6 Questions You Need to Ask on Your Next College Tour

Chirping birds, beautiful old buildings covered in ivy, large century trees and an eager student chatting and walking backward. This is what many of us experience during our kid’s college tours. I’ve been on many, many tours during the searches for my kids and in addition to the painted picture here, I noticed one other…

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3 things to consider before making your college decision

  May 1 is National College Decision Day, the deadline for students to make deposits to attend the college of their choice. But before you send in that check, here are three important things to consider:   1. Affordability is part of fit   Many students choose their college based on academic and social fit…

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Insider tips for the week of November 1, 2022

Underclassmen strategies – If you have a HS underclassman, now is the time to nail down a concrete strategy related to college debt and the college search. Check out the advice from CIT’s Cozy Wittman. Study skills guide – Grades are a vital part of the college application. Courtesy of James Madison University, here’s a…

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Scholarship reduction – The dirty little college secret

Would you ever consider a scenario where the scholarships your student won actually resulted in a scholarship reduction elsewhere? One of the students we work with, whom we’ll call Caitlyn, was a dream that every parent (and counselor) hopes for: kind, bright, studious and incredibly engaged in the college process. In addition to having nearly…

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3 tips for having the college money talk

In our work of helping families navigate the college process. it continually shocks me how few have not had the “money talk,” either between the parents and/or between parents and child. Given the cost of college today, this is highly irresponsible at best, if not downright dangerous. I haven’t heard of many married couples not…

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Insider Tips for the week of February 1, 2021

college application stands out

  I’m worried my child won’t get into a good college – The Atlantic’s Lori Gottlieb writes an important piece about how we as parents help our children address disappointment in the college process, but more importantly, in life. From the moment kids are born, they take their cues from the adults around them about…

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Insider money tips for the week of February 3, 2020

  Major change to 529 Plans – The SECURE Act signed at the end of last year includes a major change that now allows 529 Plan dollars to be used to pay for student loans. However, certain states need to conform their tax laws to the federal one, otherwise folks in those states may face…

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Insider tips financial aid tips for the week of January 13, 2020

  College savings cheat sheet – Financial aid guru Mark Kantrowitz shares some tremendous advice with Katie Couric on how parents can best approach the financial aspect of college. Among my favorites: Parents overestimate eligibility for merit aid, underestimate eligibility for need-based aid, and aren’t aware that most colleges meet financial need with loans, not…

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Insider tips for the week of June 17, 2019

How to help your teen be college-ready – Being admitted to college doesn’t mean a student is ready for it. Check out this important read from the New York Times, which explains how parents can encourage kids to step up their levels of personal responsibility while still in high school. 5 people worth talking to…

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