Where Parents
Go to Learn
Subscribe for free to gain access to our premium College Insider resources and immediately receive "5 Myths of College Costs."
Travelogue: CIT Consultant Tiffany Kolb Tours a Midwest Hidden Gem, Luther College
Travelogue: CIT Consultant Tiffany Kolb Tours a Midwest Hidden Gem, Luther College. Luther College, located in Decorah, Iowa, is an undergraduate liberal arts college with 2,000 students. The campus sits in the rolling hills of rural Iowa. When I toured the campus, deer were strolling across the green, and they took no note of us,…
Insider tips for the week of May 30, 2022
ACT/SAT outlook – Bruce Reed of Compass Education Group shares his thoughts on how standardized tests will be used by colleges moving forward. He expects testing opportunities will rebound and while many schools are continuing policies and trials as test optional, having a test score when applying to more selective colleges may be an…
5 Nuggets of College Planning Wisdom
1 Choose a college that is a fit academically, socially AND financially. And a financial fit inherently means that neither the student nor the parents are over-borrowing (see #2). 2 Borrow an amount no greater than the average first-year salary in your chosen field. If total student loan debt is less than your starting salary,…
Congratulations to Luke Niesen, Oberlin College and Conservatory ’26!
Luke Niesen’s junior year started on what was by any measure, a spectacular note. He had won a prestigious scholarship from the Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange Program to wholly support a year of study in Germany. It was a fantastic opportunity, and one that certainly pushed him outside of his comfort zone. A gifted musician, Luke…
Meet Heidi King, Education and Partnerships, College Inside Track
Hello Heidi! You’ve been with College Inside Track team for about six months now, so: an admissions cycle. In your role on the College Inside Track Education and Partnership team you are in the thick of working with families who are searching for a consultant. What particular advantages can an admissions consulting team provide for…
The Parent Plus Loan: Pros, Cons, and Sneaky Financial Aid Offers
Check out this short video on the Parent Plus Loan, where CIT’s Cozy Wittman lays out the pros, cons, and some caveats related to this loan. Parents: carefully examine how your college leverages the loan in your financial aid offer! What are the real numbers? If the Parent Plus Loan sits about 2.5 to…
Meet future Gopher Finn McCormick!
Article written by College Inside Track Consultant Tiffany Kolb When he was 8 years old, Finn McCormick could be found in the kitchen, baking items he would then load into his bike trailer and sell throughout the neighborhood. “Finn’s Bakery Bike” was the first of many ventures Finn would attempt. Finn’s mom, Flannery Delaney said…
“When Should You Engage a College Admissions Consultant?” CIT’s Cozy Wittman with The College Financial Lady
CIT’s Cozy Wittman interview: “When Should You Engage A College Admissions Consultant?” When does starting early with a college admissions consultant make sense? For certain groups of students, in the land of college admissions the early bird most reliably catches the worm! An early start may be especially beneficial in terms of both ease of…
Travelogue: CIT Consultant Tiffany Kolb Tours Butler University, March 2022
I visited Butler University in March. This time of year can be challenging in the Midwest; there is so much variation in the weather. You may be touring in snow, cold, sleet or rain, or any combination of these. That was not the case when I drove down to Indianapolis for a look at this…
Congratulations to Sophia Behnke, Augustana College Class of ’26!
Congratulations to Sophia Behnke, Augustana College Class of ‘26! Augustana is a selective, private liberal arts college in Rock Island, Illinois. It sits on 115 hilly, wooded acres adjacent to the Mississippi River, and has a strong reputation for excellence in the creative arts. Remember Sophia’s name, because with world enough and time Sophia one…