TIP OF THE WEEK - December 28

Memorization Techniques

Memorization Techniques are helpful in many situations.  For high school and college students, learning these techniques will help you to get ahead and stay ahead in your class work and studies.

Learning a new skill, language or even trying to remember a grocery list does not have to be difficult when you use these tips and techniques that are used to commit something to memory. Easily committing terms to memory can be achieved, if only you are using the proper techniques to learn terms and other aspects of lists and information.

Here are some of the most popular memorization techniques that can be used when trying to commit anything to memory.

Create an acronym for the list

Associating a list or a concept with a certain word that can be used as an acronym to remember the terms which must be recalled is an effective way to commit something to memory. Chances are that once you have associated a certain word with the list to be memorized; you will be able to recall this list for years to come.

Sing it

As silly as this may sound, signing something that you have to remember is an essential way to learn a set of words, phone numbers and even a grocery list. The song can be silly and funny – as the sillier and funnier the song, the more likely that you are going to remember it.

Practice, Practice and Practice some more

This is one of the oldest techniques of memorization which will include practice and repetition to remember the items which are on the list or the concepts which are an effective way to commit these terms to memory. If you are able to spend up to fifteen minutes practicing these items, saying them aloud and reading over the items it can be simple to remember the items in the case that they need to be recalled.

Remember by Using flash cards

Flash cards are an effective way to learn a large amount of information in a short period of time. Flash cards can be used to learn complex concepts by developing words which are associated with the concepts. Flash cards are also known to improve the memory and learn concepts as they can be used to learn terms which are associated with learning a new language, or learning something new in class. Flash cards are cheap and effective and can be used whenever you have five minutes to learn. Studies have shown that the majority of students use this method to learn information for classes.

Creating sentences with the terms

Create sentences with the terms that are required to commit to memory with new words, using the first letter of each word. This way, when you are trying to remember a list of terms, the sentence can be used to remember all of the terms and easily recall what can be remembered.

Chunking

Chunking is used most often to remember long term groups of numbers. This way, the memorizer can remember from five to eight numbers at one time, which can be completed in three to four sets of a longer number which must be recalled through the memory.

Use Patterns to remember sets of words or numbers

Are there any patterns within the words that are being memorized? Finding these patterns can help to remember more, as well as help to associated words with another. This way, rather than focusing on remembering one word – the person trying to remember can make use of remembering one word, rather than remember three to four words. The first word can jog the memory and remind the person trying to remember the other three terms which are associated with the first.

Using these tips, it can be simple to recall everything that you need to. Finding the right method for you can enable you to determine which methods work best for your learning style. Whether you are a visual learner and auditory learner or a tactile learner – there are memory techniques which have been developed for you. One of the best apart about these techniques is they can be adapted for each learning style, so it doesn’t matter which type of learner that you are.

Parents with Seniors - College and scholarship applications need
to be completed now. FAFSA for financial needshould be filed in
January and updated after you file your 2009 tax return.

Parents with Juniors - Your financial need base tax year will be 2010
for students beginning college in 2011. Now is the time to start planning.

TIP OF THE WEEK - December 14

10 Financial Tips for College and “Soon-to-Be” College Students


1.  Use Credit Cards Sparingly
 Use credit cards wisely because this is a chance to establish a solid credit history. Watch the interest rates. Don't be suckered by low introductory rates. Expect the interest rate, or annual percentage rate (APR), to climb above 20% in three to six months. Don't use the card for routine living expenses or a night on the town.


2.  Pay all Credit Card Balances in Full
 Remember: Credit is a loan--and it doesn't come from The Bank of Dad. That means any balance on the credit card must be repaid. Get a card with a low limit. Shop around for the best deal and read the fine print before signing up. If you move, inform the bank of your new address. Guard your credit card number and close unused accounts.


3. Get the Best Deal on a Checking Account
 Shop around before opening a checking account. Smaller banks may offer a better deal. Compare fees. Ask if there's a fee for dealing with a teller, including deposits or withdrawals. Ask if there's a fee to use a debit card. Ask about ATM fees. Ask if overdraft protection is part of the student package. If not, ask about linking such coverage to a bank-issued credit card.


4.  Keep Track of your Spending
 Use cash whenever possible because counting out the bills underscores the connection between the purchased item and money leaving your wallet. Use a debit card before a credit card for the same reason. Keep track of spending because a budget means nothing without accurate accounting


5.  Set a Limit on Entertaining
 Mad money should be sane and sober. Set a limit for walking-around money and stick to it. Hitting up the ATM for another fistful of crisp twenties is easy--and guaranteed to deplete your bank account.


