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5 Steps to a Successful College Essay
Write your essays in five easy steps 1. Get Started Decide on a deadline and mark it on your calendar. Break the task down into smaller parts: starting date, completion date, and working dates in between when you will write. Decide what you want the college admissions office to know about you that isn’t spelled out in…
3 Key Questions to Determine When to Take Standardized Tests
Most families don’t realize that timing should be a consideration when taking standardized tests, and Lauren Gaggioli of HigherScoresTestPrep.com shares 3 main criteria she uses to determine whether students should take their first test in the fall or the spring. Question #1: What level math is your student in? If your student is…
What Every Parent Should Know
Most teens start thinking about college in junior and senior year of high school. For many students this is too late! It is important for parents to understand that college admissions requirements have taken a major shift since they went to college. Schools are still looking for students with good grades and high standardized test scores – that…
Calculate Your Chance of Admission
Curious if you have what it takes to get admitted to certain universities? Check out the College Chanculator tool courtesy of Veritas Prep. Note that you will have to create an account to view the results and you can opt-in if you would like to have your info shared with colleges.
Jay on The College Checklist Podcast
In this recent episode of The College Checklist Podcast, our founder, Jay Benanav, shared an overview of how he helps students choose good fit schools and then a “deep dive” in to the cost of college. Jay shared his expertise regarding different ways to pay for college, including the various types of financial aid and loans available to families today. Download the podcast
Community Service Scholarships
Community service scholarships reward you for helping others. It’s a nice way of doing well by doing good. In addition to the resources listed below, students who are involved in volunteering and community service should ask whether there are any awards available at the location where they perform their community service. It is quite common…
9 Things I Wish People Understood About Getting Into College
Check out this great article by Katherine Cohen I recently came across; it is a little long but worth the read! — Jay 9 Things I Wish People Understood About Getting Into College By Katherine Cohen As an independent college counselor, I get questions every day about the college admissions process and what it takes…
Unusual Scholarships
While definitely the most popular, unusual scholarships are oftentimes the most exclusive. Their eligibility requirements are strict, but that doesn’t mean you won’t find an unusual scholarship for which you qualify. This list of scholarships s organized according to some of the more common subcategories of unusual scholarships, such as physical characteristics, creativity, last name,…
11 Weird College Scholarships for Which You May Qualify
Are you a fan of the number 5 or are a natural redhead or a lefty? Do you love peanut butter or can you carve a pumpkin or maybe you are tall? Here is a list of 11 of the weirdest college scholarships that you might be interested in or at least find humorous. The…
5 Surprises Behind the Student Debt Crisis
Student debt continues to rise. In MN the average student debt now exceeds $30,000. When you add the debt that parents often take on in addition to the student’s debt the family debt for college is approaching $50,000. Unfortunately, I have seen families who have $100,000 or more in student debt. Clearly the student debt…