Insider tips for the week of June 25, 2018

Grades and test scores don’t mean as much as they used to – Jeff Selingo explains that with 50 percent of American teens now graduating with an A average and over 1,000 colleges having dropped standardized tests as an admission requirement, other factors such as demonstrated interest are playing a larger role than before.  …

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College Inside Track featured on Money Talks radio show

College Inside Track founder Jay Benanav was a featured guest on the “Money Talks” radio show on Twin Cities NewsTalk AM 1130, Wall Street Business Network on AM 1440 and The Patriot AM 1280 hosted by Terry Sandvold of Sandvold Financial Group. Click below to listen to Jay’s segment, which starts at the 6:33 mark…

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Insider tips for the week of April 30, 2018

10 ways for parents to get on top of the college process – A must-read for parents of college-bound students from the Washington Post. My favorites: 1) Become a mentor as much as a parent and 2) Expect your student to take advice from others that he or she won’t take from you.   23…

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Insider tips for the week of March 26, 2018

Stop asking about my kid’s college plans – A beautiful essay from the NY Times from a parent who is going through it just like you. A terrific read, especially the point she makes in the second-to-last paragraph. Check it out.   How colleges award financial aid – A succinct and well-written explanation by the…

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Insider tips for the week of January 29, 2018

Straight talk from college admissions officers to parents – Brennan Barnard collected candid advice to share with you. While some of it may be hard to stomach, it is valuable to get an insider perspective from the other side of the desk. Check out the article in the Washington Post.   Are you a helicopter,…

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4 essential FAFSA tips

The FAFSA is now available for families of HS seniors and college students starting October 1 and will use tax info from 2 years prior to the term being applied for (2016 tax year info for students starting college in Fall 2018), which was a change made last year. We see families commonly make significant…

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Insider tips for the week of May 1, 2017

4 questions every family should answer – Jodi Okun shares the questions every family should answer about college, including my favorite, “Who will be repaying the loans?” The parents assume the student will make payments, while the student may assume the parents will make payments. Everyone is surprised after graduation when the payment due notices…

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5 tips for negotiating with colleges

For many colleges, May 1 is National College Decision Day, the deadline for families to make deposits to attend the college of their choice.   But before families make their final decision and begin forking over lots of money to attend college, they should know it is possible to negotiate with colleges to get a…

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College Inside Track seminar handouts

Click on each of the following links below to download the College Inside Track seminar handouts: The 5 Myths of College Costs 3 ways families can lose financial aid Beware of bait-and-switch pricing Generous Colleges Schafer Star Tribune   View upcoming seminars and get the link to register by clicking the event and choosing “more…

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