Archive for January, 2011
What’s holding you back from achieving your college dreams?
For some of you, the answer is easy: you’re just waiting for a decision on your applications. It’s hard, but sit tight–you will hear something soon.
For many of you, it’s finances. After all, spending all that money for tuition is enough to make one lightheaded. But we stand by the fact that college is the best investment you’ll ever make, so just put your head down and fill out the financial aid paperwork.
For others, the answer isn’t so cut and dry. Maybe it’s that unmotivated friend who is urging you to hang out rather than study for the SAT. Or that hyper helicopter parent who is urging you to go to his or her alma mater instead of the school you want most. Or perhaps you’re a first-generation college student and have parents who really can’t advise you one way or the other about your college decision.
For everybody who has questions about college, no matter how big or how small, we’re here to answer them. And today’s #CollegeBound chat is all about getting rid of the negativity surrounding the college admissions process and focusing on just the positive–the fact that several years from now, you’ll have a college degree.
Please join us on Twitter at 4PM ET today and bring us your questions, comments, and concerns. We’ve got awesome connections throughout the higher ed universe and we’ll hook you up with the answers and advise you are seeking. See you there!
–The CollegeBound Network
January 31st, 2011
A first-of-the-year ritual for college students is filling out the FAFSA, or Free Application for Federal Student Aid form. But you don’t have to be fearful or frustrated by the FAFSA!
The FAFSA isn’t meant to test your financial knowledge. It’s meant to help make college funds accessible to you, based on income and other factors. One report we found said that about 15 million students submit the FAFSA, seeking loans, grants and scholarships for college. So you’re in great company! Rather than stress out, consider some of these options:
Don’t Wait
You can’t put it off any longer. Some schools have an early deadline, like Feb. 15. So Helen Nunn, director of financial aid at Susquehanna University in Selinsgrove, Pa., says it’s important to know when your school of choice needs the financial aid form completed. Some schools have a mid-March deadline; the latest for forms submitted online is the federally set deadline of June 30, 2011.
Putting off the FAFSA until you get an official acceptance from a school is a wrong strategy, says Pat Watkins, director of financial aid at Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, FL: “Some applicants are concerned that their admission to a college may be jeopardized if they apply for financial aid. In many instances, this is not the case. Admission to the college is made regardless of ability to pay. List all of the colleges you are considering on your FAFSA. Some funds are limited. By waiting, you may miss out on some scholarships.”
You also don’t have to wait until your 2010 tax information is completed, experts say, although you will need to give an estimate by looking at your and your parents’ tax forms and your end-of-year pay stub.
If you can, try to beat the deadline because certain federal aid is offered on a first-come, first-served basis, according to Peterson’s College Search.
Know Your Info
Lots of paperwork can be involved in filling out the FAFSA. Mary Ellen Duffy, director of financial aid at Albright College in Reading, PA recommends having this information ready: Social Security number, driver’s license, alien registration card (for non-U.S. citizens), and financial documents (including tax information, bank statements, business and investment mortgage information, business and farm records, and investment records).
Make it Error Free
Remember to SIGN the form – that’s the most common mistake, says Betty Williams, director of financial aid at Coker College in Hartsville, S.C.
If your parents are divorced, make sure that the parent with whom you have lived for the majority of the year (even if he or she is not the legal guardian) fills out the form, according to U.S. News & World Report.
Also, never leave a field requiring a number blank, said Deborah Fox, founder of Fox College Funding in San Diego and author of www.PayforCollegeBlog.com, in an interview with The San Diego Union-Tribune. She says it’s better to enter zero if the question doesn’t apply rather than leaving it empty.
And last, but not least:
Have a Laugh
Check out some of the YouTube and other videos created about FAFSA. Some videos (and podcasts) are informative; others are funny – look at the one by Fresno Pacific University starring a sock puppet.
–Lori Johnston
January 28th, 2011
It would have been the perfect excuse: “Dear Professor, Sorry I can’t be in class today. I will be in New York to accept my Academy Award nomination.”
The Oscar nominations were announced today, and though James Franco made the list–for Best Actor, no less–he was not in New York, but rather New Haven, Connecticut, attending class at Yale. Now, either Franco is superstitious about acting awards or he just really, really likes the class he’s taking at Yale–but neither answer is really the point. I’ve written before about Franco’s affinity for college, but his decision to attend class rather than bask in the warmth of what is no doubt a high point of his career takes his determination to a whole new level.
