College search and admissions advice for parents of college bound students, covering financial aid, scholarships and standardized testing
Summer brings a needed break from the stress of high school. It’s time for students to relax a bit! Enjoying some ice cream with your friends when the sun sets; reading a good book without having to analyze it; hitting the beach, or even taking a hike with with your…
That’s right – the Federal Student Loan program interest rates are set for the 2015-2016 academic year – and they are going down! Based on the sale of 10-Year T-bills on Wednesday, May 13th, the new interest rate for Stafford Loan for your Federal Direct Loan (Stafford) will be fixed…
Acceptance letters and financial aid awards are in! Now what? Are you and your student happy with the options on the table? If they are, then you did the college search correctly and have the funds to pay for the four year investment. If not, your student may want to…
How Are You Helping Your Junior (soon to be Senior!) Navigate the College Process? Of all the moments where we have to let go, watching him climb the stairs onto the kindergarten bus, listening to that middle school violin solo, handing over the keys for her first solo car ride,…
Last week, our own Patrica von Trapp attended a College Board training session on what to expect from the brand new SAT in 2016. Here’s what she discovered. The highlights are: no penalty for incorrect answers an optional essay of 50 minutes which compared to the current test of 3…
For students taking on loans during the 2014-15 academic year, please note the information below as it pertains to your loan interest rates. Direct Loan Interest Rates for 2014-2015 On Tuesday, May 7, 2014, the Treasury Department held a 10-year Treasury note auction that resulted in a high yield of…
While browsing for books that might help families with the separation anxiety that comes with a student “leaving the nest,” I recently came across this list that was put together by folks at a prep school in Massachusetts. This is not an endorsement – simply a “shareable event.” Enjoy! Books…
Wouldn’t it be great if you were able to go to a college or university website, enter your financial data into a secure calculator and get the real annual cost to you if your son or daughter were admitted to that school? The new Net Price Calculators (NPC) are supposed…
College freshman everywhere are settling into their residence halls and high school seniors are eagerly anticipating being next. Moving on to college is an important milestone for young adults, but it is important not to lose sight of other turning points along the way as parents and students prepare for…
Where do I go from here? Being waitlisted by your early decision college can be disheartening, stressful, and usually ends in disappointment, as the application is typically rejected. This is a difficult state of affairs for students and parents. A story in KJRH, Tulsa, by Leanna Landsmann recounts just such…