free private scholarships. They locate the sources, gather letters of recommendation, write essays and meet the deadlines. Yet private-sector scholarships make up only about 3% of the college funding awarded annually. We think of this as spending valuable time and energy going after the crumbs. These private scholarships still help pay for college costs, right? Maybe not!

Many colleges deduct private-sector awards from the money that the school already offered you or would have offered you. Simply put, the money from your private scholarship may go back into the school’s treasury, and is eventually given to another student! The funding package from your college still contains the same proportion of gift aid (free money) and self-help aid (money that student works for or loans that must be paid back), but the college’s “contribution” is now less. Who may really benefit from all of your hard work? That’s right, the college!

Detecting Scholarship Scams

Some college scholarship companies are making false claims regarding their services, such as claiming they can help families receive thousands of dollars in unclaimed free college scholarships. They assert that there are millions of dollars in unclaimed scholarships just waiting to be awarded. As you read above, even if you are awarded some of these private scholarships, in some cases it may benefit your college and not you!

Watch out for claims such as:

We've already secured funding for your college.
"The scholarship is guaranteed or your money back".
You've been “pre-selected" by a "national foundation" to receive a scholarship.
We have you scheduled for an "interview"

Maximize Your Scholarship Opportunities

Apply only if you’re eligible! Read all of the scholarship requirements and directions carefully to make sure you’re eligible before you send in your application. Your application can’t win if you’re not eligible for the scholarship.
Complete the application in full. If a question doesn’t apply, note that on the application. Don’t just leave it blank.
Follow directions. Provide everything that is required, but don’t supply things that are not requested. You could be disqualified.
Neatness counts. Make several photocopies of all the forms you receive. Use the copies as working drafts to develop your application packet. Always type your application. If you must print, do so neatly and legibly.
Make sure your essay makes an impression. The key to writing a strong essay is to be personal and specific. Include concrete details to make your experience come alive.
Watch for deadlines. To keep yourself on track, impose a deadline on yourself that is at least two weeks before the stated deadline. Use this time to proofread your application before you send it off.
Make copies before sending. Before sending your application, make a copy of the entire packet and keep it on file in case your application goes astray. Make sure your name (and social security number, if applicable) appears on each page of your application to ensure that nothing is lost.
Give it a final “once-over.” Proofread the entire application carefully. Be on the lookout for misspelled words or grammatical errors. Ask a friend, teacher or parent to proofread it as well.
Ask for help if you need it. If you have problems with the application, call the funding organization and ask questions.
Remember: your scholarship application represents you! Your ability to submit a neat, timely, complete application reflects on you. It’s your face to this organization. Take pride in yourself by submitting your best application.

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What you should be doing NOW to prepare for college

2011-10-13T12:55:00.000-07:00

As college planning experts, we know that it’s never too early to start preparing for college. You don’t want to be scrambling your junior and senior year trying to find a college that’s right for you. Here are some things we think you should be doing right now, even if you are only a freshman or a sophomore.

Develop relationships with your teachers and your counselor: It is very important that you develop and maintain positive relationships with your teachers and with your guidance counselor. The better your teachers and your counselor know you, the better letter of recommendation they will be able to write about you. You will want teachers who know you well and are able to speak about your character.

Teachers - This isn’t the time to sit in the back of the class. You need to be assertive and ask questions. Don’t rely on a good grade to result in a good letter of recommendation. Personal relationships are worth far more. Reach out and get to know the people around you, especially if they are on your “letter writing radar”.

Counselors – This can be an incredibly instrumental letter writer – often the most important one. Unfortunately, in most cases, the counselor will have had very little face time with a student – particularly at a public school. Therefore, the student needs to work on and maintain this relationship. Students should approach their counselor early on in the process. Ask them what their school’s protocol is for letters of recommendation. Is there paperwork that needs to be filled out? Then, students should briefly check-in with counselor at least once a month (I call this “drip marketing” yourself) so that the counselor can see that you are a serious student and get to know you . Asking your counselor in the middle of admission season, if they have never seen you before is a “recipe for disaster”.

Engage in self-exploration and career exploration: This is the perfect time to engage in self-exploration and career exploration. You need to begin to get to know yourself, what you like to do, what you are interested in, and what careers are out there that you may enjoy. Ask your guidance department if your school uses any college readiness tools, such as Naviance or Discover, that have personality inventories. These types of programs help you evaluate your strengths, interests, and career options. Research-based assessments of work-relevant interests, abilities, and values help people explore career options that are a good match for them. These types of programs provide guidance and information to help people make important career and educational decisions.

Keep your grades strong: At the beginning of freshman year, you have a blank slate in terms of your grades and your GPA. Once you take your first quiz or test, you are just beginning to form your GPA. You need to start getting serious about school (if you haven’t already) and really put some effort into studying for tests and acing your projects. You have some control over your GPA at this point. However, the farther along in high school you get, you lose this control. Starting off right is critical.

Read often: Read as much as you can. Read the newspaper, magazines, online articles, read anything that interests you. The more you read, the faster you will become and the more your vocabulary will improve. This is essential in acing your college admissions tests (SAT/ACT) as well as having a successful high school and college career.

Begin visiting colleges: Even if you have no idea what you want in a college, go visit some colleges in the area to get a feel for what they are like. Go see a big school, a small school, a private school, and a public school. Once you see a few different types of schools, you will have a better idea of what you want in a college and what will be a good fit for you.

Become (and stay) involved in extracurricular activities: Colleges want students who will be valued contributing members of their community. They want to see that you are involved at your high school. You don’t need to be involved in 15 different activities. Colleges want to see that you are involved in a couple of things and that you’ve been committed. They’d rather see that you’re involved in 2 or 3 activities (clubs, sports, organizations, etc) and have been involved for all four years than having a list of 20 different clubs you’ve joined but just bounced from one to another throughout high school.

Discuss career and college options with your guidance counselor: Again, you will want to develop and maintain a positive relationship with your guidance counselor. Check in with them every so often to discuss colleges, career options, your interests, etc. They are there to help you and you should speak with them MUCH more often than just to plan your class schedule.

Try to get a job or internship in a field you may be interested in: A job or internship gives you an opportunity to try on a career and investigate an industry. It also gives you marketable skills and experience, making you more attractive to both employers and colleges. You may even have to work for free at first, but it might be worth it.

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Writing A Powerful College Essay

2011-10-06T10:43:00.000-07:00

Good-quality college admissions essays are critical to getting into the schools of your choice as well as winning merit-based scholarships and grants. The essay and the interview, unlike your GPA and test scores at this point, are things that you have some level of control over. In fact, the essay you submit to colleges and universities just might be the extra leverage you need to surpass other highly qualified candidates. A college essay showcases your unique personality, passions, and writing skills. It is important to view your essay as an opportunity rather than another assignment. This is your chance to compel a busy admissions officer to accept you.

What are admissions officers looking for when they evaluate your essay?
It is evident that each admission officer's critique of your essay will vary. However, it is safe to assume that each admission officer wants your essay to prove two things to them.

First, they are looking to see if you can write at a collegiate level, which essentially means that you must demonstrate control and proper usage of the English language, and that you can use it to construct a coherent written document. Admission officers are also interested in seeing that you understand sentence and paragraph structure so that you can pace a narrative. Your story should be concise, flow logically from one event to the next, and provide a convincing conclusion.
Second, admissions officers want to learn about you! They want to know about your character, your personality and your interests. Will you be successful in their school? Will you fit in? Will you be a valued, contributing member of their community? Why should they admit you? What is so special, so unique about you that will make you stand out from other applicants?

Don't overuse a thesaurus. It is important to not get “caught up” in using a thesaurus as they are not interested in your vocabulary skills. Instead, you can write your essay, as you normally would, without using flowery language that you don’t understand. Many admissions officers are aware that applicants use these resources to enhance their vocabulary, but you should steer away from these and focus more on your own natural ability.

Pick a topic that is unique to you. Your subject doesn't have to be earth-shattering, just something that shows your unique perspective. Your views on world politics are great, but if someone who really knows you knows that you're at your happiest when you're doing origami, then it's origami that you should be writing about.

Use humor when possible. The essay is an important part of your application, but it really is OK to lighten up a bit. Getting playful with your topic will make the essay more fun for you to write and much more fun for the admissions officer to read. You don't have to be fabulously witty or stick in a bunch of jokes (doing so could actually be detrimental to your essay), but just show that you can see the humor in life.

Use self-effacement (poke fun at yourself). A big shiny essay about how unrelentingly terrific you are may ring false with admissions officers. They often prefer applicants who admit that they are less than perfect and who can find humor in their imperfections.

Do not exceed the word limit (typically 500 words). Most schools put a word limit on essays and it is your best interest to stick to it. Writing an overly lengthy essay may feel like going the extra mile to you, but to the admissions officer who still has hundreds of essays to get through, it just seems inconsiderate. The longer your essay is, the more chance it won't be read completely.

Be (slightly) informal. The admissions officer wants to get to know the real you, not read a carefully crafted glossy press release or hear your imitation of how an important professional should sound. Keep your own style and voice.

Do not copy an essay. Don't even think about copying an essay from a collection or ripping one from the Internet. If you've seen it, so have the admissions officers—dozens of times. No school will admit a known plagiarist.