Now, some might say this was a publicity stunt. (I’m writing about him today, so if it is, it worked!) Stunt or no stunt, Franco seems to be moving into that realm of actors and actresses who are using their superpowers for good. No one would have begrudged Franco for skipping class today, but we’ll commend him instead for choosing to fulfill his duties as a regular student.
Did Franco see this as an opportunity to convey a message about the importance of college? Maybe, maybe not. Either way, it’s great lesson to students to get their priorities in order. Bravo, James!
–Barbara Bellesi
January 25th, 2011
Please join us for our Twitter chat today at 4PM ET to discuss this topic further:
We’re still so saddened by the tragic shootings in Arizona, and even though they didn’t happen on a college campus, their impact has had some people considering the role a college should take in assisting students who may be mentally ill.
The suspected shooter, Jared L. Loughner, was a student at Pima Community College in Tucson, Ariz., until last fall. Outbursts in class (one professor even called 911) and other incidents caused school officials to suspend him, and then he voluntary dropped out soon after.
While the college experience is great because people are coming from all different perspectives and walks of life, it can also be scary because some of your classmates might be struggling with mental problems–some of which can manifest themselves publicly. No one finds it amusing to be in a classroom and have a student ranting or getting upset to the point of scaring everyone.
So here’s where you need to know about FERPA, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, and how it applies to college students. FERPA, which protects the privacy of your education records, is something that covers you in elementary, middle, and high school. But when you’re in college, you are considered to be an adult, and so things are a little different.
There’s a lot of criticism about FERPA; in this case, it is related to when colleges should divulge students’ personal information to family members, and, if so, how much can be divulged. (FERPA is what also allows for colleges informing parents if you have gotten in trouble for alcohol or drug use at school, if you are under 21.) The government states, “FERPA clearly provides ways in which an institution can share education records on the student with his or her parents.”
News reports indicate that after five incidents with Loughner, the Arizona community college told his parents that he needed to undergo a mental exam before returning to campus. Government officials have said the college did what it could to handle Loughner’s disruptions, according to a report in the Chronicle of Higher Education.
Before you head off to school, read about how FERPA relates to you as a college student. But also try to have a discussion with your parents about a couple of things: If you have a history of psychological disorders, talk about how college could impact your state of mind and how you need to inform your parents when you need help. If you don’t have a history of mental illness, understand that other students may be dealing with mental health issues, and if you see any alarming outbursts, think about what role you may be taking in college to help schools cope with troubled students.
–Lori Johnston
January 24th, 2011
It’s difficult to imagine A-list celebrities lacking anything or having any regrets. After all, they are the ones who are photographed doing all of these wonderful things in spectacular places, looking amazing all the time. But as Claire Danes divulged at Sunday’s Golden Globes ceremony, her life isn’t picture perfect. Why? Because she regrets not finishing college.
Claire Danes was the darling of the 1990s with her TV hit “My So-Called Life” and her starring role in Romeo + Juliet, which propelled her to stardom. While she did take a break at one point to attend Yale University to study psychology, she withdrew after two years. Now, even after winning a second Golden Globe, this time for her portrayal of an autistic woman in HBO’s Temple Grandin, Danes sorely misses being able to list a college degree among her accomplishments.
Now, you might be thinking, “It looks like she’s doing just fine without a college degree.” And you’d be right, but you’d also be missing the point. It’s not a career that Danes is searching for; rather, it’s the fulfillment that comes with completing a college degree. It’s the idea of learning for learning’s sake. And it’s the ability to grow and challenge yourself in ways you never thought possible. Acting is easy for Danes, though playing the role of a college graduate is absent from her repertoire.
–Barbara Bellesi
January 20th, 2011
Professors know that to keep students interested, their courses sometimes need to have a little more fun and hipness than your average college class. Buzz-generating topics in this spring’s lineup of courses focus on the popularity of zombies, celebrities like Lady Gaga and more.
Since a recent report found that students in their first two years of college make little educational gains (one reason being that faculty are so focused on their research), it’s great to see that some of these courses are available to freshman and sophomores. It’s not all hype about the topic, but there’s a point to what they’re learning.
