One student loves a non-competitive academic atmosphere at Haverford College that can make learning much more enjoyable. Another student praises the intense competition at UC San Diego, which motivates her to do her best work.  Two great schools. But not great for every student.  When a student is in an environment where he feels good about himself, he’s more likely to be successful academically and socially. It seems so obvious. But in this time of high anxiety about college admission, students and parents often pursue the most popular colleges and lose sight of whether those school ..read more

Each year, tens of thousands of students take the PSAT exam at high schools across the United States. The PSAT is not used by colleges in the admission process, but the results can help you better understand your academic strengths and weaknesses and suggest the skills you should focus on in preparing for college entrance exams. Students who took the PSAT in October should have access to their report now. Your score report will show you both the average scores earned by test takers in specific grade levels across the U.S., and your own individual scores on the reading & writing section and ..read more

One of the most important considerations in choosing a college is the size of the student body. Here’s the case for a small college. A small college (which means a college of around 1,500 – 3,000 students or so) will give you a very different experience from that of a large university (of 10,000 plus students). Going to a small college is like living in a small town versus a large city. People say hello when they see you.  Professors greet you by name and stop to chat. The main responsibility of professors at small colleges is to teach and advise undergraduate students (at research univer ..read more

EVERY OCTOBER, high school students across the country take the PSAT/NMSQT (yes, that last part is weird…no vowels!). PSAT/NMSQT stands for Pre-SAT /National Merit Scholarship Qualification Test. Lots of families are confused about the PSAT/NMQST and have questions, like… Does my student need to take the PSAT? Is the PSAT important? How are PSAT scores used? Do I need to prep for the PSAT? I’ve got you covered! Below are the two main things you need to know about the PSAT: What the PSAT/NMQST Is The PSAT/NMSQT (also referred to simply as the PSAT or Pre-SAT) is a slightly easier ..read more

YOU MAY BE SURPRISED TO LEARN that scholarships that come from community groups, companies, and charities (what colleges call “outside scholarships”) could actually reduce your financial aid award. If  your student wins a private scholarship, the college he or she attends can cut his or her financial aid package by the amount of the award. For example,  if a student wins a $4,000 scholarship, the college could cut the aid package they have offered by $4,000. Why is a student sometimes penalized for winning a private scholarship? Federal regulations require that a college c ..read more

Case Study: $42,000 Per Year Merit Scholarship One of the things many families worry about is that they earn too much to get financial aid even though they need it. If this is something you’ve been concerned about, you’re not alone AND there are other options! Here’s a merit aid case study from a student I recently worked with, (I’ll call her Lisa). As per the required formulas, Lisa’s family was expected to be able to pay around $80,000 for one year of college (not that a year of college costs that much, but the formula said her family could afford up to that much). S ..read more

Case Study – $51,840 Need Based Scholarship Here’s a case study from a student I recently worked with that you may find very encouraging if you know you are going to qualify for a need-based scholarships. I’ll call this student Sam. Before I share Sam’s story, here’s a quick run-down of the main 4 types of  college financial aid: 1. GRANTS – grants are FREE money, they do not have to be repaid. Grants can be either need-based or NON-need based (non-need-based aid is not dependent on a family’s financial situation and is typically given for GPA and SAT or ACT scores). G ..read more

No doubt about it – getting into college is a competitive process. Every year, tens of thousands of students set their hearts and hopes on attending their “dream” college…and then receive the dreaded denial letter. There are lots of things that make  a student a good fit for a school, and those factors make you more likely to be accepted to a certain college. But there’s one strategy that I’ve realized most students, families, and high school guidance counselors don’t know about… The strategy most students miss The strategy is called “demonstrating interest“. Demonstrating interest m ..read more

One of the biggest problems I hear about when families start the college planning process is…(drumroll, please) THE MONEY. As in… Will our family qualify for financial aid? Will we actually be able to afford college!? Are private schools always more expensive than public schools? How come my cousin’s kid got a “free-ride” but our neighbor’s son is paying full price?! Do public and private colleges award financial aid in different ways? College is expensive and most of us want to find ways to make it more affordable. If you want to make college more affordable the fir ..read more

The FAFSA has been simplified The current FAFSA has a maximum of 108 questions and that’s being shrunk to around 40 questions. This will reduce the FAFSA form from the equivalent of six pages down to two pages. Yay! But are the changes really all that simple? I would say not. This post summarizes the most significant changes that come into effect for the FAFSA that will be available in the fall of 2022 (for the 2023-2024 school year). You’ll want to know this information if you have a current college freshman or high school senior, who will have financial aid calculated under BOTH the current ..read more