Expert Advice
Summer Job or Professional Job-Shadow? The Role of “Impact” and Why It Matters in Admissions
Article written by College Inside Track consultant Paige Feldman With the school year winding down, many students and parents are still fully immersed in that age-old conversation –what will you do with your summer break? In our continued effort to demystify and provide encouragement to students and families looking to make summer count, we want…
Read MoreVideo response: “Can We Juggle Assets to Make Ourselves Need-based?”
In this three minute video, CIT Education and Partnerships lead Cozy Wittman answers the perennial questions asked by high-EFC parents in search of college dollars: “Can we juggle assets to make ourselves need-based? What can we do to make ourselves needier on the FAFSA and CSS Profile?” Learn the single strongest factor determining whether or…
Read MoreTravelogue: CIT Consultant Tiffany Kolb Tours a Midwest Hidden Gem, Luther College
Travelogue: CIT Consultant Tiffany Kolb Tours a Midwest Hidden Gem, Luther College. Luther College, located in Decorah, Iowa, is an undergraduate liberal arts college with 2,000 students. The campus sits in the rolling hills of rural Iowa. When I toured the campus, deer were strolling across the green, and they took no note of us,…
Read MoreInsider tips for the week of May 30, 2022
ACT/SAT outlook – Bruce Reed of Compass Education Group shares his thoughts on how standardized tests will be used by colleges moving forward. He expects testing opportunities will rebound and while many schools are continuing policies and trials as test optional, having a test score when applying to more selective colleges may be an…
Read More5 Nuggets of College Planning Wisdom
1 Choose a college that is a fit academically, socially AND financially. And a financial fit inherently means that neither the student nor the parents are over-borrowing (see #2). 2 Borrow an amount no greater than the average first-year salary in your chosen field. If total student loan debt is less than your starting salary,…
Read MoreCongratulations to Luke Niesen, Oberlin College and Conservatory ’26!
Luke Niesen’s junior year started on what was by any measure, a spectacular note. He had won a prestigious scholarship from the Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange Program to wholly support a year of study in Germany. It was a fantastic opportunity, and one that certainly pushed him outside of his comfort zone. A gifted musician, Luke…
Read MoreThe Parent Plus Loan: Pros, Cons, and Sneaky Financial Aid Offers
The Parent Plus Loan: Pros, Cons, and Sneaky Financial Aid Offers THREE MIN VIDEO. CIT’s Cozy Wittman lays out the pros, cons, and some caveats related to this loan. Parents: carefully examine how your college leverages the loan in your financial aid offer! What are the real numbers? If the Parent Plus Loan…
Read More“When Should You Engage a College Admissions Consultant?” CIT’s Cozy Wittman with The College Financial Lady
CIT’s Cozy Wittman interview: “When Should You Engage A College Admissions Consultant?” When does starting early with a college admissions consultant make sense? For certain groups of students, in the land of college admissions the early bird most reliably catches the worm! An early start may be especially beneficial in terms of both ease of…
Read MoreCongratulations to Sophia Behnke, Augustana College Class of ’26!
Congratulations to Sophia Behnke, Augustana College Class of ‘26! Augustana is a selective, private liberal arts college in Rock Island, Illinois. It sits on 115 hilly, wooded acres adjacent to the Mississippi River, and has a strong reputation for excellence in the creative arts. Remember Sophia’s name, because with world enough and time Sophia one…
Read MoreLD Best Practices: Finding the Right College Fit for Students with Learning Disabilities with CIT Consultant Paige Feldman
Hello Paige! You’ve worked for decades as an educator and educational consultant with students with learning disabilities. Is there a ‘best’ college for students with disabilities, and what are some best practices you employ when working on college lists with students with an LD? The question of whether there is a “best” college is a…
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