COLLEGE ZOMBIELAND
You may feel like the walking dead after a night of studying for a major test, so why not learn about zombies in college? Several schools offer classes around this theme, including Georgia Southern University’s Zombies 101: The Living Dead in Film, for first-year students. The seminar covers everything from Night of the Living Dead to recent films like Zombieland and the zombie spin on classic books like Pride and Prejudice.
GAGA OVER LADY GAGA
There’s no poker face in this University of South Carolina course, Lady Gaga and the Sociology of Fame. Professor Mathieu Deflem describes the class as a “sociological analysis of selected social issues related to the career of Lady Gaga.” The course looks at business and marketing, media, fans, live shows, gay culture, religious and political themes, sexuality, gender, and other topics to discover the culture of the fame exemplified by the case of Lady Gaga. Another course, From Elvis to Lady Gaga: American Pop Culture 1950-2010, at Saint Leo University in Florida, focuses on how pop culture has changed over time.
GIVE INTO YOUR XBOX, PLAYSTATION ADDICTION
Although you will have to put down the controller, there are some courses that seek to connect with students who are addicted to video games. Sure, some schools are offering degrees now in the fast-growing field of video game design, but for those who don’t want to work in the gaming industry for a living, you still see how video games relate to other college topics and society. In Video Games: History, Theory, and Social Impact, offered by Pennsylvania’s Lebanon Valley College, students examine video games as cultural artifacts (maybe that would be my old Atari?), works of art and more.
BATTER UP
One of spring’s favorite sports – baseball – also has sparked the topic of college courses, like Baseball Statistics at Birmingham Southern College and Baseball History at York College of Pennsylvania. Take these courses, and you’ll likely be looking at your college team or the major leagues in a different way.
—Lori Johnston. Delaney Young contributed.
January 19th, 2011
You’ve seen us many times on this blog profess our undying love for social media, particularly Twitter. (We do love our weekly #collegebound chats!) And here’s one of the many reasons we love it so: Colleges and universities across the country–and around the WORLD–have signed on to Twitter to discuss any and all topics in the world of higher education.
Of course, not all tweets are created equally. There are some tweeple who truly rule the roost when it comes to engaging followers. How does one determine Twitter clout? Why Klout, of course. Billing itself as “the standard for influence,” the website gathers data to measure your social networking worth. Just yesterday, Klout’s blog announced the top 10 most influential colleges on Twitter. Behold! You are truly in the presence of Twitter greatness if you follow any of these schools:
1. Stanford University
2. Syracuse University
3. Harvard University
4. University of Wisconsin-Madison
5. University of California, Berkeley
6. Butler University
7. Tufts University
8. University of Minnesota
9. University of Texas at Austin
10. Marquette University
Have you applied to any of these schools? Follow them on Twitter and learn more student life. And don’t forget to follow us for information on everything else about college!
–The CollegeBound Network
January 18th, 2011
This is a guest post by Erin Avery, a Certified Educational Planner. Learn more about her company, Avery Educational Resources, LLC by visiting www.averyeducation.com.
By now, most of the general public is familiar with US News and World Report’s infamous annual college rankings issue. Peruse this neon-colored installment and you’ll find the familiar names of America’s “top” colleges and universities. But it’s not just parents, students, and educators who are buying the magazine — colleges themselves want to know where they fall, and no one is more keen on knowing such figures than a school’s vice president for enrollment management.
If you’re wondering how this affects you and what exactly enrollment management is, keep reading…
It’s naïve to think that college admissions is simply a case of qualified students submitting applications, with the best and brightest earning acceptance regardless of their socioeconomic status. Just ask Peter Von Buskirk, former head of admissions at Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster, PA: “Every admissions decision is a calculated business decision,” he reveals. Scared yet? You should be. Here are some of the things affecting your admissions chances that have nothing to do with grades.
How the College Ranks
To illustrate this point, consider the many students who are offered a place on a college’s dreaded wait list. Duke University wait-listed approximately 3,383 students last year—about double the size of its actual incoming class. When asked why so excessive a list, Duke responded that as an institution, it required such a lengthy list to ensure the assembly of a well-balanced incoming freshman class. What was not acknowledged was that wait list candidates, when at last given the golden ticket, are statistically much more likely to accept that offer than those students offered a spot in April from the regular decision pool.
