Scholarships

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

1. 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.
2. Complete the application in full. If a question doesn’t apply, note that on the application. Don’t just leave it blank.
3. Follow directions. Provide everything that is required, but don’t supply things that are not requested. You could be disqualified.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. 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.
9. Ask for help if you need it. If you have problems with the application, call the funding organization and ask questions. 
10. 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.

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.

Connect with us

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http://twitter.com/uchoosecollege

What you should be doing NOW to prepare for college

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.

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.

Connect with us

http://www.facebook.com/smarttracktoolkit

http://twitter.com/uchoosecollege

Writing A Powerful College Essay

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.

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.

Connect with us

http://www.facebook.com/smarttracktoolkit

http://twitter.com/uchoosecollege

Tips to Get the Most Out of Your College Visits

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.

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.

Connect with us

http://www.facebook.com/smarttracktoolkit

http://twitter.com/uchoosecollege

Money Saving Tips for College Students

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.

Connect with us

http://www.facebook.com/smarttracktoolkit

http://twitter.com/uchoosecollege

Best Ways to Handle ACT Anxiety

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

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.