 6.  Keep an Eye out for Free Money
 Apply for scholarships. This requires digging and persistence. See what's available. Don't be bashful. If you have a shot, apply. If it's a long shot, how can you go wrong for the price of a stamp?


7.  Get a Part-Time Job
 Check out college work-study programs. A few jobs may be related to your studies. Otherwise, look for a job with tips such as waiting tables, parking cars or delivering pizza. If you hustle, tips will exceed the hourly wage. Summer work is a necessity for many students, but don't overlook internships--they're a good way to get a taste of what you may make a career and establish contacts in the field.


8.  Avoid taxes on Stupidity
 Avoid unnecessary expenses at all costs. Parking fines are a tax on stupidity or laziness. Read the signs and follow the rules. This goes for little things like returning library books or videos. Pay your bills on time or you'll get stuck with a late fee.


9.  Don’t Eat Out All the Time
 Pack a lunch. This will save you big bucks. Don't eat regularly at fast-food restaurants because it will reduce your bank account while bloating your belly. At the supermarket, buy the house brand and increase your savings. Never shop on an empty stomach.


10.  Look for Student Discounts
 Clip coupons. Many businesses give students discounts in an effort to establish a relationship that will continue when they enter the real world and start earning a paycheck. Take advantage of the perks. Be on the lookout for deals on plane tickets, pizza, books, clothes--everything. The student newspaper is a good place to start. The Internet can be a gold mine of discounts.

Parents with Seniors - College and scholarship applications need to be
completed now. FAFSA for financial needshould be filed in January and
updated after you file your 2009 tax return.

Parents with Juniors - Your financial need base tax year will be 2010
for students beginning college in 2011. Now is the time to start planning.

TIP OF THE WEEK - December 7

QUESTION - Are my parents responsible for my educational loans?

Parents are NOT responsible for any FEDERAL Student Loans (Stafford and/or Perkins). However, they are responsible for the Federal PLUS loans and any other alternative loans that require a  co-signer. In general, the student is solely responsible for repaying their FEDERAL educational loans. You do not need to get your parents to cosign your federal student loans, even if you are under age 18, as the 'defense of infancy' does not apply to FEDERAL student loans. (The defense of infancy presumes that a minor is not able to enter into contracts, and considers any such contract to be void. There is an explicit exemption to this principle in the Higher Education Act with regard to federal student loans.)

However, lenders normally will require a cosigner on any type of private student loan. If your parents (or grandparents) want to help pay off your FEDERAL loan(s), you can have your billing statements sent to their address. Likewise, if your lender or loan servicer provides an electronic payment service, where the monthly payments are automatically deducted from a bank account, your parents can agree to have the payments deducted from their account. But your parents are under no obligation to repay your loans. If they forget to pay the bill on time or decide to cancel the electronic payment agreement, you will be held responsible for the payments, not them.

Parents with Seniors - College and scholarship applications need to be
completed now. FAFSA for financial needshould be filed in January and
updated after you file your 2009 tax return.

Parents with Juniors - Your financial need base tax year will be 2010
for students beginning college in 2011. Now is the time to start planning.

TIP OF THE WEEK - November 30

College Scholarships

Scholarships For College

College gets more expensive every year. Scholarships are a great way to help reduce the costs of attending a college or university. College scholarships are typically awarded based on some type of achievement or success and may contain clauses that require the student to maintain a specific grade point average.

College Scholarship Tips

Your best scholarship research sources include: The internet (try a free scholarship search engine such as: www.fastweb.com), your local community (contact your local chamber of commerce), and your high school guidance counselor and/or college financial aid officer.

It is also important to reach out to everyone you know to ask if they know of any organizations or companies that give out college scholarships. Once you have your list make sure to keep note of all of the deadlines and requirements to be eligible. This will help you stay focused and make sure you get all your scholarship applications in on time.

You can start applying for scholarships as early as your freshman year in high school. If you win a scholarship before you know which college you’ll attend, the scholarship organization usually will either write you a check, or simply give you the money when you decide where to attend college.

Create a successful scholarship application by setting yourself apart from the other applicants. Try to think what you would be looking for if you were reviewing scholarship applications. Always be honest and never bend the truth, make sure you can back up everything you say in your college scholarship application or essay.

