Posts by Chris Wills
Understanding the Common App COVID question
The Common App has added new, optional COVID-related writing sections for students and their school counselors to allow them to share with colleges and universities how they have been affected by the pandemic. The addition of the questions is clearly designed to provide a separate space other than general essay sections for students to write…
Read More3 ways families can lose financial aid
As if it isn’t hard enough to finance college, many families overlook the strings attached to maintain and not lose the financial aid they received freshman year. It’s easy to see how this happens. Families are grateful for any financial aid they get and simply assume it will be the same every year. But there…
Read MoreACT canceled – What am I supposed to do?
Your high school junior wants to apply to Flagship U, which despite the growing list of test optional colleges and universities, still requires the ACT. She was registered for the April test, but a global pandemic rudely interrupted our lives and the ACT got canceled. Okay, you thought, we’ll just sign up for the June…
Read MorePaying for college – 3 new strategies
COVID-19 has massively disrupted the college planning and paying for college process, which has created new opportunities for families to potentially reduce their cost. Here are three new college financial planning strategies to consider (as always, please consult with a financial professional to determine if any are a fit): Take advantage of low…
Read MoreShould High School Seniors Enroll in College This Fall?
The answer, like so many other college-related questions, is “It depends.” As COVID-19 continues to disrupt our lives and stay-at-home directives extend into May, speculation has been rising about how colleges are going to handle the fall semester if the pandemic…
Read MoreFederal Student Loan Payments Suspended Through Sept. 30
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the government has suspended all federal student loan payments through September 30, 2020. Here’s what you need to know: No interest will accrue on your federal student loans through Sept. 30, 2020. Your federal student loan balance doesn’t change unless you make payments, meaning…
Read MoreExpert Tips: Top 5 ways to evaluate a college in the COVID-19 world
Can’t visit the colleges you are considering? Here are 5 best practices from the experts at College Inside Track: Take a virtual tour of the campus with a current student as your guide Nearly everyone is telling families to take virtual tours of colleges they are interested in, which is certainly good and…
Read More4 mistakes families make that increase the cost of college
While the rising cost is certainly a factor, it is often the decisions that families themselves make that cause them to unnecessarily pay more for college than they should (and potentially increase student debt). As hard as it might be, there are instances where a family needs to recognize a college-related decision will cost them…
Read MoreCollege Inside Track Alumni Newsletter – April 2020
3 ways to help your college student transition home – Like so many parents, CIT’s Cozy Wittman unexpectedly had her daughter back home after her campus closed due to COVID-19. Take a few minutes to read her advice on how to make that abrupt transition a success. Federal student loan payments suspended…
Read More3 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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