nutsANDbolts

Check This Box if You're a Good Person

Image Source: Public Domain Images At a recent college admissions event, a prospective student got up, and a bit nervously asked a panel of admissions officers, “What do you look for in a college admissions essay? What makes one application stand apart from others?” I could feel this teen’s heart beating in his rib cage, the look on his face that begged the panel to help him hone in on which of all of his experiences he should write about, what he should share, to make these people see he was a…

  Sticker Shock! I hear it every day. My husband and I are living it with two kids in college, every day. And if you have a senior and are comparing offers it may be worth your while to ask the question. There are absolutely no guarantees, however, if you don't ask the question the answer is a resounding, "NO!"                  

1. Don't Storm the Financial Aid Office (These are some of the hardest working folks on campus, so be nice. They get it.)
2. For More Need-Based Aid, Be Specific — and Ha…

Maybe. Maybe not. Source: Bitmoji “I’m not good with this waiting business.” “What if I don’t get in?” “I just want to know.” “When will I find out?” “Why does it have to take so long?”   The above is a sampling of text messages I received from both students and parents over the past eight weeks. Applications to college are out the door, and we now wade through the dark, often angst-ridden middle, what some may consider the most difficult, and perhaps the most nerve-wracking, part. During the w…

Did you know that college acceptances are "contingent" on your performance?

After the rush of applications and push to bump up your GPA, some may succumb to the lure of leisure, of showing up a little less academically. Of posting on social media sites sharing about your "in-school" staycation.

A few years back a student named Liv shrieked with excitement when she received her acceptance letter to Super Selective College. She had taken the hardest classes, written dozens of papers, prepped for…

  NEW this year! You will need to create an FSA_ID to apply for federal financial aid (FAFSA). Even if you don't qualify for need-based financial aid, but are planning to have your student take out an Unsubsidized Stafford Loan, you will need to file a FAFSA. Click here to watch the video.

• Instructions for creating your FSA_ID. Here.
• FAQ's. Here and Here.
• PITFALLS & PROBLEMS to avoid. Learn more from this post by Mark Kantrowitz on Cappex.
• Acronyms prompting scrambled brain? FAFSA, CSS, E…

Founder Jed Applerouth of applerouth, a trusted test prep firm, recently posted this blog. SOURCE: applerouth.com Applerouth is a test prep firm with which many of our students have had success. Founder Jed Applerouth, recently posted this blog detailing how the SAT is not the only test to undergo recent and significant changes. In the May 2016 testing date the ACT was found to have upped the rigor on the science and math sections. If your student is preparing for the ACT they need study accord…

• Identification of Personality Traits and Potential Career Paths
• High School Course Selection
• Standardized Testing…