“Well, so-and-so’s kid received a full-ride scholarship!”  We’ve all heard it: the dialogue around the greatly sought after, fully-funded college education. Whether through academics or athletics or general aid, every parent and student has pictured the possibility of not having to worry about paying a dime in order to get a valuable degree. Unfortunately, the ..read more

A college counselor explains test-optional, test-blind and test-flexible policies and why you might have fewer reasons to stress as you prepare for college. The college admissions experience involves different levels of stress. In my years as a higher education professional, I’ve observed that preparing for and taking the SAT or ACT is one of the ..read more

And just like that, November 1st arrives. Accustomed to a September that feels 8 weeks long, the next thing you know, it’s winter break! Seriously, today is the looming deadline for a lot of our seniors. While some IN clients have deadlines in December, and even as late as 1/4/22, most of our seniors have ..read more

Many families are shocked by a college’s sticker price. While the price of tuition can be overwhelming, college financial aid can make higher education affordable. In fact, income and savings represent only a few of the resources families use to pay students’ college expenses, according to the 2020 Sallie Mae/Ipsos survey How America Pays for ..read more

When I applied to college a millennium ago, it was impressive that I had 3 schools on my list the summer before senior year, and that I managed a last-minute college tour at William & Mary. I got some advice from teachers and my beloved guidance counselor the following fall so that by the time ..read more

Did you know that IN College Planning has produced its own podcast? With all the news and opinions circulating we’d like to introduce you to “Affording College,” our podcast devoted to college news, numbers, facts, and opinions. “Affording College” is our way of having real conversations about real things going on today, and it’s a ..read more

  One of the things we hear most often, whether we’re giving a talk at a high school, or meeting people during coffee and conversation at our Bexley office is, or even, mid-dental visit is, “Man, I wish this was available when I was in high school.” Typically uttered by a parent, we occasionally hear ..read more

It’s September, and I’m feeling like a blogger again. I imagine it might have a good bit to do with the back-to-school nature of things. New notebooks and pencils: checkNew kicks and (another) black hoodie: checkNew topics to discuss on IN, the College Planning Experts? Check again! Seriously, we’ve ushered out the Class of ‘21 ..read more