Juniors on the initial college search and seniors making final decisions are hitting the road for college visits. College visits cost time and money, so putting some time into planning your visit is key to making the most of a 3-day weekend like Presidents’ Day or spring break for college visits. Do Your Homework Likely, you are limited on the number of schools you can visit, so take the time to make wise choices of where you’ll go. Next, thoroughly research the school before you go. Using data on College Navigator will give you important information such as retention and graduation … Continue reading
How to Schedule “rigorous” High School Classes Colleges Want
Colleges will look closely at the level of rigor a student has in their schedule. What does ”rigor” really mean? Honestly, something different for each student. Rigorous courses are meant to challenge the student; colleges want to see that a student has appropriately challenged herself. Choosing rigor can start as early as eighth grade when many students have the opportunity to jump start high school by taking high school courses for credit. If a student is ready for that level of work, go for it! Keep in mind, grades earned in these courses will in most cases impact the high school GPA … Continue reading
5 Steps to Gap Year
It’s mid-year senior year and you feel like the hamster who can’t escape the exercise wheel. You’re left questioning why you submitted even one, let alone 6 college applications. You’re ready to throw-in the preverbial towel. Wait! Hit Pause! Rest and respite of a Gap Year (or even as little as a semester) may offer not only the much needed break, but an opportunity to grow and be ready for college when the time comes. Popular and widely accepted in Europe, this trend is now growing exponialy in the US. The first Gap Year Fair, illuminating opportunities for personal growth, work … Continue reading
Dominate the SAT Subject Tests
Your college(s) of choice may have stringent testing standards that require you to take the SAT Subject Tests. Be sure to check all testing requirements for each prospective school to avoid overlooking important admissions criteria. What are Subject Tests? As their name indicates, these tests (formerly known as SAT II) measure achievement in specific high school courses. There are 20 possible tests across five content areas. They are different in nature to the SAT, which is a reasoning test. They also differ from AP tests, which measure college level curriculum. Many students find Subject Tests similar to classroom tests or … Continue reading
10 Common FAFSA Errors
It’s FAFSA season for seniors! Guest blogger Todd Kelly of Summit College Funding and College Planning Relief has timely advice to avoid common mistakes. January is the month that millions of families disclose their financial data to the Department of Education through the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Specifically, more than 20 million FASFA applications are submitted each year. Anywhere from 70—90% are submitted with errors. An error filled FASFA will likely reduce the amount of aid you might receive. The FAFSA has been called “the gateway to financial aid”. With the ever increasing costs associated with college, … Continue reading
5 Tips to Follow Before You Hit “Submit”
After 20-plus years of working with college-bound high school students, it’s not the flawless applications that standout; instead, it’s the scatterbrained mistakes that students didn’t realize they were making until after pressing “submit.” To ensure that your application won’t become another what-to-avoid story, follow these tips learned from others’ mistakes. 1. Beat deadlines. Make a spreadsheet of all deadlines. Don’t plan to meet your application deadlines, but prepare to submit it early. Give yourself a comfort zone in case something happens to slow you down. Not all pieces of the application puzzle are under your control, so allow for even … Continue reading
How to use PSAT Results
Students took the test in October and finally, as we approach winter break, they’ll receive their PSAT scores. So now what? Juniors If you are a junior, learn from your score report. Analyze your results. What is your area of strength and weakness? Hone in on these as you enter ACT and/or SAT testing. Concentrate not only on improving areas of weakness, but highlighting your strengths. Compare to PLAN results. The PLAN is the little sister to the ACT; hopefully your school administered this valuable tool. Comparing PLAN and PSAT results by examining national percentile scores can give you an early … Continue reading
Is the CSS Profile Necessary to Receive Aid?
This week we have a guest blogger, Scott Moffitt. Scott is President/CEO of Summit College Funding in Cincinnati, OH as well as CoFounder of College Planning Relief and author of College and Retirement: You can do Both! He’s all about saving families thousands on college. There are 2 methods for determining financial aid: the federal and institutional methodologies. The federal methodology is used to disperse all state and federal based aid, while the institutional methodology is used by a select group (not all) of private schools to disperse private aid. By completing the FAFSA,Free Application for Federal Student Aid, you … Continue reading
Timing is Everything with Testing
Every fall LEAP receives at least several calls of anxiety ridden parents whose senior student has yet to have a first attempt at the ACT or SAT, let alone the recommended second attempt. Now they realize their back is up against the wall with limited testing dates and college application deadlines. With the ample number of ACT and SAT test dates year-round, there is no reason for a family to ever get in this position. Make a Plan LEAP has been prepping students for college entrance exams since 1999 with great results. From our experience, we advise for most students to start … Continue reading
What to do in Advance of FAFSA Filing
While others are left scratching their heads with yet another college type acronym to figure out, families with seniors likely know FAFSA stands for “Free Application for Federal Student Aid”. All families with college bound seniors, or current college students, should plan to complete the FAFSA as early in January as possible. Yes, that’s ALL, regardless of income. What many don’t know is there are several items to take care of in advance of January. Educate Yourself A common question I am asked is whether families with a high income should complete FAFSA – yes. In some cases, I’ve seen these families qualify for … Continue reading