How does this information help you? One key concept called “yield,” which is the percentage of accepted students who enroll, has a big effect on a college’s selectivity, and therefore ranking. The average yield for most small liberal arts colleges is around 40% or less. It’s up to the VP of Enrollment Management to figure out how to enroll more students who are offered an acceptance letter, a key way to move up in the cut-throat world of college rankings.
How the Student Applies
Another surefire way to increase yield? The Early Decision (ED) option, in which students enter a binding contract with their top school to enroll if accepted. The yield of ED is almost 100%. I have gawked at the different percentage of acceptances say, for example, at a notable liberal arts college in Pennsylvania that three years ago accepted 70% of the candidates from the ED pool and only 45% from the regular pool. Some liberal arts colleges are beginning to admit that they in fact pad up to 50% of their incoming freshman class through ED. Many students in high school are not ready to commit to a major, let alone one specific college, but the numbers indicate that if you commit, you have better odds of acceptance.
Last year, I advised a student not to apply early to the University of Miami. I cautioned him that it might be a long road, but if he really wanted U. Miami, to hang in there. He was wait-listed, as I predicted, but I helped him devise a plan of action. By mid-May, once the regular pool had committed to one college, my client received news of his acceptance. He said yes on the spot, and as a student living in an affluent zip code, he was what college admissions jargon calls a “full-pay” student.
Who’s Footing the Tuition Bill
Why did this matter? It goes back to what Von Buskirk said. College admissions is not haphazard. Colleges want the most desirable, high achieving, interesting students. Institutional financial aid, simply put, is a discount. Like the sticker price on a car, some buyers will pay that price, and some will pay less, for the same product. The reduced cost is based on need, or sometimes based on merit (for those who achieve merit scholarships or grants). For now, let’s focus on need.
The EFC or “Estimated Financial Contribution” of each family can be calculated very simply with a tax return. Family income minus the cost of living equals EFC. But if every student received a discount, the college couldn’t afford to pay its bills. Those “discounts”—scholarships and financial aid—eventually run out. To whom are colleges likely to go to? Full-pay students on the wait list, of course.
While some colleges still insist that they are “need blind” in the admission process, I respect colleges like Johns Hopkins University, whose staff states outright in the information session that they are “need aware,” a catchy new phrase that simply reiterates VonBuskirk’s sentiment. “We admit it: Every admission decision is a calculated business decision.”
January 12th, 2011
My college dorm room kitchen was in the basement and most often used by international students craving a taste of home. I was scared of the oven, barely able to make a grilled cheese, and loved eating out, which easily fit into my hectic schedule.
But one of my college roommates was confident about cooking and enjoyed whipping up her own meals at school in that basement kitchen and even in our microwave and toaster oven. I was so envious of her cooking abilities! While I relied on takeout that continued my bad eating habits, she would unload fresh veggies and other groceries to make a healthy meal for herself, such as vegetable soup and yummy chicken dishes.
While dining halls have vastly improved over the years and are offering much more health-conscious fare, a skill that would be great for you to take to college is knowing how to cook.
It’s a new year, and often the time when people try to lose weight. Even if you don’t have any pounds to shed, think about the bonding you could experience with your parents or other relatives by joining them in the kitchen, especially if it seems like all your family eats is takeout these days.
Even if you don’t know how to use a can opener, don’t be discouraged. If you can master even a couple of recipes, it will help you in the fall by saving money and creating a home-cooked meal (made by you!) at school. Knowing how to cook also can impress other students – imagine starting off the school year by hosting a party in your dorm room with some fun food.
Cooking at college can be a point of pride for some students – my roommate even remembers how it attributed to her love of cooking now. One student I know posted a picture on Facebook after she made a pizza with a whole-wheat crust purchased from a local grocery store.
Some schools even offer cooking classes for students. College of the Holy Cross, in Worcester, Mass., has “Cooking with Angelo,” where students learn essentials in the kitchen from Angelo Berti, a chef at the school since 1992.
There’s also plenty of cookbooks that you can take to school – or look up recipes online – to help you find some favorite dishes that you can make yourself. Some of the books, like The Healthy College Cookbook, offer students’ tried and true recipes.
