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Insider tips for the week of March 26, 2018
Stop asking about my kid’s college plans – A beautiful essay from the NY Times from a parent who is going through it just like you. A terrific read, especially the point she makes in the second-to-last paragraph. Check it out. How colleges award financial aid – A succinct and well-written explanation by the…
Insider tips for the week of February 26, 2018
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, and I realized…
Insider tips for the week of January 29, 2018
Straight talk from college admissions officers to parents – Brennan Barnard collected candid advice to share with you. While some of it may be hard to stomach, it is valuable to get an insider perspective from the other side of the desk. Check out the article in the Washington Post. Are you a helicopter,…
Insider tips for the week of January 1, 2018
How to talk about money with your student – Affording college is a big issues for parents and their kids; take a few minutes to read some helpful tips shared with Money Magazine by Karen Levin Coburn, author of a recent book on the topic. My favorite takeaway: Parents should start out with a clear idea…
Need-to-know education changes in tax bill
The new tax bill will affect numerous areas of education funding and college planning. After numerous versions and last-minute changes, here is a summary of what did (and didn’t) happen: College tuition benefits – Originally targeted to be taxed, tuition benefits for grad students or children and spouses of employees remain tax-exempt. 529 plans –…
Insider tips for the week of December 4, 2017
15 things every parent needs to know – A thought-provoking list from DIY College Rankings. My two favorites are 1) You set the expectation for acceptable colleges — not the rankings, your peers or your child’s peers and 2) You shouldn’t base your expectations on another family’s experiences. Take a few minutes to scan the…
Insider tips for the week of November 13, 2017
Knowing this one thing about a college can save you money – A commonly overlooked cost is how long it takes a student to graduate not just from a specific institution, but from a specific program at that institution. Consider the double whammy of potentially needing an extra year to graduate because classes may be…
Insider tips for the week of October 16, 2017
10 tips to get the most financial aid – Time magazine has 10 practical tips to help families get the most out of the FAFSA. Take-aways include moving money out of your child’s bank and brokerage accounts and appealing disappointing aid packages. College fair do’s and don’ts – Check out this goofy 3 min…
Insider tips for the week of Sept. 18, 2017
Top 10 things admissions officers care most about – Here are the 10 factors that college admissions officers say they put the most weight on, according to a new survey. One big surprise: Test scores aren’t even in the top three. 7 things to know about college rankings – A must-read for any family…
4 essential FAFSA tips
The FAFSA is now available for families of HS seniors and college students starting October 1 and will use tax info from 2 years prior to the term being applied for (2016 tax year info for students starting college in Fall 2018), which was a change made last year. We see families commonly make significant…