How Not To Get Into College

The December 24, 2008 Wall Street Journal has an excellent column on the pitfalls to avoid in a college application. The main points are obvious--use common sense, proofread everything, pay close attention to detail, be yourself and keep your parents involvement to a minimum. Remember, its your college application not your parents. For a link to the article, click here: http://www.facebook.com/ext/share.php?sid=40586852709&h=8wgoK&u=2Nea_

Pay Attention to Details With College Applications

Tis the season for College applications. It is time to pay attention to details. Every school has deadlines--for completed applications with recommendations, test scores and essays. Don't wait until the last minute to ask for recommendations. Don't wait for the last minute to tell your college advisor you need a transcript sent to a particular school. Make sure when you write an essay about how much you love the University of Pennsylvania and that you are a big fan of its founder William Penn--only to find out later that UPenn was founded by Benjamin Franklin!!!!!! Get your facts straight. Laziness with the old word processor will get you in trouble with admissions departments.

5 Tips For Applying to College in a Recession

Many families of High School Seniors are nervous. They are nervous because they don't know how they will pay for college. The economy has changed drastically in the past month. Many did not properly plan for this financial "rainy day" Those that did plan have seen the value of 529 college funds plummet if those assets were tied to the stock market. At the same time, college costs relentlessly increase faster than the rate of inflation. I have written a common sense article titled 5 Tips For Applying to College in a Recession. Click on the title of this post and you will be directed to the article. The time for decisive action is now.

College Choices In Tough Economic Times

The economy is front and center of breakfast conversation, television, newspapers and other media. People are worried. Values of 529 College Savings Plans are dwindling. Parents can no longer tap the equity in their homes. The availability of credit is tight. College loan programs are shrinking. Household budgets have been turned upside down....... This scenario plays into the hands of State Universities. There are many terrific public universities and colleges. Many offer tremendous value to in state residents. Naturally, these public institutions will become intensely competitive because of their affordability. There will be an avalanche of applications to state universities in the fall of 2008. State universities will have to raise their standards and reject tons of applicants who would normally be well qualified in other years. High School seniors should carefully research their state university systems and prepare to apply to several first second and third tier state schools.

Go To a College Fair Near Your Home

A college fair is coming to your area soon. This is the season for High School Juniors and Seniors to get serious about putting together a list of suitable colleges. A cost effective way to obtain the necessary information on colleges and universities is to visit a college fair. Hundreds of schools attend these showcases. Its a convenient chance to do some "one stop shopping" without laying out the huge travel expenses to visit each school individually. Use these fairs to speak with representatives, ask questions and compare schools side by side. To find a fair near you, click on the title of this post and get the 2008 schedule.

4 Things to do for High School Seniors

Its back to school for the last time at high school. September is a time to focus on the following to do list before classes get too hectic:

1. Register for the fall SAT or ACT. Go to the websites and be aware of their deadlines;
2. Meet with your guidance counselor and make a list of colleges you want to apply to.
3. Most colleges have online applications; for those who don't order those applications by mail.
4. Get a job. Your parents will be impressed. It will put some money in your pocket and keep you off the street.

U.S. News Best Colleges 2009

The annual U.S. News and World Report Best Colleges list for 2009 is out. Schools are listed in many ways--national universities, liberal arts colleges, business schools, engineering schools, masters programs and by geographic locations--north, south, east and west. There are plenty of statistics to go through including acceptance rate and the composition of incoming freshmen. To access this list please click on the Title of this post. For an additional $14.95 you can get a year of the all access web service which is an invaluable tool for high school juniors and seniors seriously considering college.

Video Chat With Your Child

A must have for the parent who wants to stay in touch with their child living away from home for the first time is the Video Chat. Chances are your child has a laptop computer with a built in camera. If he or she is computer savvy, they can easily explain how to set up a video chat session via AOL AIM or Skype. If the computer you use at home does not have a video camera, purchase one for about $50 from your local Staples, Best Buy or Circuit City. Personally, I prefer the video cameras made by Logitech. Once your camera is up and running you will be amazed how clear the picture is and how good the sound quality is. As a parent, having the ability to talk and to see your child at the same time is great reassurance and it will make your day!

