Get Me To College Part V: Financial Aid, Misconceptions, And Final Advice

Part 5: Financial Aid, Misconceptions, Timelines,

and Final Advicegetmetocollege@gmail.com

rjoseph@calstatela.edu

TO LEARN MORE

Email rjoseph@calstatela.edu getmetocollege@gmail.com

Phone 323-646-5759

Facebook Getmetocollege Freeadvice

Twitter @getmetocollege

Website getmetocollege.org (focus on first

generation and under-represented students)

SOME MISCONCEPTIONS/QUESTIONS

I applied to only three colleges, so why should my child apply to so many more? It’s a much more complex situation. Most teenagers in history in US. Most teenagers going to college in history in US. With more kids applying to more schools, a vicious trickle

down cycle is happening… I didn’t visit or contact colleges, so why should my child

visit colleges now? With the competitive colleges, visits are a sign of interest. In recent LA times article, director of admissions at Pitzer,

calls students who never visit or contact colleges, “stealth” applicants and describes how Pitzer rejected a top applicant who had never contacted campus.

If you can’t visit because of cost, there are different ways to connect with colleges

Local fairs Campus visits to high schools and LA Emails Virtual tours

SO WHAT GOOD IS THIS INFORMATION IF WE CAN’T AFFORD THE COST OF PRIVATE

COLLEGES?

Apply to a range of colleges that meet all or most of your child’s needs.

Apply for merit scholarship available from colleges to which you apply.

Consider public universities in other states. WUE (Western Undergraduate Exchange).

Consider financial packages from schools one level below your highest level

Research colleges that have income discounts…Harvard, Yale…

Contact financial aid offices and negotiate….

FINANCIAL AID….

For counselors and mentors: www.fsa4counselors.ed.gov

For students: http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/

For everyone: 1-800-4-FED-AID

Get some more guidance

http://www.fafsa4caster.ed.gov/F4CApp/index/index.jsf

http://www.fastweb.com is a great site to get started with scholarships.

OTHER CORE READINESS TIMELINES-COLLEGE RESEARCH

College research takes time. Read key books and websites

Fiske Guide-great hardcopy book http://www.collegeconfidential.com/--you

can post questions and hear from students and parents

Talk to friends who are seniors and recent grads.

Download College Match application on I Phone.

Become fan of college on Facebook Check how your students compares to peers

on Naviance and other school comparative offerings.

Let your child make calls to college with questions.

You can schedule tours and visits.

COLLEGE RESEARCH: JUNIOR-SENIOR YEAR GRADE TIMELINE

Junior Year-Develop core list of what match colleges must have--location, size, cost, academics, social opportunities, service, merit scholarships, etc.

Spring Junior Year-Visit core colleges. Interview when possible. Visit classes, meet students

Spring Junior Year-Attend local college fairs. Collect names of college representatives. Begin courting process.

COLLEGE RESEARCH: JUNIOR-SENIOR YEAR GRADE TIMELINE

• Search out NACAC College Fairs.• Search out Colleges That Change

Lives College Fairs.• Summer Consider early decision

or early action. • Fall Senior Year- Attend all

relevant college visits at your school or in local area.

• Fall Senior Year-Visit more colleges and narrow down list.

APPLICATION: JUNIOR-SENIOR YEAR GRADE TIMELINE

Summer Post Junior Year-Start a master list of college application deadlines and requirements and passwords. Consider rolling, early action, and early decision routes.

Summer Post Junior Year-Start writing core essays and develop a resume.

Fall Senior Year-Begin completing formal applications. Devote one hour per day to applications. Remember, write fewest essays possible.

Fall Senior Year-Make sure you follow Test score submission requirements School and teacher paperwork and

transcripts requirements Complete all technical forms on

applications Develop outstanding essays Meet all deadlines.

FINAL WORDS

Each student is a work in progress. Colleges want to know how student

will enhance and enrich campus. Yet they don’t read minds-use

application to showcase your student They worry about children of

helicopter parents. Students must make majority of contacts with colleges except for planning visits.

Finances are a key component so make decisions now about what you can afford.

College is an amazing, life-lasting gift to your child.

It is never too late...to develop a strong college readiness plan in this perfect storm of college admissions.

SO WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?

1. UC admissions fact sheetshttp://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/index.php2. College Board-SAThttp://www.collegeboard.com 3. ACThttp://www.actstudent.org 4. My Websitehttp://www.getmetocollege.org

5. My App: All College Application Essayshttp://www.allcollegeessays.org6. National Association of College Admissions Counselors (NACAC)http://www.nacacnet.org/StudentResources/CollegePrep/Pages/default.aspx

COLLEGE READINESS IS

NOT A GAME!

TO LEARN MORE

Email rjoseph@calstatela.edu getmetocollege@gmail.com

Phone 323-646-5759

Facebook Getmetocollege Freeadvice

Twitter @getmetocollege

Website getmetocollege.org (focus on first

generation and under-represented students)

Allcollegeessays.org