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What are executive function skills?
By Paige Feldman Executive function (EF) skills are the mental processes that enable us to plan, organize, and complete tasks. These skills are essential for success in school, work, sports, and everyday life. Key components of EF skills include: Planning and Prioritizing: Figuring out the steps needed to achieve a goal and determining…
Guidelines for student loan repayment
By Cozy Wittman, As the price of college continues to climb, for many, loans will need to be part of the larger strategy to pay for school. How to pay those back should be an important part of the discussion when the student takes out the loans. Guidelines for debt payback can help a…
10 Essential Skills for College Success
By Paige Feldman, Meet Scarlet, a bright-eyed, first-year engineering student who has just stepped onto campus, buzzing with excitement and dreams. Like many new students, Scarlet is eager to dive into her studies and embrace the independence college offers. However, as the semester progresses, she begins to feel the weight of her newfound responsibilities.…
Insider Tips for the week of January 11, 2025
Change for small business owners – Add small business owners to the group of people impacted by recent college financial aid changes. Take a minute to read our latest article. Choices and options – a blueprint for college admission – Georgia Tech’s Rick Clark says the ideal situation is to have multiple offers of admission and financial aid packages from those…
Insider Tips for the week of December 7, 2024
FAFSA now live – The new FAFSA for students attending college Fall 2025 is now live. Read our tips on how to tackle the 6 trickiest FAFSA questions. Current college trends – CIT”s Cozy Wittman discusses a wide range of college planning topics on the “Wicked Pissah” podcast, including how to find a good fit and finding schools…
FAFSA change for small business owners
Add small business owners to the group of people impacted by the recent FAFSA changes. Previously, the value of any privately held business, including assets, with less than 100 employees did not need to be reported on the FAFSA as part of its small business exclusion. However, that exclusion has gone away as part…
Tips on the 6 trickiest FAFSA questions
The FAFSA is a quintessential government form, meaning it isn’t always as easy to understand as it should be. Far too many families make mistakes that are unnecessarily costing them money. Check out the following tips on how to tackle the 6 trickiest questions: Schooling of parents The answer should be the last level…
Insider Tips for the week of November 9, 2024
Underclassmen strategies – If you have a HS underclassman, now is the time to nail down a concrete strategy related to college debt and the college search. Check out the advice from CIT’s Cozy Wittman. Study skills guide – Grades are a vital part of the college application. Courtesy of James Madison University, here’s a comprehensive high school study skills guide to…
Student Aid Index eligibility guide for 2025-26
The new FAFSA for the 2025-26 school year is scheduled to open on Dec. 1, 2024, (delayed from Oct. 1), and the Department of Education has provided this guide on the formula. The guide both explains the formula for the Student Aid Index (SAI), as well as eligibility for Pell Grants. The SAI number…
Insider Tips for the week of October 12, 2024
New ACT changes – Following the lead of the recent SAT changes, ACT announced new changes going into effect starting in April 2025. Check out a summary of what’s new here. How AI is changing the college admissions process – Some colleges receive tens of thousands of applications every year and are looking for a faster way to…