Letting Go

For many parents this is the season of separation. Children that have been a fixture in your life for the past 18 years are now on their own living far away from home in a dorm room with a strange roommate. For those who have micromanaged their children's lives, this is a hard adjustment. Your children are becoming young adults, learning to live on their own, make their own decisions and function like real people. They must sink or swim on their own without mommy or daddy coming to bail them out. The only way to learn the lessons of life is by making mistakes and hopefully learning from those mistakes. You have taught them well, be confident in their ability to function without you. After all, it is their life not yours.

Its Move In Time

For most colleges and universities, tis the season to move in. Most have upper classmen assist to make the process as smooth as possible. No doubt there will be many duplicative purchases among roommates who have never met. There is no need for two TV's, two microwaves, etc. Decide who will return what. Learn to share. After all, you will be living with this person for at least one semester, usually an entire school year. Conflicting tastes are a given but compromise is necessary. Decor and material things are not as important as a great dorm room atmosphere between roommates.

The Best 368 Colleges by Princeton Review

Princeton review is out with is annual list of colleges. The schools are categorized by Social life, diversity, academics, affordability, campus, demographics, quality of life, sports, politics and professors. In essence there is something for everyone. According to the book, The University of Florida @ Gainsville is the #1 party school. I know for a fact it is a very good school academically as well.

Before planning a college trip, please look into these rankings to determine if a given school is a good fit for you. To access the list and the accompanying press release, please click on the title to this entry and you will be redirected to the appropriate web page.

US News Ultimate College Guide

An essential tool for any High School student considering college is the US News & World Report Ultimate College Guide 2009. This book will not be available until October 1, 2008, but it can be pre-ordered on Amazon.com. Any parent who is overwhelmed by the array of choices needs this publication as a beginning point of reference. There is also a companion web site also published by US News where you can search schools by setting your own criteria, ie. school size, location, sports, majors, expenses, scholarships, etc. For about $15 you can subscribe to their premium on line edition. Click on the link here: http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/usnews/edu/college/rankings/rankindex_brief.php

A College Stay cation????

With many families choosing to stay home this summer, why not plan a stay cation while checking out potential colleges for your high school students???? Pull out a map, plot a 250 mile radius in all directions and plot out which point has the highest concentration of colleges which intrigues your student. Then plan a week or so in that area. A couple of colleges combined with some recreational and cultural activities can be fun and productive. For example here in the NYC area you can choose between upstate New York, New England, or the Mid Atlantic area. Each region has its share of great schools, great outdoor activities and places of historical significance.

A Parents Best Friend

Bed Bath and Beyond is the freshman parent's best friend. Click on the title to this link and you will be directed to a comprehensive checklist that can be printed out. Granted this checklist may be overwhelming. Some might think it is overkill. But its merely a place to start, to organize ones thoughts and plan for your student's smooth transition to college dorm living. If there is a Bed Bath and Beyond close to your student's college, you can shop at your local store and pick up all items on move in day. There is no need to transport these items to college yourself. Additionally the Bed Bath and Beyond website has a plethora of informative articles, time lines, diaries and links to help ease the process.

The College Credit Card Hustle

Incoming college freshmen, beware of signing you life away for a free pizza or a free t-shirt. Your university or college may have signed a lucrative credit card agreement with Bank of America or Capital One or Citibank. And you will be besieged with opportunities to open a credit card account. Debt used indiscriminately can ruin your life before it starts. Be credit savvy! Do not ruin your credit by falling into these easy credit traps. There will be offers in your mailbox, there will be booths and tents set up out side the football stadium before the "big game". Ignore all of them! Learn how to manage your money on a budget. Do not spend money that you don't have to impress people that you don't even like. Please read the Business Week article from the link at the end of this post. This is a life lesson that you won't be taught in college but it is probably as important a lesson as you will ever have. http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/08_30/b4093038700850.htm?chan=rss_topStories_ssi_5