Take the revision process seriously. After you write your essay, you’ll want a few different sets of eyes to take a look. Ask your parents, your English teacher, and/or your guidance counselor. You’ll want someone to proofread your essay for spelling, punctuation, grammar and overall flow as well as for style. Again, admissions officers are looking to see if you can write at a collegiate level, so the revision process is essential. It probably wouldn’t be smart to start and finish your college essay the night before the deadline without revision.

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Tips to Get the Most Out of Your College Visits

2011-09-29T14:24:00.000-07:00

Visiting colleges is one of the most important things you can do when deciding which colleges you will apply to and ultimately, which college you will attend. Actually stepping foot on the college campus can change your perspective entirely about a particular school. We’ve had students who were dead set on a particular college and then went to visit and changed their mind completely. We’ve also had students who thought they would never consider a college and then went on a visit and fell in love. If you are applying to a college, you need to go and see what it’s like. Here are some tips to get the most out of your college visits.

Plan a campus tour while school is in session: The optimal time to visit a school is while the college is in session. This way, you’ll be able to get a feel for what the campus is like while students are on campus. You’ll also have the opportunity to talk to students as they are walking to and from class or to the library. Most students are very willing to speak with prospective students and would love to answer your questions. These students also tend to be very honest considering they are not being paid by the school, unlike those giving you your tour.

See if you can arrange an overnight visit: Many colleges offer prospective students the chance to actually spend a night in a dorm room. This is a great opportunity to get an insider’s view on the college. The best time to spend a night at a college is before you submit your applications when you are narrowing down your list, and then again after you are accepted. If you are unsure of what you want, consider spending a night at the two colleges on your list that are the most different. While on campus, make a conscious effort to be friendly and meet as many students as possible. Ask questions to several different students such as “why did you choose this college” and “what do you like/don’t you like about this college?” If you are considering applying Early Decision to one of your schools, arranging an overnight stay is an absolute must.

Set up an interview with an admissions officer or coach: First, you’ll need to research your schools to see which require interviews. For schools that offer interviews (but they aren’t required), you’ll need to consider if it could help your application and if you should do one. Then, make sure to prepare for your interview by researching the college and doing mock interviews with practice questions and answers.

See if you can sit in on a class and/or talk with the faculty: High school and college are very different. See if you can sit in on a class, especially one in your field of study if you have one. You’ll get to see how a college class operates and the dynamics between the professor and the students. If you can, see if you can talk with a member of the faculty. Again, speaking with someone who is in the department of your field of study can give you incredible insight into the program.

Eat in the dining hall: Food is a very important part of your life and you should know what kind of food you’ll be eating for the four years while you are living at college. Make sure that you go to a dining hall on campus and sample the food that the students are eating. Also ask questions about the meal plan for students at the college. Is it the same for all students? Can you change it mid-semester or mid-year? Does unused money roll over to the next semester or next year?

Look at the dorms: Make sure you visit a dorm and take a look at the living quarters. Are the dorms doubles, triples, or quads? What’s the difference between freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior dorms? Is housing guaranteed all four years? If not, what kind of help does the college give you when you need to look for off-campus housing? These are all important questions you should ask while on your visit.

Travel around the town/city: How easy is it to get into the closest city? Can you walk? Is there a bus service near by? Do you need to take the train? You’ll want to travel into the closest town or city to see how easy it is to get there and what there is to do. After graduation, students tend to find jobs and settle around the city they went to college in. Can you picture yourself living in that city indefinitely?

Send a thank you note: If you interviewed with or met with anyone, send them a hand written thank you note. Mention something specific that you talked about to make it a bit personal. Reinstate your enthusiasm for the school.

Take down notes: Before you forget, take down notes on the college. Once you do a few visits, they will all begin to blur together and you’ll forget which dorm, dining hall, professor, etc. went with which school. Take notes and compare them with your notes on other college visits so that you can begin to narrow down your list.

College visits are such an important part of this process. Take them seriously and ask a lot of questions while you’re there.

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Money Saving Tips for College Students

2011-09-21T12:11:00.000-07:00

Consider the following tips to help you save money throughout your college years.

Campus Activities: Campus activities like movie nights or math club usually mean free food. Take advantage of these opportunities to be involved. You may just make a new friend or two as well.

Buying Smart: Consider buying store brand items instead of name brand and think about buying in bulk at stores like BJ’s, Costco, and Sam’s Club. Also, look for some second hand stores and don’t feel awkward shopping there, you are not alone! You may be shocked by what they have and how much things cost. For example – one of our students last year found a Coach purse for $40!

Get a Job: You may have been given the opportunity for work-study but even if you weren’t, you can still look for a part-time job on campus or close to campus. Working while in college is highly recommended. Not only is it a great resume builder and networking opportunity, but you can meet friends and make some money so you won’t be hassling mom or dad. Some on-campus and work-study jobs may even let you do your homework or get studying done when you have down time.

Bank Accounts: There are a lot of different accounts out there and many banks have student checking accounts where there aren’t any fees or charges to keep a minimum balance. We suggest that you find a bank that has a local branch for both you and your parents. Your parents and you should each have a debit card and access to on-line management. Setting up joint accounts with your parent(s) as the primary account holder will help them easily deposit money as necessary. Link your checking and savings accounts to help with overdraft protection and to help you save money. Have your paychecks and all other funds directly-deposited into your savings, then transfer spending money to your checking account and try to spend only what you have in checking. This will help you save money now to fund future large purchases such as books, a computer, or maybe even a trip for Spring Break.

Credit Cards: Be aware of credit card hooks such as free prizes, a percent off today’s purchase for opening an account, no interest for a certain number of months, etc. A free T-shirt may sound great now, but not so much when compared to the amount of potential credit card debt you may incur and a mark on your credit report. You can also look into Credit Unions or AAA, but if you do decide to have a credit card, we suggest having only one if possible. Be sure to minimize your credit card debt even after graduation; don’t forget about your student loans you will have to pay off. Also, typically if you are under 21, you will need to show that you are able to make payments (meaning you have some sort of income) or you will need a cosigner in order to open a credit card account. If you are under age 21 and have a card with a cosigner but want an increase in the credit limit, your cosigner must agree in writing to the increase.

Being money conscious from the start can seriously help you throughout college and you’ll be very thankful once you graduate.

Any additional tips to share? Leave your comments!

About Smart Track™ Toolkit: The toolkit is a web based service that assists families with everything from admissions and test prep, to student athletics and financial aid. Our intuitive software and on-demand workshops are key components to making sure students find their top choice colleges, and families can afford to send them there.

About the author: Laura Guarino is the Student Services Coordinator with College Planning Strategies, LLC. Laura has a degree in Human Development from Boston College and is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in School Guidance Counseling. She is also enrolled in a certificate program in College Admissions Counseling. Laura is at the forefront of the college admissions process for the families of CPS and The Smart Track™ Toolkit.

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Best Ways to Handle ACT Anxiety

2011-09-14T08:14:00.000-07:00

By Vivian Kerr – Grockit instructor

Let’s face it: studying for the ACT can be stressful! Besides worrying about good ACT scores, you have to carve out time for filling out college applications, writing personal statements, researching college scholarships, and making sure you’ve got all your college requirements in place. No wonder so many ACT students find themselves lying awake at night, worrying that bad ACT scores will prevent them from getting accepted into their dream college! Here are ten ways to refocus your ACT prep and get better ACT scores on Test Day!

1. Focus on your progress. Look back at where you were just a week ago in your ACT test prep, and see how far you’ve come! No one can train to run a marathon is 2 weeks! Noticing and remarking upon your steady progress studying for the ACT will lift your spirits and encourage you to keep going!

2. Set a routine. We are creatures of habit. You need to make sure you have a set schedule for studying and non-studying. Try to keep this balanced routine the same in the weeks leading up to the ACT test day. Go to bed at the same time and wake up at the same time every day.

3. Remove electronic devices from the bedroom before sleep. Any kind of artificial light or sound can interfere with sleep and make your anxiety level shoot up. Move your cell phone, laptop, and any other gadgets to the next room pre-bedtime and don’t use them on you bed if you can help it!

4. Use ear plugs to fall asleep. When you have them in, you can listen to your heartbeat. It's like being back in the womb!

5. Remove any artificial light. If you have traffic lights or street lamps shining in through your windows cover them up with a large blanket. Try to make your bedroom pitch-black. You might even need to get a sleeping mask.

6. Take stretch breaks. Lie on the floor breathing in and out. Slowly stretch your neck from side to side. As you breathe in and out notice your spine relaxing into the floor and all the tension leaving your body.

7. Get a professional massage. A little pricier-- but a nice splurge the day before an exam!

8. Don’t leave your studying to the last minute! A surefire way to feel stress is to procrastinate. Give yourself a reasonable amount of time, at least 2-3 months, to adequately prepare for the ACT.

9. Making studying social. Work in ACT study groups with friends. Compare strengths and weaknesses, and do drills together from the same book. Explain the correct answers to each other. This will help relieve stress and you’ll find yourself studying in longer chunks!

10. Write some mantras! A mantra is an empowering message that you repeat to focus your energy on positive thoughts. Choose 3 and write them on pieces of paper. Put them above your desk, inside your locker, in a notebook, or anywhere else where you’ll see them throughout your day. Some good examples might be: “I am making excellent progress on the ACT!” “I am going to do well on the ACT!” or “I am learning the ACT concepts quickly and easily!”

