Choosing a College Archives - College Inside Track

Controversial financial aid change – A new FAFSA change will dramatically reduce the amount of financial aid middle and upper-income families with more than one child in college at the same time will receive. Check out our article on this significant news. 10 ways to help your teen with the college decision –…

College Inside Track’s Cozy Wittman was recently featured in the Journal of Financial Planning, discussing ways to create transparency for families in the college funding process and better understanding the college financial aid award letter. Cozy explains in detail the college financial aid award letter, tips after receiving it, elements of good and bad…

Deferred at your highly selective school, with an option to choose Early Decision II? Here’s what you need to know. Colleges have seen record numbers of qualified applicants during the 2020/2021 application cycle, upwards of 25% at many Highly/Most Selective Colleges. Admissions officers have speculated a number of reasons for this much higher rate of…

Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire – In our new “Liar Liar Pants on Fire” series, College Inside Track consultants debunk some of the claims we’re hearing about college admissions. We would love to address some that YOU’RE hearing, too! Tell us yours in the Comments section. We will respond with specific and factual info,…

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…

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…

Hundreds of college deans explain what they want to see from applicants in the COVID-19 era – The Washington Post writes about a statement signed by over 300 college deans about what they do — and do not — want to see in applicants for Fall 2021. The process is different this year due…

Understanding the new Common App COVID question – The Common App has added new, optional COVID-related writing sections for students and their school counselors to allow them to share with colleges and universities how they have been affected by the pandemic. Here’s what you need to know. 15 reasons to ignore college rankings…

COVID-19 has massively disrupted the college planning and paying for college process, which has created new opportunities for families to potentially reduce their cost. Here are three new college financial planning strategies to consider (as always, please consult with a financial professional to determine if any are a fit): Take advantage of low…

The answer, like so many other college-related questions, is “It depends.” As COVID-19 continues to disrupt our lives and stay-at-home directives extend into May, speculation has been rising about how colleges are going to handle the fall semester if the pandemic…

Choosing a College

Understanding the College Financial Aid Award Letter

Deferred at your Highly Selective School, Encouraged to Choose Early Decision II? Here’s What To Do

Coronavirus College Resources For Families

Insider Tips for the week of August 10, 2020

Paying for college – 3 new strategies

Should High School Seniors Enroll in College This Fall?