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Insider tips for the week of November 2, 2020

  A simple way to start the college conversation with your teen – Bestselling author Jacques Steinberg and Eric Furda, dean of admissions at UPenn, have developed a practical exercise for parents and students to undertake together. They recommend using simple index cards to begin the process of looking inward at the specific attributes of…

Top strategies to help grandchildren with college

With the holiday season approaching, there is a terrific way grandparents may want to consider spoiling their grandchildren. Today’s retirees have accumulated wealth at unprecedented levels and combined with the rising cost of college, many now are taking advantage of an opportunity to provide a legacy of education to their grandchildren. However, without understanding the proper…

Coronavirus College Resources For Families

The already complicated college process just became more challenging for families in the wake of COVID-19. Campus visits are cancelled, ACT test dates are postponed and more changes every day. How does a family conduct a search and choose a college in this new environment? College Inside Track is here to help and below is…

scholarships good idea

Insider tips for the week of October 5, 2020

  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…

CIT Founder Jay Benanav: Reporting Annuities on the FAFSA and CSS Profile

Do annuities count on the FAFSA & CSS Profile?  It depends, says college money expert Jay Benanav. “Qualified” annuities do not get reported on the FAFSA but do get reported on the CSS. However, “nonqualified” annuities DO get reported on the FAFSA as well as the CSS. This raises the question: What is the difference…

Test Optional or Not? A Q and A with CIT  College Testing Policies Whiz Tiffany Kolb: What You Need To Know Right Now About College Applications and Test Optional Policies 

    Should your senior apply to a particular college ticking the Test Optional box?  In this interview, CIT Consultant and testing policies whiz Tiffany Kolb addresses college testing policies and family choices around test optional admissions — including possible impacts on Early Action or Early Decision applications and merit aid     Q: Under…

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Insider Tips for the week of September 7, 2020

  Important financial aid info – College Inside Track’s Jay Benanav provides answers to important financial aid questions. Take a few minutes to read his advice.   9 tips for communicating with your teen – Connecting with your teenager was tough enough before the stresses of COVID-19. Rachel Ehmke shares valuable tips on an important…

Impressive work by any measure! Mankato students learn skills and impact community with Pick Two project

Mankato MN high school student Katie Rooney wanted to make a difference and had an idea stirring, but wasn’t quite ready to take action. Once she put together the College Inside Track Pick Two plan and engaged the help of a friend, a beautiful service project started to take shape.  Katie’s idea was to repurpose…

Liberal Arts in the City? YES! New Virtual Sessions Explore 5 Five Fabulous Liberal Arts Colleges in Big City Settings

It’s not unusual to hear from a CIT student who, after having completed her research on a college her CIT consultant has suggested for her list – “That college looks AMAZING, but it’s right in the middle of a cornfield! …  There’s probably sorghum in the area too.  There’s probably even wheat fields. NO WAY!”…

Spreading Artwork with Grace

Spreading Artwork with Grace   College Inside Track client Grace Guillaume decided to make the most of her time at home during COVID-19 by improving her artistic skills.  Inspired to take action through CIT’s Pick Two program, Grace turned to online art classes to improve her acrylic painting technique.    The Pick Two program is…