Want to get started? Here’s a quick and unique recipe with a cute name to try (excerpted from The Healthy College Cookbook by Alexandra Nimetz, Jason Stanley, Sarah Emeline Starr, and Rachel Holcomb; used with permission from Storey Publishing):
Quiche-adilla
Makes 2 servings
Ingredients
1-2 tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
3-4 garlic cloves, minced½ medium onion, chopped
½ bell pepper, seeded and chopped (optional)
1 (10-oz) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1 tomato, chopped
Salt
Freshly ground bell pepper
Crushed red pepper flakes
2 eggs
2 whole-wheat tortillas
½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Directions
1. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic, onion, and red pepper, if using, and sauté until the onion is translucent.
2. Add the spinach and continue to cook until the spinach is heated through and most of the liquid has evaporated.
3. Add the chopped tomato and cook until most of the moisture has evaporated; season with salt, pepper, and red pepper fakes to taste.
4. Remove all but about 1 cup of the spinach mixture and store in a separate container (for other uses; see below). Crack the eggs into the remaining spinach mixture and scramble.
5. In a separate skillet, heat a drizzle of olive oil. Add 1 tortilla and top with the spinach and egg mixture, a layer of mozzarella, and the other tortilla. Cook until browned on the bottom, then flip and cook until browned on the other side. Serve warm.
Nutrition per serving
Calories 375
Fat 17 g
Fiber 8 g
Protein 18 g
Carbohydrates 38 g
January 11th, 2011
With the new year upon us, now’s the time to start preparing for your 2011-2012 financial aid. If you know you’ll need to find financial aid, take the time to consider all of your options, and make finding free money (grants and scholarships) your top priority. You can get started today by doing as much research on grants and scholarships as possible and setting aside time to make your scholarship applications stand out from among the crowd! Here’s how…
Submit Your FAFSA Early
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) became available on January 1, 2011. Be sure to begin preparing for the FAFSA so that you can complete it as early as possible. Federal grants, like the Pell Grant, are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, so you will want to be first in line for them. Also, many schools award merit- and need-based grants and scholarships on a first-come, first-served basis. Bottom line: Apply as early as possible!
Work on Scholarship Applications During the Spring Semester
The spring semester is a great time to work hard on your scholarship applications. You can find scholarships online using websites such as FastWeb.com or the College Board’s Scholarship Search. Make a list of scholarships you want to apply for and their deadlines, and then begin working on the application materials. Think of scholarship application season as a follow-up to college application season. Spend just as much time and hard work on filling out and submitting as many applications for scholarships and grants as you did on your college applications – after all, you have to be able to afford the schools that you want to attend!
Look for Scholarships and Grants Everywhere
When looking for scholarships, in addition to online sources, be sure check some lesser-known places such as your parents’ employers, your local community, and groups or associations that you or your parents are part of. Many of these organizations award scholarships every year to members and their families.
Meet with Your Financial Aid Office
Once you’ve chosen a school to attend, set up a meeting with a representative from your choice school’s financial aid office. Ask him/her about financial aid options, discuss your particular financial situation, and follow all advice on how to find the money you need to pay for college. Many colleges offer a variety of financial aid options, including work-study programs and special need-based grants reserved for students with challenging financial circumstances.
Ask Family and Friends for Help
Discuss your college money needs with family and friends of the family to see what sort of help they may be able to provide. You may be able to work out a deal with them. You could also ask for money for college or other needs, such as books or things for your dorm room, in place of a graduation gift.
Consider Loans Last
If after completing the steps outlined above, you find that you still need additional money in the form of student loans, make sure to maximize your federal student loan options first. There are subsidized and unsubsidized Stafford loans you could qualify for, and there are also options for your parents in the PLUS loan. Once you’ve maximized your federal student loan options, if and only if you need additional money, consider private student loan options. If you need a private loan, make sure to shop around and compare the loan rates and terms to find the most affordable loan possible.
If you have any questions or need additional advice, feel free to reply in the comments section!
This guest post is contributed by Jeff Sheely, who blogs about financial aid and education financing at Overture Student Loan Marketplace, where students and parents can get information or compare private student loans to make more informed decisions about how to pay for college. Connect with him on Twitter or Facebook.
January 10th, 2011
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What’s holding you back from achieving your college dreams?