After you are awarded your college scholarship, write a thank you note! Someone spent a lot of time reading all the college scholarship applications, and they selected you. Write a sincere thank you note to the person who saved you money on your college tuition. This will also help your chances of winning the scholarship again the following year if you are still eligible.

Types of college scholarships

Institutional - Awarded by the college or university to a current or future
student
Merit - Usually the largest scholarships. Given for a student's academic,
artistic, or athletic abilities
Need - Given to distinguished students who are in need of help financially
Sociology - Only given to students that meet a certain criteria for religion,
race, or national origin
General - Any other type such as scholarships given to students based on
their parents affiliation with organizations or corporations (parent's employer may offer scholarships)

Parents with Seniors - College and scholarship applications need to be
completed now. FAFSA for financial needshould be filed in January and
updated after you file your 2009 tax return.

Parents with Juniors - Your financial need base tax year will be 2010
for students beginning college in 2011. Now is the time to start planning.

TIP OF THE WEEK - November 23

Can You Get a Student Loan Bailout?

This article was reported by Amanda Becker for "The Big Money".

A new program links payments on federal student loans to income
and forgives balances after 25 years. Those working in public service
could have their debts erased after 10 years.

If you've got a diploma hanging on your wall, chances are it didn't
come cheap. About two-thirds of the 3 million or so college seniors
who donned a cap and gown this year took on an average debt of
$22,500 for the privilege of earning that diploma. The debt graduate
and professional students incur is often tens of thousands more.

As graduates struggle to find jobs during the worst economic crisis
of their lifetime, an adviser to the secretary of education expects a rise
in the default rate on student loans, which cannot be easily renegotiated
or discharged in bankruptcy. But a provision of the College Cost Reduction
and Access Act of 2007 that reduces monthly payments for hundreds
of thousands of borrowers who qualify for the new Income-Based
Repayment plan took effect July 1.

Borrowers who work in certain public service jobs could also have the
balance of their loan erased after making qualifying payments for 10
years. (Supposedly, this costs the government nothing, since it will now
change the way it subsidizes student-loan lenders.)

So, will your student loan be bailed out? In a word: maybe. At the very
least, the IBR program will lower the monthly payments of people who
accumulated significant federal student loan debt but don't have the
income to make the payments on the standard 10-year repayment plan.
This relief may reach as many as 1 million people, according to the
Project on Student Debt. And despite lower payments, the former students
won't be paying off their loans indefinitely -- any remaining balance
will be forgiven after payments, are made for 25 years.

Basing loan payments on income isn't a new concept. For years, graduates
with federal student loans had options to reduce or eliminate their
payments, depending on how much money they made. But IBR is intended
to be more generous.

IBR caps monthly payments at 15% of earnings above 150% of the
poverty line, or $10,830 for a single-person household. Online calculators
at the free public service site FinAid.org can help you compare what your
income-based payments, income-contingent payments and income-
sensitive payments would be.

There are situations in which an IBR payment would be zero. If your
payment is so low it doesn't cover the interest accruing on your loan, the
government will pay the interest for three years on subsidized Stafford
loans, which are government- backed loans given to financially needy
students that do not accrue interest while the borrower is in school.

After that period, and for all of the other kinds of unsubsidized federal
loans, unpaid interest will accrue but will not compound. In other words,
you won't be charged interest on top of interest. Borrowers who think they
could benefit from IBR should contact their lender and ask for an
application that will authorize the release of their adjusted gross income
from the Internal Revenue Service each year.

Student loans can have a big influence on career decisions. Even former
students with good jobs say their monthly loan payments make it hard to
buy a home, start a family or save for a rainy day. The news is even more
promising for people working in public service jobs: government
employees, teachers in public schools and universities, workers at public
hospitals and anyone working for a 501(c)(3) nonprofit would qualify.
Anyone working in a qualifying job who borrowed from the Direct Loan
Program is eligible for loan forgiveness after 10 years, down from 25.

To qualify for forgiveness, borrowers who work in a public-interest
position must either have an existing Direct Loan or consolidate a federal
loan with a private lender into the Direct Loan Program and make 120
payments after Oct. 1, 2007. The payments do not have to be consecutive,
can be made while at different eligible positions and must be made on the
income-based or standard repayment plans.