A Beginner’s Guide to Financial Aid Part II

2011-09-07T10:26:00.000-07:00

In the last blog entry, we covered some of the basics of the college financial aid system and how it is used to determine how much money you could receive. In case you have forgotten, the key formula is “COA – EFC = NEED”. COA in this case stands for “Cost Of Attendance” and is pretty straightforward (just add up the cost of everything for one year of college). What I would like to focus on in this entry is the EFC, which stands for “Expected Family Contribution”.

The first thing to do is clearly define what your EFC is. Most colleges and universities will define your EFC as “the minimum amount your family can afford to pay for one student for one year of college”. It is important to identify key components of this definition. “Minimum” implies that your EFC is a starting point and you may actually have to pay more than your EFC (depending on the college your student chooses.) Also notice the “one year of college” part. This is because you should file for financial aid every single year, which means that your EFC will likely be different every single year. The reason financial aid is filed for every year is because situations change. Jobs are gained or lost, benefits will start or stop. Even the number of students in your family attending college at the same time could change, and all of these things impact your EFC.

Now in terms of actually calculating your EFC, college and universities will use one or two methodologies (read: formulas.) The first is the Federal Methodology (FM). This is derived with a formula the Federal Government came up with and is calculated when you submit the FAFSA. Every college in the country that awards federal financial aid requires the submission of a FAFSA, which means that all of these colleges will see your FM EFC. Some colleges will go a step further and they will use their own formula to calculate your EFC. This is known as using an Institutional Methodology (IM). This can get complicated because different institutions can use different IM formulas. However the basic IM formula was created by CollegeBoard and is calculated when you submit your CSS/Profile.

Now that you know there are two different EFCs, it’s probably best to figure out what’s included in these formulas. Simply put, the FM and IM formulas use the following: parent income, parent assets, student income, and student assets. There is a handful of other information that could be used (ages of parents, ages of younger siblings, certain monthly expenses) but income/assets of parents/students are the big players.

Keep in mind that since we’re dealing with two different formulas, income/assets could be assessed differently. One example is your primary residence. Any equity in the primary home is considered an asset in the IM formula, but primary home equity is not part of the FM formula. If you happen to have more than one property though, equity in the additional properties is considered an asset in both the FM and IM formulas.

Things get more complicated when you delve into the nitty-gritty of each formula. If you’re concerned about your EFC and how you’re going to be able to afford to send your students to college, it is usually best to consult with a professional college advisor. Much like a CPA helps you with your taxes; College Advisors (the ones worth their salt) are well versed in EFC formulas and the many different avenues for paying college bills.

Once you finish your applications and the college gets your EFC, its time to create your financial aid award. In the next series entry we’ll discuss Awards and Appeals, something you may need to utilize depending on your EFC, your award, and any extenuating circumstances you think may be affecting your ability to pay for college.

About the author: Justin Munio is a Business Development Manager and Financial Aid Consultant with College Planning Strategies, LLC. With a degree in mathematics from SUNY Geneseo and 4 years working in the CPS Financial Aid Department, Justin is at the forefront of the financial aid process for the families of CPS and the Toolkit.

About Smart Track™ Toolkit: The toolkit is a web based service that assists families with everything from admissions and test prep, to student athletics and financial aid. Our intuitive software and on-demand workshops are key components to making sure students find their top choice colleges, and families can afford to send them there.

Why Take AP Courses?

2011-08-31T14:18:00.000-07:00

By Jordan Schonig – Grockit instructor

For most high school students, the decision to take AP courses can be quite daunting. Enrolling in AP courses requires measuring the benefits against the possible drawbacks. The first question students almost always ask is whether the advantages of AP courses exceed the increased difficulty and workload that comes with such courses. Before you make your decision, you should know of all the advantages AP courses can offer.

1. College Admissions

It’s a common misconception that SAT scores and GPA is all that matters when admissions boards examine your high school education. In fact, the kinds of courses you take are almost as important. Admissions officers want to make sure that their applicants will thrive at their institutions, and one of the best ways to predict undergraduate performance is to look at your performance in AP courses.

2. Prepare for College Courses

AP courses are designed to emulate college courses, so taking APs will help ease the transition from high school to college education. The critical thinking, problem solving, and writing skills required of you in APs—not to mention the added responsibility of preparing for the AP exams—will prepare you for your first year of college more than regular or even honors high school courses.

3. Earn College Credit

Perhaps the most versatile benefit of APs is the college credit you will earn. Scoring well on your AP exams will often help you earn credits for general education courses (those courses required by all students regardless of major) in college. This can have tremendous advantages for an incoming freshman. Because the AP credits will help you finish general education requirements sooner, you will have more time to explore elective classes that you want to take. Having the freedom to take a variety of classes means you’ll be able to try out different academic disciplines, thereby helping you narrow down your choice of major.

4. Save Money

The most tangible benefit of APs is the money you could potentially save. If you score well on enough AP exams, you could earn enough college credit to graduate early by a semester or two. So while you shouldn’t just graduate early just because you can, you can see how cost-effective AP courses really are. After all, AP exams cost very little in comparison to a semester’s tuition.

Remember, getting the most out of your AP course requires you to score well on the exam, so come exam season, we recommend you invest in study materials, including test prep books, test prep websites like Grockit.com, and course material.

Ways to Get Involved on Campus

2011-08-24T06:07:00.000-07:00

Many college bound students don’t realize how important it is to get involved on their university’s campus. Some view college as one big party where as others appear to be on the opposite end of the spectrum, viewing college as solely an academic experience. Often times, extracurricular involvement is overlooked by students who gravitate to each extreme end of the spectra. However, here at College Resource Center, LLC we feel it is best for college students to find some sort of equilibrium between their academic life and social life in conjunction with their involvement in extracurricular activities. Thus, we encourage our clients to get involved on their university’s campus because it’s a great way to meet people, make new friends, develop interpersonal skills, acquire different responsibilities and build your resume. Since there are many opportunities for students to get involved on campus, the following are just a few we recommend.

1. Join a student organization. Colleges and universities boast about the numerous student organizations and clubs they offer. Whether you are interested in politics, journalism, different cultures, skiing etc. there is undoubtedly a group just for you. By joining a student organization, students can meet people, make new friends and gain invaluable leadership and interpersonal skills. Often times, new students are given the opportunity to run for different positions within the organization. With these new positions comes the delegation of responsibilities and the opportunity to take on a leadership role.

2. Create a club. If you have a particular interest that is not represented at your college or university then take it upon yourself to create a club! This is a great way to bring one of your own passions to campus and to share it with the student community.

3. Join a varsity or intramural sports team. Did you play a sport in high school? If so, why not join a team in college? Most colleges and universities offer both varsity and intramural sports. If you’re not looking to participate in varsity athletics because of the time commitment or intensity then gather a group of friends and create an intramural team. Intramural teams are a great way to stay in shape and have fun. It also allows for flexible schedules with games occurring once or twice a week at night.

4. Get a job on campus. Getting a job on campus is a great way to become involved at your university while simultaneously making some extra cash! A majority of on-campus jobs are allocated to work-study students first, but don’t let that stop you. Find a job that suits your individual interests or skill set and apply. Many campus supervisors even allow you to do homework while working. What a great way to make money and get your school work done at the same time!

5. Participate in service learning. If your college or university offers service learning, take advantage of it! This program integrates community service with academics. Students can earn extra credit by participating in a service learning program where they take their skills from the classroom and apply them in real life situations. This gives students the opportunity to learn outside of the classroom and to give back to their community.

Remember, it is never too late to get involved on your university’s campus! Join a club, get a job or do some volunteer work! These extracurriculars serve as resume builders and can make your college experience unforgettable.

About the author: Alecia Coleman is currently a senior at Bentley University. She is majoring in Accountancy and minoring in Law. She was recently a recipient of the MSCPA Women’s in Accounting Scholarship and intends to get her Master’s in Accountancy at Bentley University, as well.

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How Parents Can Get Involved in College Admissions

2011-08-16T08:58:00.000-07:00

We understand that going away to college is as much an act of independence as it is a smart choice for your future, but your parents’ involvement in the application process can actually make your life a lot easier. Applying to college is stressful for everyone. You want to make sure you do everything possible to get into the best college possible. Your parents want the same thing, but they might not know how to help. Here are a few tips for your parents to get involved without becoming overbearing.

Plan College Visits

While you’re studying for the SATs, have your parents schedule some college visits. At this point, you should know which schools you plan on applying to, or you can choose to visit schools after you’ve received acceptance letters.

Research Financial Aid

Even if your parents are not going to help pay for college, they have the necessary experience to better guide you through financial options and money management. Have your parents research loan options and explain the benefits and drawbacks of each plan.

Encourage Test Prep

Parents should encourage their kids to begin thinking seriously about the SATs or ACTs. Test prep books, classes (like Princeton Review or Kaplan), and online services (like Grockit.com) can be expensive but worthy investments, so parents should be able to help their kids finance them.

Remember Deadlines

While remember application deadlines should be the responsibility of the applicants, parents can help by marking these important deadlines in their calendar. While it’s important not to nag their kids, parents can and should offer gentle reminders as the deadlines approach.

Don’t Make All the Decisions

Perhaps the most important thing a parent can do is not become too involved in the college application process, especially when it comes to choosing schools. While it is perfectly fine to offer suggestions and help research the school, your kids should ultimately make the final decisions regarding school selection.

