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Insider tips for the week of April 4, 2022
Finding meaningful summer activities – Summer is a golden opportunity for students to contribute to the story of who they are, what they value, and how they are engaging their passions, interests & dedication in meaningful ways. CIT Consultant Paige Feldman proposes thinking about what values a student wants to bring forward with the…
5 things every family should know about their expected family contribution (EFC)
You fill out the FAFSA, which gives you your expected family contribution (EFC), which is how much your family will pay for college. Seems simple right? Ah, but like most things with the college process, that is unfortunately not the case. Here are 5 things every family should know about that EFC. 1 Your EFC…
VIDEO: HS Juniors! Three Things To Do NOW To Ensure Strong Teacher Rec Letters
Juniors have experienced online learning and cancelled or shortened extracurricular activities as a function of the pandemic. Many report that they tell they hardly know the teachers who have taught them this year, and worry that their core teachers don’t know enough about them to write great letters of recommendation. Don’t despair! CIT Consultant Robin…
Finding Meaningful Summer Activities by CIT Consultant Paige Feldman
While we just finished winter, spring is in the air, but our minds turn toward summer. Over the next few months, CIT consultants will be discussing summer plans with our clients to demystify and provide some encouragement to students & families looking to make summer count. In terms of college planning, summer is a golden…
Insider tips for the week of February 28, 2022
Types of loans available – Fred Amrein provides a good summary of the various loans that may be offered to families as part of a college’s financial aid package. Key learning: The Direct Federal Loan is the only one entirely owed by the student and is limited to a total of $31,000 over all…
Insider tips for the week of February 7, 2022
Expert tips on getting the most scholarships – Suzy Fallon from College Inside Track shares the secret sauce for how families can maximize scholarship dollars. Key takeaway: Each college has its own financial aid philosophy and you want to find those that match with your student’s profile. Take a few minutes to read this…
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…
SAT changes come as more colleges become test optional
College Inside Track President Chris Wills was featured on KARE 11 television discussing the new SAT changes. Here are the most significant changes to the test: Starting in 2024, the SAT will be taken online Test takers will be allowed to use calculators for the math section The test will be cut down from three…
Insider tips for the week of January 10, 2022
3 tips for having the scary college money talk – I’ve been shocked at how many families with HS students we’ve been meeting with lately have not talked about what they are willing or able to spend on college, both between the parents and with the student. We naturally avoid things that are scary,…
Insider tips for the week of December 6, 2021
5 blunt truths about college – Marybeth Bock shares important insights every parent with a HS student should read (my favorite: not all professors are skilled teachers). As a bonus, she also recommends 5 books to check out that expand on her points. Maximizing your campus visit – Consider making a college visit…