Barb's Blog
Take ACT Before Visiting Colleges
So, you’re excited about visiting colleges. Your friend is going so you go along, right? Wait a minute. Colleges are placed into five academic tiers and so are students. Do you match? One way to find out if you are a match is to take the ACT, look at your scores, and see if you match the average student on campus. If you do–great. If you are higher–even better. If you are lower–bad. You do NOT want to be in the bottom of the ACT range on a campus. This would put you at a great disadvantage in classes and lower your chances of getting accepted. And, forget getting any scholarships. Know if you match. The ACT ranges of colleges are listed under College Spotlights on this site for your convenience. Read More →
Read more of this articleAsk me a Question?
Do you have a question you would like to ask about the college process? Write me at pytel@mchsi.com and a blog may appear with the answer. Meanwhile, read my helpful blogs and the pull down menus. They are filled with helpful information. Bookmark the page and come back often. New information is arriving often. Read More →
Read more of this articleSpring Break – Visit a College
What are you doing during spring break? Sleeping in? Catching up on movies? Call your personal college counselor and arrange for a personal visit. Do NOT just pop in. Make sure college is in session. You want to meet your personal college admissions counselor and want them to get to know you. Dress nicely and be well-groomed. Make a good impression. Bring your parents, if possible. You want to let them know you are serious about this college. Ask questions. Make positive comments on things you like. Take advantage of any days that high school is not in session. Read More →
Read more of this articleWork Study – What is it?
When the award letters begin coming this spring, work study may appear in the amount of $900 to $1500. Be careful about assuming that you will be given a job and be guaranteed these amounts. It may appear on paper but often students may need to be aggressive in getting the actual jobs. And, the work study job may conflict with your class schedule. In that case, you may have to find a different job if there is one still available. If there are no jobs open, you may be able to work only half of the assigned hours which translates into half the amount that appears on your work study total in the award letter. Quite often work study is “first come — first served” and not unusual to find that upperclassment have already captured the jobs prior to freshmen even arriving on campus. So, don’t assume you will be able to make that amount of money. You may get lucky but you also may be left holding the empty work study bag. Be flexible with your work schedule. Some colleges offer evening jobs that would not conflict with classes. Be open to unusual jobs and times and be flexible. Read More →
Read more of this articleCheck Out Award Letters Carefully
Colleges will soon begin to send out Award Letters which will tell you how much college will cost you and your family. Carefully check out the loans vs. grants. Grants are preferred. They are gifts and do not need to be repaid. Also, check out the criteria for scholarships. What is the requirement to keep a scholarship? Some colleges merely want you to get a 2.0, others a 3.0, others a 3.2 and some a 3.5. Since most students get a somewhat lower g.p.a. in college than they did in high school, don’t make yourself vulnerable toward losing your aid. Some colleges give the student generous aid but slam the parents with incredible debt. These are all things to look for. Keep in mind that the most expensive colleges tend to be the most generous. They may look like they will cost more, but may actually end up costing less. You may be quite surprised when you have all the award letters in your hot little hands. Read More →
Read more of this articleThe Best College for You
The perfect college matches your interests and abilities, plus saves you thousands in tuition. Step by step, this book explains how to find the right school that's affordable, too.Simplify Your College Search with Proven Strategies
Use the timelines and strategies of private college consultants for a smooth college admissions process. This eye-opening guide empowers you to
Start your college search at the right time.
Identify your best-fit college.
Predict where you will be accepted and succeed.
Obtain the best financing and financial aid.
And much more.