Tips to Keep in Mind When Studying for Finals

2011-08-10T10:38:00.000-07:00

At the College Resource Center, LLC we understand how stressful finals week can be. With the hectic semester coming to a close, many college students find themselves cramming a semester’s worth of material into the night before their exam, writing last minute essays and completing lingering assignments. Course work and outside commitments begin to accumulate during this time and often it seems nearly impossible to finish every tasks at hand. This inevitably triggers stress and anxiety amongst college students. The following are a few tips we share with our clients as finals week approaches.

Start Early. Don’t wait until the night before to start studying for your final exams. If you manage your time appropriately, you will be able to cover the necessary materials assigned to you for each class. It is helpful if you study and keep up with your class work as the semester elapses. Therefore, you will only need to review the materials at the semester’s close as oppose to cramming it all in. We recommend students make a schedule, prioritizing what classes they need to study for the most as well as outlining the topics for each of those classes that will be covered on the exam. This will ensure students divide their time fittingly between classes that are more demanding and classes that come easier to the student. It also ensures students spend their time reviewing only the topics that will be included on the exam.

Go to the library or book a study room. Find a quiet place to study, whether it be at the library or in a study room. This will keep distractions to a minimum and allow students to direct their full attention to studying. Often times studying in one’s dorm room can be disadvantageous because distractions such as roommates, televisions, etc. are present. Also, studying at the library or in a study room gives students the opportunity to have more workspace. Therefore, students can spread all the necessary materials right out in front of them.

Form a study group. Often times it is more helpful than not to form a study group with fellow classmates. In this way, students can motivate one another to get started and to continue studying until the exam. Forming a study group gives students the opportunity to see a classmate’s perspective and insight on a subject. This keeps students on their toes and allows them to grasp a better understanding of the material. Study groups also promote the sharing of study materials so students can divide and conquer definitions, concepts and outlines, therefore helping one another prepare efficiently and effectively for the final exam.

Go to your professor’s office hours. It is imperative students go to their professor’s office hours and ask questions that will clarify topics which are unclear to the student. Many times after answering questions, professors will also offer feedback to students on their overall performance throughout the semester and will tell them what mark they must earn on the final to achieve a certain cumulative grade. Visiting your professor during office hours demonstrates your commitment to his or her class and shows just how much you are trying. This extra involvement could mean the difference between a 4.0 and a 3.7, as professors take these added efforts into account.

Utilize the study materials you are given. Make sure to study the materials provided to you by your professor such as study guides, PowerPoints, class notes and previous tests. It is very helpful to review previous tests and quizzes as many times professors will revisit this material on the final.

Take breaks. There can be such a thing as too much studying. It is important you take 10 to 15 minute breaks to clear your mind. Check your Facebook or twitter page, take a quick walk or chat with a roommate during this time. If you are experiencing significant stress, opt to take a longer break and go to the gym. Do some cardio to alleviate this tension and “get the juices flowing”. Then resume studying.

Remember, all college students are in the same boat. Everyone is experiencing the stress and anxiety associated with finals week, though some more than others. Just take a deep breath and follow some of the tips above to prepare yourself for final exams and to alleviate some stress.

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Tips for Acing your College Interview

2011-08-03T05:49:00.000-07:00

It’s the summer time and I hope you’ve taken some time to enjoy it! You work hard during the school year and deserve some R&R! However, if you are going into your senior year, I hope that you’ve been staying on top of your college planning. By this point in the game, you should be pretty close to finalizing your college list. You need to make sure that you research each college on your list to see if they require or offer an interview. If your colleges require interviews, you need to be prepared.

If your colleges offer interviews, but they aren’t required, you’ll have to think hard about if an interview could really help you in this process. If your SAT/ACT scores and GPA are average compared to the college’s admissions standards, there are going to be thousands of other applicants just like you. An interview, just like the college essay, is something that you have somewhat control over and it could be just the thing to really set you apart. If you’re well prepared, you may just give the admissions officer a reason to plead your case for the college to accept you. Here are some tips to help you stand out and ace this process.

Do Your Homework. It is extremely important that you research the schools on your list. Read their website, become an expert on it. Know what makes their school unique. Why do you want to go there? Read any brochures or course catalogues that you’ve received in the mail. Don’t make the mistake of asking the admissions officer questions that can easily be found on their website.

Know What to Expect. Practice, Practice, Practice. It is very important that you’ve prepared ahead of time for this. Research frequently asked college interview questions. Come up with your answers to these questions and practice them with your family, a friend, a neighbor, or in front of a mirror.

Prepare your own questions. At the end of any interview (whether for college or for a job), the interviewer will always ask if you have any questions. Make sure you are prepared with a few questions that you can ask at the end. For example, look into special programs that they offer (e.g., Study Abroad, Cooperative Education Programs or Internships, etc.) and ask questions about one you’re interested in.

Dress Appropriately. We know it may be summer, but please don’t wear shorts, t-shirts, or flip-flops. No Jeans, baggy clothes, or ripped/torn clothes. And ladies, please no revealing clothing. Boys, dress pants and a collared shirt with a tie will look great. Girls, a nice cardigan with a skirt will be just fine. If you are going to interview somewhere far away, make sure you have everything ready in your suitcase and that you’ll have access to an iron once you’re there.

Beware of Body Language. We all have our own quirks, make sure you know what yours are. If you usually fidget, shake your leg, tap your foot, bite your nails, etc., make sure that you are aware of this and be careful during your interview. Also, if you are someone who uses “like”, “um”, “you know” or other filler words like these, be aware of it. Try not to say them so much during the interview, it’s a turn off.

Thank You. After the interview, take the business card or contact information for the person you met with and don’t forget to send them a thank you letter. Refer to something that you discussed and restate your enthusiasm for the school.

GOOD LUCK!!

Any additional tips? Want to share a memorable interview experience that you’ve had (good or bad)? Leave your comments!

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How to Get the Best from Your Letters of Recommendation

2011-07-26T11:22:00.000-07:00

Letters of recommendation may be the most overlooked component of the college application. Most college-bound students spend the bulk of their time stressing about their GPAs, doing loads of test prep (which is not at all a waste of time), and meticulously crafting their personal statements. Among the “big four” of college application, the letters of recommendation are generally neglected, but they still constitute an important part of the admissions process. Here are a few tips to get the most out of your letters.

Your Writers Should Know You

Most of us have a sense of our presence in any given class. Some classes provoke our participation, others induce slumber. Even if you received high marks in a particular class, make sure that you made a lasting impression on your teacher. College admissions officers look to letters of recommendation to get a sense of your classroom presence and special academic strengths, especially those that cannot be communicated through grades and test scores. Make sure your letter writers know you for the great college student you can be.

Your Writers Should Be In Your Field

For the few of you who know your major going in to college, make sure at least one of your letter writers teaches a subject related to your major. For example, if you apply as a Biology major, aim for at least one letter to come from a science teacher; by all means, though, do not neglect to request a letter from that English teacher who can write stellar letter on your behalf. The quality of your letters does indeed trump relevance, but just remember that admissions officers will want to know how you perform in the kinds of classes you’ll be taking as an undergraduate.

Grades Shouldn’t Necessarily Determine Your Writers

It might seem ill-advised to request a letter from a teacher who did not give you an “A,” but remember, good letter-writers are those who know your strengths best, not necessarily those who give you the best marks. Perhaps you initially struggled in an unusually challenging class and then showed great determination by raising your grade to a “B.” Such a momentous improvement should not go unnoticed simply because your final grade could be higher.

A Beginner’s Guide to Financial Aid Part I

2011-07-19T14:03:00.000-07:00

As most parents and students are aware, if you need money to go to college then you deal with the financial aid department. These are the people that are in charge of awarding grants, scholarships, student loans, and work-study packages. Figuring out how the college determines who gets money and who doesn’t can often times seem tricky, so let’s try to look at this process in as simple a format as possible.

Now, the concept is that financial aid goes to those families who need it the most. To determine this, colleges use two factors: Cost of Attendance (COA) and Estimated Family Contribution (EFC). Then, the financial aid department uses a simple formula: COA – EFC = NEED.

Your COA is pretty straightforward. It is the cost of tuition, room & board, books, fees, transportation, and an allowance for miscellaneous fees. The COA at a college can change every year, so financial aid is recalculated every year. Remember to include all of the items I just mentioned in your budget, since that is exactly what the college is doing when figuring out your financial aid. If you forget to factor in the cost of textbooks, you may not have enough money when you head off to college in the fall.

Your EFC is a bit more complicated because the college is trying to determine how much money they think your family can afford to spend on college. Unfortunately, your EFC is never going to be as low as you would prefer (unless of course it’s $0), but it is important to know what factors impact your EFC. There are many different things that go into the calculation of your EFC, but four of the biggest influences are Parent Income, Parent Assets, Student Income, and Student Assets. We will cover all of these in more detail in future blogs, so stay tuned as we continue the posts. Other factors that can influence your EFC include the number of family members in your household, the number of students in college at the same time, the ages of each family member, and even what state you live in. If this seems complicated, plenty of other families are thinking the same thing. Much like how a CPA can help you with your taxes, a good college advisor should be able to help you understand your EFC.

