A handy, comprehensive library of important admissions and financial aid topics
Top-Ranked Public and Private Colleges and Universities
The following is a list of the Top 50 colleges and universities that students have applied to from our area each year. Depending on the prospective major a student is considering, these schools are worth researching:Pr...
Common Financial Aid Terms & Definitions
Cost of Attendance - The total amount (not including scholarships and grants) that it will cost a student to attend college in 2021-22. COA includes tuition, fees, housing, meals, books, supplies, transportation, loan fe...
Student Loans - A Trillion Dollar Embarrassment
Every 28 seconds, a student defaults on a loan. There is over $1.6 trillion in outstanding student loans in the US today. Over 11% of them are more than 90 days delinquent. A major problem stems from predatory lending se...
A Strong Suggestion That Could Lead to More Acceptances
Apply ED II and EA II (January deadline) instead of ED/EA I (November deadline).Why? This gives students the benefit of a strong grades from the first semester of senior year WHICH WILL COUNT MUCH MORE THAN THE SECOND...
Getting Into College: 6 Successful Strategies
1. Get an early start and finish strong - high school just doesn’t happen; be proactive and take advantage of all of your opportunities.2. Challenge yourself responsibly - take AP classes, do well on your SAT or ACT an...
The Legacy Admission Debate
The huge college admissions scandal has drawn attention to the broader discussion of how colleges decide who to accept.Legacy admissions gives preference to students whose parents attended the school. Legacy is conside...
Financial Aid for Summer Classes
Taking summer classes is a smart way to decrease college costs, especially if taking classes at your local community college. (Just make sure the credits will transfer.) If you qualify, the Federal Pell Grant is a great...
Getting Admitted Off a College Wait List
According to published reports, a student has a 20% chance of being accepted off a college wait list. To increase your chances:• Accept a spot on the waitlist.• Remain calm.• Re-affirm your interest in that school by...
The Fastest Growing Six-Figure Job in the US Today
There are thousands of apps available today and there is a huge demand for those individuals who can design new ones. Application developers, the people responsible for building and updating computer and mobile apps, ear...
Why Big Name Colleges May Not Be Your Best Choice
If you have an interest in an “off the beaten path” major, don’t assume that a well-known, big name college is a student’s best choice. Do your research to find the best colleges and universities for majors such as these...
New Thinking Regarding New Majors
Many new and exciting majors have emerged over the past five years that have fantastic career and earning potential for college bound students. These majors did not exist when parents went to college and are worth consid...
Meet the Newest Admissions Factor - Informed Interest
Admission committees are now adding more school-specific essays to their applications as a way of measuring how high a student's interest is in attending their university, how serious they are about enrolling and how muc...
Pick the Right College the First Time
Picking the right college the first time is one of the best decisions a family can make to save money. Graduating in four years instead of changing schools or majors that can add additional semesters or years to a studen...
A+ Schools for B Students
Here's an up-to-date list of great schools for good students. They accept an excellent number of students with decent GPA's and so-so test scores.Penn State (All Campuses) — 56% — 1090-1300Purdue — 56% — 1080-1330Syr...
How to Explain a Low GPA to Admissions Counselors
There can be many reasons why a student has a low GPA in high school. So to increase your chances of admission if you fall into this category, here's what you can do:• Write an outstanding essay that shows the personal...
The Real Reason That Colleges Become Test Optional
A recent study showed that schools who said that they adopted the admissions policy of not requiring students to submit SAT or ACT scores to create more diversity failed to achieve that goal. What it did do was establish...
Five Steps to Win More Financial Aid
Did you know that 45% of families who earn more than $106,000 do not get as much need-based aid as they deserve. Here are five steps to get more:1. Figure out how much college will cost and how much the family can real...
Summer Internships Offer an Edge and Money Too
Internships are becoming a pre-requisite for getting a job after graduating from college. Students should aim for at least three internships or similar experiences during their college careers. The Center on Education an...
How to Save Up to 70% on Textbooks
The price of new printed textbooks is up 82% since 2002. The average annual cost of textbooks per student is now around $1200. Here’s what you can do to cut these costs:1. RENT – Check out www.chegg.com. By renting you...