What is an EFC?

EFC could possibly be the most important three letters to you as a college student.  EFC stands for the Expected Family Contribution.  When you submit the FAFSA, you will receive an SAR report, Student Aid Report.  In the top right hand corner there will be some little numbers after the letters EFC.  This is what [...]

Don’t Forget the FAFSA

This is the last day of February and time is ticking away for everyone to get their FAFSA filed.  This drives all financial aid in colleges.  For some of you, financial aid deadlines were already missed.  Some colleges have deadlines of mid-February and some are March 1st or 15th.  Don’t miss this deadline.  Call your [...]

Stop Doing Stupid Things

For some totally unknown reason, students are posting themselves doing stupid things on Facebook and MySpace.  Stop it right now!  Colleges in larger and larger numbers are going on these sites prior to giving scholarships to check for character.  If a college Googles your name and you come up with a seductive pose with a babe/dude [...]

Juniors! Visit Colleges!!

Are you a junior in high school?  Important question coming….  How many colleges have you visited so far this year?  Please, pullleese, don’t say, “I’m thinking about it.”   The year to visit colleges is the junior year.  Your senior year will be so busy filling out and submitting application forms, writing essays and other senior year activities, [...]

Colleges Fall into Five Tiers

Four year colleges fall into five academic ranges and so do students.  One of the tricks in finding the right college for you is to figure out where YOU are academically and find a college that matches your abilities.   Finding a good match nearly guarantees admission and increases your odds for getting a scholarship.  Don’t waste time visiting [...]

Advanced Placement Classes

Should you take AP classes?  Yes, if you are capable of doing well.  No, if you are not capable of doing well.  The failure rate for AP tests is climbing nationally.  Students are being pushed into Advanced Placement tests when they are not ready.  For some reason, it seems to be a status symbol for [...]

Going to College Because of Friends?

Selecting a college is a tough job.  Many students get confused and a bit fearful about going to a college no one else is going to.  They end up going to a school that isn’t for them thinking all colleges are the same.  They are not.  Choosing a college based on where your friends are going [...]

Waiting for Award Letters?

Many students have applied early in the fall, gotten everything in to the colleges as asked, and are wondering where the financial aid information is?  Well, that information may be coming in late March or April.  However, some large public universities may not get their award letters out until June or even July.  Yikes!  This [...]

Visit Colleges During Spring Break

You may be attending a high school that has an upcoming spring break.  This is a perfect time to schedule a college visit.  Call your college counselor that has been assigned to you, and schedule a formal visit.  Do not just pop in.  Chances are your selected colleges of interest will not be closed at [...]

Gap Between High School & College

The ACT corporation has released the results of a study stating that high school standards in the U.S. are still not sufficiently aligned with postsecondary expectations.  Reading instruction needs to be improved!   Not enough is being done to prepare high school students for college reading challenges.
The complaint from colleges is that students enter with general [...]

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