The last step in the process is to determine your NEED. This is high much financial aid you may be eligible for. Let’s say for example that your college has a COA of $50,000 and your EFC is $20,000. This means your NEED is $30,000 ($50K-$20K=$30K). Now, does this mean that you’re going to get a $30,000 scholarship? Not usually. Most colleges will award you some combination of grants/scholarships (free money) and work-study/student loans (self help). Keep in mind that money you receive based on this formula is called “Need-Based Aid”. Scholarships that you get for having a really high GPA or good SAT scores are called “Merit-Based” and are awarded based on separate criteria. Even if your EFC is higher than a college’s COA, you could still receive “Merit-Based” aid (so study hard!)

Next time we’ll talk about your EFC in more detail and explore the fact that there are 2 possible EFC formulas a college could use, each with a different set of questions.

About the author: Justin Munio is a Business Development Manager and Financial Aid Consultant with College Planning Strategies, LLC. With a degree in mathematics from SUNY Geneseo and over 3 years working in the CPS Financial Aid Department, Justin is at the forefront of the financial aid process for the families of CPS and the Toolkit.

5 Things I Wish I’d Known About MONEY When I Started College

2011-07-11T10:01:00.000-07:00

At Grockit, we’re all about education and getting you ready to move on to the next stage in your life. But we’re not just teachers; we’re all former and/or current students, too, and we’ve got more than just test preparation tips to share with you!

There’s a good chance that you or your parents are making a significant investment in your college education from loans or savings. The stereotype of the “broke college student” exists for a reason: many college students really are living on a TIGHT budget. Learn from a few of the money mistakes I made in college so you can avoid them yourself!

1. Credit cards are not “free money,” and they can make your life miserable if you misuse them. They might look innocuous, all decorated with Van Gogh’s Starry Night or your school mascot or whatever, but the interest rates will kill you if you’re not careful; get one for emergencies if you must, but try to pay it off in full every month and don’t let yourself get into the habit of thinking that new boots or late-night pizza orders are “emergencies.”

2. There are weird little opportunities to make a little extra cash all over the place at most universities and colleges. Have a couple of hours to spare between classes one day a week? You might be able to spend them as a model for the art school or a mock patient for med students. Think outside the usual part-time job box to explore seasonal opportunities or small gigs that only crop up periodically.

3. Unless you become a celebrity or get a really plum job involving some kind of consumer goods, you will never again get as much free stuff offered to you as you do in college. So take the t-shirts, the boxes of sample toiletries, and the promotional water bottles; a penny saved is a penny earned, right?

4. Speaking of free things, if you’re smart about it you can get a whole lot of free food just by going to extracurricular activities like lectures and club meetings. It’s an opportunity to not only score some pizza (and it will almost always be pizza), but also to learn about something, whether it’s swing dancing or quantum physics, that you might never have discovered otherwise.

5. There are resources available to help you through the rough patches. It probably won’t kill you to eat nothing but ramen noodles for the last two weeks of the semester, after you’ve burned through all of your loan money, but it’s not exactly great for you, either. And more importantly, it’s probably not necessary. Many schools have emergency short-term loan programs in place to help students out of a tight spot, so if you need help, ask for it!

What kind of helpful knowledge have you picked up about your finances? Share it in the comments!

About Grockit: Grockit is a fun and engaging learning community that encourages students to learn from group study, game play, expert tutorials and solo study. Students that prepare with Grockit have proven to achieve higher scores on college admissions tests.

About the author: Andrea Alexander is a current graduate student in the School of Information at the University of Michigan. She's been teaching test prep for about eight years and have picked up lots of helpful knowledge along the way. She specializes in the verbal aspects of test prep, since her education and career experience as an attorney, freelance writer, and editor have given her the background for that.

Tips for Graduating Early

2011-06-23T11:48:00.000-07:00

Whether you’re looking to graduate early, within the standard four years, or trying to get ahead in your coursework, the course of action you take is virtually the same. If you take advantage of the suggestions below then you can complete your college curriculum within any time frame.

Take AP Classes in High School

Try and take as many AP classes in high school as possible. Students who take AP classes can earn college credits or receive advanced placement upon entry into college, based on their AP Exam scores. These college credits will allow you to get a head start on your major. Some students opt to take upper level courses with this opportunity, others pursue a double major because their required coursework per semester is not as strict, and some will use the credits received to lighten their course load and take fewer courses per semester.

Take Summer Classes at Your College or University

Use the summer to your advantage and take one or two summer classes at your college or university. These classes can be electives or core courses applicable to your major. This is a great opportunity to get ahead and to spread out your course load. Taking summer classes allows you to focus more attention on one subject at a time and for some, can allow for vast improvement grade wise. Taking summer classes at your college or university will also guarantee the acceptance of credits and grades received.

Take a Course Away or an Online Course

If you can’t take a summer class at your college, think about taking a course away at a community college or taking a course online. However, you must pay particular attention to the policies of your college or university. Many times, colleges and universities require students to fill out forms with the course name and description they wish to take at another school. These courses must be approved by administration in order for credits to be accepted and transferred to the students’ primary college or university. This should be taken advantage of during the summertime, as well.

Take a Winter / Spring Intensive

Check to see if your college or university offers winter and spring intensives. Intensives are courses that are delivered in consecutive full-day sessions for one week or for five Saturdays in a row. This is a great way to complete a required course quickly and efficiently.

Use your Pass/Fail Elective in a Semester Where Your Course Load is Increased

Some colleges and universities give students a pass/fail option. Though the policies differ from school to school, generally students can only use pass/fail for elective classes. This allows students to take a more challenging elective without the risk of jeopardizing their GPA. Instead of receiving a grade for the class, students will simply receive a P for pass or an F for fail. When opting to use a pass/fail option, consider increasing your course load that semester. Taking six classes as oppose to five will allow you to get ahead in your work.

By taking advantage of any of these suggestions, you can lighten your course load during the year while still graduating on time, or you can expedite the process and graduate early!

About the author: Alecia Coleman is currently a senior at Bentley University. She is majoring in Accountancy and minoring in Law. She was recently a recipient of the MSCPA Women’s in Accounting Scholarship and intends to get her Master’s in Accountancy at Bentley University, as well.

5 Things I Wish I’d Known About HOUSING When I Started College

2011-06-15T13:41:00.000-07:00

There’s no avoiding the fact that you’ll make mistakes in college—just like you will in other parts of your life. But that’s no reason to go in blind. Here are the five things I wish someone had told me about housing when I started college. Or maybe someone actually did tell me, and I just didn’t listen; that’s totally possible. But hopefully you can learn from some of the things I did wrong and at least make some different mistakes.

1. If you have the opportunity, live in the dorms for your first year. Being a freshman is really overwhelming, and I can’t imagine how I would have managed to stay on top of all the changes in my life if I’d had to worry about making sure the electric bill got paid on time and cooking my own food. Besides, living in a dorm allows you to get to know a much wider variety of people than you would meet otherwise; that broader perspective is invaluable to your intellectual growth.

2. Often, you have to choose between living in a “party” environment and living in a “study” environment. When faced with that choice, no matter how fun-loving you are, there’s a lot to be said for the “study” environment. You can always go somewhere else to party, and you’ll be glad to have a quiet place to come home to.

3. Most people find themselves in cramped living quarters in college, and the best way to prepare for that is to get organized. Even if you’re a lifelong slob, you’ll make your transition to college life much smoother if you take a trip to the Container Store to stock up on clear plastic storage bins for everything from toiletries to extra blankets. Your roommate will thank you for the preemptive efforts at tidiness.

4. Find a home away from home. There are going to be times when your living situation—whether that’s a dorm, an apartment, or a co-op—feels intolerable. That’s one of the unfortunate side effects of living in cramped quarters with lots of people. You’ll be much better at coping with it if you can escape to a coffee shop, a quiet corner of the library stacks, or your fraternity/sorority house.

5. Becoming best friends with your roommate is amazing if it happens, but becoming roommates with your best friend is generally not. You may have known and loved your buddy since the second grade, but that friendship might not survive the fights about dirty dishes, mismatched sleep schedules, and loud music that plague many college roommates. Live with a stranger; you’ll get to know someone new, and you’ll have nothing to lose if you end up being nothing more than polite acquaintances.

What do you wish you’d known in the past about housing, that you know now? Share it in the comments!

The "true" Cost of College

2011-06-09T16:00:00.000-07:00

Have you ever looked on a college’s website under the “Tuition & Fees” section? I’m guessing if you have, then you’ve probably also been pretty shocked at the amounts listed. $30,000 - $40,000 - $50,000 - $60,000! This is the cost of college nowadays. It makes a person wonder if families are actually paying this exorbitant amount of money every year. Well, in most cases they aren’t.

42 % Off! That's the average percentage discount reaped by students attending a private college this year! I know that seems shocking -- especially if you're just tuning in -- but as we've been saying, colleges today routinely and intentionally discount their 'published prices' to lure students to their campus. It is, as the Washington Post reported, creating a 'polite bidding war' for desirable students and considered a 'common post-recession scenario.'

We work with these numbers and scenarios everyday, but I can certainly appreciate how for many, this sounds absurd - Colleges do not 'roll back' prices. So we wanted you to see for yourself - simply Google 'Common Data Set ____________ (your college here)' and find the section on Financial Aid. Do the same for a few other schools you like or are on your preliminary college list and compare the results. This, by the way, is data that the schools are required to report-- and it is information that is used by the College Board as well as by us to compare colleges and compile reports for our clients.

