Insider tips for the week of April 30, 2018

10 ways for parents to get on top of the college process – A must-read for parents of college-bound students from the Washington Post. My favorites: 1) Become a mentor as much as a parent and 2) Expect your student to take advice from others that he or she won’t take from you.   23…

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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…

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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…

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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,…

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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…

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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 –…

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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…

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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…

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