It's a common misconception that you wait until you know where your student is attending before applying for financial aid and other scholarships. Today the inverse is true! You can’t even decide where to apply until you understand the amount of financial aid and other 'beyond need' inducements offered by each of the schools you are considering. The difference in 'discounting strategies' among otherwise similar schools is often substantial and should be the chief driver of your student's admissions strategy.

The college game has changed. Learn the new rules, you win. Stay in the dark and you could sacrifice thousands of dollars in scholarships and grants at great schools that you would have otherwise qualified for. Even if you could afford to pay full price, why in the world would you want to?

One of our office headquarters is conducting two Boston area workshops this month where we'll break down all of this and show you other techniques and strategies that you need to know about applying to, getting into and most importantly, making a great college affordable. These workshops are free and open to the public with no strings attached. If you have a student that you would like to send to college someday, we urge you to attend. If you don't but know someone who does, please forward this to them - they'll thank you for it!

~ Murray Miller

p.s. Check us out & like us on Facebook where we will be post tips, deadline alerts and resource notices. Write your comment or question on our wall, and we'll be sure to respond!

2011-06-07T11:34:00.000-07:00

Tips to Keep in Mind during Freshman Orientation

Over here at the Smart Track™ Toolkit we understand how nerve racking it can be to attend freshman orientation having no idea what to expect and seeing no familiar faces in the crowd. However, freshman orientation is a great way to meet fellow classmates and is the first step towards becoming part of your college’s community. The following are a few tips we share with our seniors, as they get ready for orientation.

Familiarize yourself with the campus and with other students. This is a perfect opportunity for you to get to know other students and to familiarize yourself with the campus. Not only will you meet other freshmen, but you will be able to introduce yourself to upperclassmen orientation leaders and faculty members. This is a great way to network and to get advice from students who have already experienced college for a couple years. Also, make sure to familiarize yourself with the campus. Know your surroundings; this way, you can have an idea of what buildings classes are held in, where the cafeteria is and where freshman housing is located, before the upperclassmen move in and things become more hectic.
Don’t miss your placement exams or registration time! Be sure to follow the agenda given to you by your orientation leader. You don’t want to miss a placement exam, as finding a time to reschedule can be difficult with all the other summer activities taking place. You don’t want to start off the year on the wrong foot by being placed in a class that is either too easy or too hard. Also, make sure to meet with an advisor before your scheduled registration time. They will help you choose a course load that is most beneficial to you, and geared towards your interests. Again, don’t miss your registration time or the classes of your choice may be closed.
Don’t forget a sleeping bag or bedding for overnights! When preparing for freshman orientation, don’t forget bedding. You don’t want to be the one stuck sleeping on an old, twin mattress for a couple nights, so pack accordingly.
Have Fun! Make the most out of your freshman orientation experience. Bring a deck of cards or an iHome with you. This way, you can hang out and have fun with other students in your down time.

Remember, all freshmen are in the same boat. No one knows anyone else, so don’t be shy. Introduce yourself to as many people as possible. This is a great way to meet other freshmen before move in day. Keep in mind that you may just find your future roommate and close group of friends!

2011-06-01T12:26:00.000-07:00

5 Things I Wish I’d Known About HEALTH When I Started College

My freshman roommate and I used to joke that college was a disease, and the symptoms were malnutrition and exhaustion. Quite honestly, though, I can’t blame feeling lousy on college itself; it had a lot more to do with the way I chose to treat my body when I was an undergrad. Here are a few ways you can keep yourself healthy as you begin your college life.

1. The dreaded “Freshman 15” can absolutely be avoided, and you don’t have to completely abandon late-night pizza or that soft-serve machine in the cafeteria to do it. Just develop healthy habits from day one: try to eat something from the fruit or vegetable family at every meal, get some exercise, and don’t go crazy with the all-you-can-eat aspect of dorm food.

2. Speaking of exercise, get to know your campus fitness facilities! Many colleges and universities have free access to gym equipment, swimming pools, aerobics classes, and other great fitness opportunities that you’d have to pay real money for at an off-campus gym.

3. Get some sleep. No, really—I know there’s always something more interesting going on somewhere, but studies show that people who don’t sleep enough gain weight more easily and have weaker immune systems, exposing them to more illness. Sleep is free and pleasant, and it keeps you looking and feeling your best; why not get 8 hours of it when you can?

4. If you share a shower with someone else, wear flip-flops. One thing you can’t control is your roommates’ or dorm-mates’ foot funk, so take precautionary measures. I know it’s a gross thing to think about, but I assure you, it’s a much grosser thing to have to rectify if you DON’T wear the flip-flops.

5. Most schools have a health services center, and it probably has more resources than you would expect. For example, you hopefully know that you can go see them if you have the flu or a sprained ankle. But you may also have access to mental health services, nutritional counseling, or preventive care, among other things. Take the time to explore your health services center’s website to acquaint yourself with their offerings—most of the services are probably included in your tuition and fees, so you might as well take advantage of them!

Any health tips you wish you’d known before that you know now? Share them in the comments!

Is College Worth It?

2011-05-26T06:34:00.000-07:00

Not too long ago, the Pew Research Center found that a majority of Americans (57 percent) believe the higher education system in the United States “fails to provide students with good value for the money they and their families spend."

It's making quite the stir, even reaching all the way to pundits and panelists on NPR and CNN. For the first time people are publicly asking a question I once believed unthinkable: Is college worth the cost? Of course, I want to weigh in. And what I really want to say is an emphatic YES! But I can't, because it's not always...

If you finance your entire education investment with debt, you are not going to get the best return on that investment. For the first time ever last year, student debt topped consumer credit card debt, and just last month The New York Times reported that college debt may hit a trillion dollars this year. Not good. Not good at all. I abhor the slippery slope that excessive debt creates for our children and I've been warning my clients of a looming student loan bubble that could make the mortgage meltdown seem quaint.

So rather than ask whether college is worth the cost, I offer this instead: Make College Worth The Cost!

With proper admissions and financial planning at the outset, you can help your children get into great schools that won't require mortgaging their future or sacrificing yours. Pew wasn't the only report on college that came out recently. In a new study from the National Association of College and University Business Officers (the guys that actually set and then discount college prices), it was revealed that nearly 88 percent of first-time, full-time undergraduates received institutional grants (free money) in the form of 'discounts' in 2010. That's a jump of about 5 percentage points from 2007 and 10 percentage points from 2001. Of note as well: only about 71 percent of that 'aid' was given to students who demonstrated financial need, which means 29 percent of that money was awarded on non-need criteria to students who demonstrated value to the institution. I'm not talking about a little bit either. Most of our graduating seniors whom we helped demonstrate need, value, and desire, received significant offers ($14K - $40K+) from great schools such as Boston College, BU, Bentley, Babson, and Providence College.

This is important for a few reasons.

1. The right college at the right price is definitely worth the investment. Last year, when national unemployment was around 11%, it was only 4.5% (full employment) for college graduates 25 and over! And in the aggregate, college graduates still out-earn non-graduates by about $1.2 million over the course of a lifetime.

2. College is within your reach, but to find and get into the right college at the right price, you have to plan early and have a family-centric, integrated admissions strategy. Consider: how much financial need you'll be able to demonstrate; which colleges are likely to meet that need; where your student might have leverage (value); and how to demonstrate that value to the 'recruiters' of those schools!

3. College is not 13th grade! Too many students enter college without a plan, without a vision for their academic or professional future. The investment is more worthwhile if students bring a sense of commitment to the campus. The 4 year vacation (or 5+ years) with football and basketball season tickets is the wrong formula for a positive college ROI. That's why this is a 'family' process; it's not just about the student and not just about the money.

There are some great resources and tools out there including a new college ROI calculator at www.payscale.com, but the best place to start is to determine where your student might want to go and compare that list with schools they are likely to get into. Then, determine how much those colleges 'cost' versus how much you're actually going to have to pay to go there! Those may be two different numbers, so make sure to research resources such as the Smart Track™ Toolkit to help you plan for all scenarios. If you happen to be in the Boston area, check out our upcoming public workshops on www.OurCollegePlan.com, where we discuss this information and more.

~ Murray Miller, President & CEO

5 Things I Wish I’d Known About JOBS When I Started College

2011-05-20T18:00:00.000-07:00

Part-time employment and college go together like cheese and crackers; they’re a natural complement. And as a student, I was no stranger to part-time work-- in fact, I usually had multiple jobs at the same time, doing everything from making balloon bouquets to offering tech support in campus computer labs. Read on to learn a few tips about employment that I picked up through trial and error!

1. Money matters, but you’re in school, so your studies should be your first priority. Try to find a job that understands the unique scheduling needs of a student. You want to work somewhere that will allow you some flexibility during exams and other busy times. These jobs may pay a little less, but they’re worth it in the long run.

2. Another perk to look for in student employment is downtime. Many jobs, particularly on campus, will have time for you to study. Some that I found were night receptionist in my dorm, computer lab monitor, and parking garage attendant; these jobs let you double-dip by making money AND getting some of your homework out of the way, leaving more time for extracurricular fun!

3. Don’t forget about internships-- sometimes working for free is a great investment. The most interesting jobs often don’t pay anything at all, but they can lead to amazing paid opportunities or to valuable additions to your professional network.

4. A part-time job can be a great chance to explore something outside your usual academic sphere. If you’ve always wanted to know more about urban planning but you don’t have room for it in your course schedule, check to see if there’s an opening in the departmental library, or a professor looking for some research help.

5. If you can get a work-study award, it’s an enormous help in finding student employment. In the U.S., work-study programs provide government funds to pay part of your wages for eligible jobs, and that makes you a very affordable employee—take this advantage if it’s offered to you!

Have you had to learn any lessons about college jobs the hard way? Share them in the comments!

Surviving the Transition from High School to College: Strategies for Success

2011-05-20T09:25:00.000-07:00

At College Planning Strategies, LLC we understand how different high school and college really are, but many students don’t realize this until a few weeks into their freshman year. The following are a few Strategies for Success that we share with our seniors.

1. Make your courses count: In college there will be a lot of pre-requisite courses and many requirements to fill. If you can take one class that will count for multiple requirements, that’s the way to go. For example, an African American Literature class may count for both an English requirement and a Global Education requirement.

2. Declare your major by junior year: As an underclassman, you will spend most of your time on general ed. requirements. This is a good way for you to experience other classes and hone in on a particular major. If you are still undecided, visit the career services department. They will help you explore career paths and your options.

3. Contact professors to be admitted: If you’re registering for a course and suddenly realize it’s full, you may need to contact the professor. Usually professors have the authority to add you into a class even if it’s full. You can do this by sending an e-mail or visiting the professor during office hours.

4. Start studying early: If you know a particular class or professor is going to be difficult, start studying early! This way, you’ll avoid some stress down the road as well as some potential all-nighters.

5. Mix easy and hard courses: Try to be cognizant about scheduling a balance of easy and hard courses each semester. It might be tempting to fill your schedule with four or five really easy courses, but next semester is likely to be an absolute nightmare.

6. Think about academic strengths and weaknesses: By now I would hope that you know a little bit about yourself and how you learn. You should know what you’re good at and what your weaknesses are, so try to choose courses based on these strengths and weaknesses. If you are not strong in writing, don’t take a course where you are only evaluated based only on 3 papers you write during the semester.

7. Stay on top of the registration process: The registration process at some schools can be a nightmare, so plan for this in advance. You need to make sure that you stay on top of all deadlines and have back-up classes in case the ones you are trying to get into are full. Make sure that there are no time conflicts, and make sure to see which courses are only offered in the fall or only in the spring.

8. Check in with your advisor each semester: I can’t stress this enough. Your advisor is there to help you stay on track, graduate on time, and answer your questions. They are a very valuable resource for you, so make sure that you check in at least once a semester.

9. Find a study-buddy: You’ll want to find at least one classmate who you can trade contact info with. This way if case you miss a class, you will have someone you can contact to find out what happened. Doing homework with someone else can also be a great motivator for getting your work completed, especially if the homework is particularly difficult.

I hope that these tips will help you recent high school graduates in making a plan to stay on track in college. For current college students or college grads, what worked well for you? If you have any additional tips for incoming freshman, share them in the comments!

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5 Things I Wish I’d Known About PICKING COURSES When I Started College

2011-05-02T10:13:00.000-07:00

By the end of my freshman year in college, I had already changed my major twice, and as a result, I picked up a lot of random knowledge about different kinds of classes across several disciplines. Read on to learn the easy way from a few lessons I got the hard way!

Two words: PASS/FAIL. Don’t overuse this option—it looks lazy on your transcript if you’ve taken tons of pass/fail courses—but if it’s available to you, take advantage of it when its appropriate. Talk to your advisor if you’re not sure how it works. There’s no better way for a liberal arts scholar to explore astrophysics, or for an engineering student to learn about Chaucer, than by doing it pass/fail. Once the grade pressure is off, the learning pleasure can really kick in, and you might discover a new academic passion!
Start with your foundation courses, then move on to the specialized ones later. You might change your mind a few times about what you want to major in, and if you’ve taken a bunch of English courses before deciding that you REALLY want to be a math major, you might not be able to use all of those credits. Try to get your general ed requirements out of the way at the beginning; those credits will usually be good no matter what major you end up pursuing.
Often, credits will transfer from another institution but the grade won’t—make the most of this! If you’re worried about what getting a C in that dreaded foundation course will do to your GPA, try taking it during the summer at a community college and transferring the credit to your university later. Of course, see an advisor to make sure that the credit will transfer and will fulfill your requirement, but with a little planning you can save some yourself both money and stress this way; this is a particularly popular option for math-haters who have to take a basic course in the subject to graduate.
The rule of thumb is that each credit hour of class will translate to about 3 hours of homework. You should be prepared to spend 9 hours each week prepping for a 3 credit class, so don’t overload yourself by taking more credits than you can handle the out-of-class responsibilities for.
Learn a little about the professor before signing up for the class, if you can. Do some research online or ask upperclassmen. A great professor can make a boring subject captivating; this also goes the other way. Don’t pick a course just for the topic—try to learn from professors who interest you, too.

What kinds of things have you learned about picking courses, and what do you wish you knew? Share it in the comments!

“Tales from the Financial Aid Department”

2011-04-27T14:40:00.000-07:00

Working in the Financial Aid Department of a private college advisory firm for the past 3 years, I have had the task of helping families complete all manner of financial aid applications. FAFSA, CSS/Profile, and Institutional Forms; you name it and I’ve done it.

When families think of the many different financial aid applications needed, there are usually two schools of thought. Either “these forms are very difficult to understand and require the help of a professional” (this is where I come in) or “these forms are incredibly simple; only a fool could mess them up”. Well, when I hear the latter opinion I get nervous. Unless you’ve worked in a college financial aid office, private college planning firm, or the guidance office of a high school, assuming that these forms are simple might be a costly mistake.

I recently spoke with one such family who was concerned when they had not yet heard from their daughter’s first choice college about financial aid. They had done their own applications and were worried because May 1^st was just around the bend and they had to make a decision. I suggested they call the financial aid office to find out what the hold up was. The answer they got back was not one I expected.

Apparently in the course of doing their own applications, their daughter had somehow been marked as “homeless or emancipated” (of which she was neither). The college, in an effort to verify this designation, mailed home forms for the family to fill out and send back. In addition, the college was withholding all financial aid until the daughter was either proven or disproven to be homeless.

Knowing their daughter was in fact not homeless, the family ignored these forms. By the time this phone call occurred, the deadline for financial aid had come and gone. The college’s financial aid for that year had been allocated elsewhere, leaving nothing for this family. The end result was an expensive bill for the first year of college.

The message here is simple. Be careful! You should read the fine print and review each application carefully before submission. Above is just one of many mistakes that can be easily made. If you’re not confident that you can complete all manner of financial aid applications, then ask for help. It’s really no different than seeking help from a CPA with your taxes, and can save you money on your college bills if done correctly.

About the author: Justin Munio is a Business Development Manager and Financial Aid Consultant with College Planning Strategies, LLC. With a degree in mathematics from SUNY Geneseo and over 3 years working in the CPS Financial Aid Department, Justin is at the forefront of the financial aid process for the families of CPS and The Smart Track Toolkit.

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"How Did a College Education Help Shape Your Future?" Answer and WIN!!!

2011-03-30T12:13:00.000-07:00

Contest Details:
Parents! Win a Smart Track Toolkit™ Personal College Funding Tool or consultation with a College Planning Specialist by answering the question "How did a college education help shape your future?"

Prize Details:
Win a free personal college planning funding tool valued at over $400 or private planning session with a College Planning Specialist.

Prize Option 1: Smart Track Toolkit™ Personal College Funding Tool!

Access to our intuitive financial aid software platform
Ability to submit state and private college financial aid forms
Financial Aid Award and Appeals Online Workshop
Federal Financial Aid and Tax Programs Online Workshop

Prize Option 2: One on One College Planning Session!

1/2 Hour private session via phone with a College Planning Specialist

How to Win!

1. "LIKE" this blog (above contest details at beginning of blog)

2. "RECOMMEND" our page (click like below near Smart Track Toolkit™)

3. "COMMENT" on "How did a college education shape your future?"
(below at Post a Comment section)

***NOTE*** If you are commenting and DO NOT have a Blogger account, Gmail account, etc, you can simply choose the Anonymous drop down and simply leave your name in the comment. We'll then find you on Facebook to contact you if you are the winner!

Timeline: Contest starts Tuesday March 30th and ends April 13th.
Winners will be contacted directly.

Good Luck!
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Taking SAT & ACT Prep Courses

2011-03-03T16:21:00.000-08:00

The SAT and ACT are difficult tests and doing well on them can be painstaking, but reaching your maximum score shouldn’t be. Our online prep courses contain everything you need to quickly improve your skills and build your confidence on both the SAT and the ACT exams. Each course features engaging, expert and personalized instruction, available to you 24/7 through on-demand videos and interactive lessons.

Why do these courses work?

Expert Tutors available to you whenever and wherever - day or night, at home or on the road. It’s like having your own private tutor right next to you, guiding your progress every step of the way. These courses were designed by Princeton graduates, so you know they have what it takes to do well on the SAT and the ACT.
Real test conditions are proven to make learning more effective. Download and print a practice exam, take it under timed conditions, and you'll be better prepared to ace that exam! This type of studying is far more effective than taking a miniature practice exam on the computer.

Detailed video reviews are available for every exam you take. Better than just reading about the correct answer, these videos show you the correct answer and help you identify your mistakes. This is what is referred to as the showing vs. telling difference. Students agree: this is way better than just reading about the right answer in a book.

Proven results! These courses are designed to build your vocabulary, strengthen your confidence, and give you the tools you need to ace those standardized exams.

Click here to view the details and get started today!

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College Benefits Available to Associations

2011-02-23T14:22:00.000-08:00

One of the most expensive undertakings your members or employees will probably ever face is funding their student's education. College Planning Strategies, LLC can help them prepare their student(s) for college while minimizing stress and out-of-pocket college expenses.

College Planning Workshops

This option is for groups that are geographically located so that members can attend a workshop at a central location. Our president, Murray J. Miller, is a published author and popular speaker with insider's secrets on how to beat the high cost of college. Our professional college planning advisors have been featured speakers for numerous Fortune 500 companies, national organizations and local high schools and non-profits. You can request a college planning workshop especially for YOUR association.

Demystifying Financial Aid and Maximizing College Funding topics include:

Preparing for financial aid applications in advance to maximize aid and minimize expenses.
How going to a "more expensive" private university may actually end up costing less!
How to position students for more gift aid (Free Money) rather that loans.
Expensive mistakes families make and how to avoid them.
How to get ahead by developing a customized college plan for all college costs.
How to save more money on your taxes.

I am impressed with the full range of knowledge that you and your staff bring to bear on the college admission and funding process. I find the combination of financial advice, application process insight, and negotiation strategies to be exceptionally valuable, going well beyond what I expected at the beginning. Arthur L.

CPS provides each family that attends a free e-book,Winning the College Funding Game, packed with useful tips and resources regarding the entire college planning process. Depending upon your group, a personal college planning consultation may also be available to workshop attendees for low or even no cost. Contact our office for details or to request references from organizations that have already hosted our workshop.

College Prep Audio Program and Member Discounts

This option works for groups regardless of their geographical location. We will provide you with information to distribute to your members. Upon a member's request, we will send them a free audio program and our e-book, Winning the College Funding Game. They may also receive a discount toward an SAT/ACT test preparation program or any of our other college planning services.

College Planning Strategies
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Your Roadmap to College Success

2011-02-18T15:49:00.000-08:00

College Planning Strategies, LLC recognizes that the needs of each family—and for that matter, the needs of each student—are different. Therefore, we developed the flexible Smart Track Series of personalized in-depth services. Our highly trained team of advisors and support staff are up-to-date on the pressing issues related to preparing your student for college and a successful graduation. We can help guide you step-by-stepthrough the obstacles that may hinder your student’s college dreams: potential job loss, college funding issues, choosing the right school, admissions challenges, financial aid and scholarships, changes in educational loans, and a variety of other serious issues that today’s families must face.

Student Support Services

For many students, applying to college is a stressful process. There are so many things to do, so many deadlines to meet and new information to learn. We will guide you and your student step-by-step through the college search and application process and be there to answer all of your questions.

Our workshops help with everything from career exploration, to college search and visits, to acing the college admissions interviews. We help your student clarify his or her goals, overcome insecurities, and make the best impression possible. This will help them gain admission to their top choice colleges, receive merit scholarships, and obtain jobs and other opportunities. We’ll also give the whole family important college planning tips that will help eliminate family conflict, save you time and money, and keep you on track so you can sleep well, knowing nothing has been forgotten.

Does your student need help with admissions essays? Our professional essay editors will make suggestions on how to show off their best qualities without losing their own voice. Our editors will not only catch grammatical and spelling errors, but help them communicate in a compelling way.

Customized College Planning

One of our professional college planners will work with you to analyze your family’s unique situation, goals and current strategy for handling college expenses—even if that means “one semester at a time.” After analyzing your current situation, we will help you develop a plan for moving forward. We will help you uncover ways ofreducing your out-of-pocket college costs. This encompasses maximizing financial aid possibilities, choosing schools that are more likely to award your student grants and scholarships, utilizing tax-favored dollars, and several additional strategies.

If your family will need to borrow money to help pay for college expenses, we will assess for you variousborrowing strategies and recommend the best loan types and repayment options for your situation.

After a few sessions you will have a customized plan of action charting your course through each year you will have at least one student in college. In addition to the written plan, our entire team of professionals will be here to guide you each step of the way through regular consultations, phone conversations, and email support. We will make sure your college plan adjusts with each curve that life brings, whether positive or negative.

Financial Aid Assistance

There are literally billions of dollars available in both merit and need-based assistance. In order to receive most of it, however, the proper paperwork must be submitted correctly and punctually. This can include, but is not limited to the FAFSA, CSS/Profile, Institutional forms, and Business/Farm Supplement. In order to maximize your awards there is a lot you would need to learn, especially if you have your own business or special circumstances. Many of these forms are considered longer and more complicated than the federal tax forms. Similar to taxes, it often pays to have advice on how tolower your expenses, not to mention reduce the hassle and stress of this process for you!

Our Financial Aid Specialists will tackle all of your financial aid paperwork including the FAFSA, CCS/Profile, Institutional forms, and Business/Farm Supplement. We’ll ensure all paperwork is done accurately and on-time so you don’t miss outon any aid you deserve.

You’ll want to know if your award is a fair one or if your case is strong enough to risk appealing for more aid. Our experts will evaluate your case, and if your situation warrants an appeal, we will walk you step by step through this delicate process. We have found the appeals process is more of an art than a science. However, our statistics are astounding: 8 out of 10 appeals we guide are awarded more money!

If your family will need additional loans to cover college expenses, we also help you select the most advantageous loan(s) for your family’s situation

Test Preparation

CPS has partnered with leading test preparation companies to provide programs that can fit into almost any schedule or budget. They are not only educational and effective, but fun! This is a unique study program that offers the benefits of private tutoring at only a fraction of the cost of most test preparation courses, and is available for the standard SAT and ACT as well as for SAT Subject Tests in Math Level I and Level II.

Since the SAT and ACT do not administer their tests online, it is critical the student practice in the same pencil-paper environment they will experience on test day. We provide you with online access to printable practice tests for home practice. The student completes a practice section offline under timed conditions; the student logs in and submits answers for electronic grading; and, finally, the student launches into a self-guided video review of the practice test problems they had difficulty with or have questions about. There is even a vocabulary builder available. Studies show that this interactive video delivery platform makes learning 200% more effective than text-based learning, and results are guaranteed.

College Planning Strategies
www.OurCollegePlan.Com
www.SmartTrackToolKit.com
www.facebook.com/collegeplanningstrategies

Are You On the Smart Track?

2011-02-17T17:11:00.000-08:00

In the United States the average four-year college education costs between $90,513 and $181,025. However, did you know that statistically a higher percentage of students require over 5 years to complete their undergraduate studies? Are you and your student(s) ready for the challenge?

Top 5 College Planning Questions

1. Have you learned the proven techniques of how to pay for college without jeopardizing your own retirement?

2. Are you confident your student is on target with selecting and being admitted to the best fit college for him or her?

3. Did you research which colleges are most likely to award your student a higher percentage of Gift Aid (scholarships or grants)? If so, do you know how to ensure the award is renewable throughout their college tenure?

4. Have you discovered how to provide yourself with a "tax scholarship" from Uncle Sam, above and beyond the Hope Scholarship and Lifetime Learning Credit? When it is best to use funds earmarked for college and when it is not? How relatives including grandparents can help with college expenses without negatively impacting your students' award?

5. Does your current college plan cover ALL of the years that you will have at least one student enrolled and ensure you won't have an unmanageable cash flow crunch?

College Planning Saves Money

Taking college funding "one year at a time" will likely be an expensive mistake. Planning for college in this fashion will usually cost a family thousands more than if you had developed a plan for all students and all years before your first student has even chosen their college or enrolled. Even worse than wasted money, many families who plan this way find themselves in a cash flow crisis midway through their student's college career. According to a recent report approximately 50% of the students that drop out of college do so for financial reasons.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, many families that started saving when or even before their first child was born may believe they have a fail-proof plan for affording a college education and do not investigate their options further. What many of these families do not realize is that they could save themselves thousands of dollars, perhaps tens of thousands of dollars per student if they understood the various proven college planning strategies that may apply to them.

Student Positioning for College Is Key

Some students are self-motivated and know exactly what their goals are and the best way to achieve them. Most students need some guidance and encouragement in choosing a college, applying for admission, and choosing a major. Sometimes parents, teachers, and the guidance office can provide all of the support they need to be successful. However, students frequently find it helpful to have outside support to keep them on track—especially if time is limited or communication is strained between certain parties.

Helping Families Stay On the Smart Track for College

Since the turn of the century College Planning Strategies, LLC has specialized in giving individualized help to families like yours so they can effectively transition from high school to college and beyond. CPS also educates families on how to defeat the high cost of college through workshops, radio talk shows, corporate benefits programs and a national on-line series of workshops. Our president, Murray J. Miller, is a published author with over 20 years of experience as a financial advisor and educator. He was ranked Number One College Advisor in the Nation in 2006 and 2008.
Our highly trained team of advisors and support staff has earned an A+ Rating from the Better Business Bureau. We can help guide you step-by-step through the obstacles that may hinder your student’s college dreams: potential job loss, college funding issues, choosing the right school, admissions challenges, financial aid and scholarships, changes in educational loans, and a variety of other serious issues that today’s families must face.

Let CPS help you support your student’s educational goals without delaying or giving up your goals for your own retirement!

College Planning Strategies
www.OurCollegePlan.Com
www.SmartTrackToolKit.com
www.facebook.com/collegeplanningstrategies