At this point, the burden is on borrowers to document where they were
working during their repayment period. The Department of Education is
planning to develop a more definitive system to confirm eligibility, but
right now borrowers should keep pay stubs and tax documents that verify
their work history.

IBR and public-loan forgiveness won't be the best options for every
borrower. Some borrowers -- those able to make higher monthly payments
-- would be better served by sticking with a traditional payment plan to
avoid accruing years of additional interest. Graduates who financed their
education with private loans are ineligible entirely.  But for an MBA grad
who borrowed $150,000 planning to be an investment banker but ended
up in government service, IBR will result in payments that are affordable
on a civil servant salary.

TIP OF THE WEEK - November 16

Managing Stress

 

1) Recognize Stress:

Stress symptoms include mental, social, and physical manifestations.
These include exhaustion, loss of/increased appetite, headaches,
crying, sleeplessness, and oversleeping. Escape through alcohol,
drugs, or other compulsive behavior are often indications. Feelings
of alarm, frustration, or apathy may accompany stress.

If you feel that stress is affecting your studies, a first option is to seek
help through your educational counseling center.

Stress Management is the ability to maintain control when situations,
people, and events make excessive demands. What can you do to
manage your stress? What are some strategies?

2)  Look Around

See if there really is something you can change or control in the situation.

3)  Set Realistic Goals for Yourself

Reduce the number of events going on in your life and you may reduce
the circuit overload.

4)  Remove Yourself From the Stressful Situation

Give yourself a break if only for a few moments daily.

5)  Don't Overwhelm Yourself

Don’t worry about your entire workload. Handle each task as it comes,
or selectively deal with matters in some priority.

6)  Don't Sweat the Small Stuff

Try to prioritize a few truly important things and let the rest slide.

7)  Learn How to Best Relax Yourself

Meditation and breathing exercises have been proven to be very
effective in controlling stress.  Practice clearing your mind of disturbing
thoughts.

8)  Selectively Change the Way You React

But not too much at one time.  Focus on one troublesome thing and
manage your reactions to it/him/her.

9)  Change the Way You See Your Situation; Seek Alternative Viewpoints

Stress is a reaction to events and problems, and you can lock yourself
in to one way of viewing your situation.  Seek an outside perspective of
the situation, compare it with yours, and perhaps lessen your reaction to
these conditions.

10)  Avoid Extreme Reactions

Why hate when a little dislike will do? Why generate anxiety when you
can be nervous? Why rage when anger will do the job? Why be depressed
when you can just be sad?

11)  Do Something for Others

This helps get your mind off your self.

12)  Get Enough Sleep

Lack of rest just aggravates stress.

13)  Work Off Stress

Get active physically; whether it's jogging, tennis, gardening, etc.

14)  Try to "Use" Stress

If you can't remedy, nor escape from,  what is bothering you, flow with it
and try to use it in a productive way.

15)  Try to Be Positive

Give yourself messages as to how well you can cope rather than how horrible
everything is going to be.

***  Most importantly, if stress is putting you in an unmanageable 
state or interfering with your schoolwork, social and/or work life, 
seek professional help at your school counseling center.

TIP OF THE WEEK - November 9

How to Avoid Procrastination

To remedy procrastination, answer these basic questions.

What do you want to do?

    •    What is the final objective and end result?
         (It may be obvious, or it may not )
    •    What are the major steps to get there?
         Don't get too detailed:  think big.

What have you done so far?

    •    Acknowledge that you are already part way,
         even if it is that you are in the thinking phase. 
         The longest journey begins with a first step.

What is your biggest motivation?

    •    Do not concern yourself if your motivation is
         negative!  This is honest and a good beginning.
         However, if your motivation is negative, re-phrase
         and re-work it until it is phrased positively.

What other positive results will flow from achieving your goal?

    •    Identifying these will help you uncover benefits
         that you may be avoiding:
         Dare to dream. List out what stands in your way.
         What is in your power to change? What resources
         outside yourself do you need?  Resources are not
         all physical (i.e. tools and money), and include time,
         people/professionals/elders, even attitude.

What will happen if you don't progress?

    •    It won't hurt to scare yourself a little... Develop your plan,
         list major, realistic steps.  A project is easier when it is
         built in stages; start small; add detail and complexity
         as you achieve and grow.

How much time each will take?

    •    A schedule helps you keep a progress chart and reinforce
         that there are way-stations on your path .  What time of day,
         week, etc. do you dedicate  yourself to work?  This helps
         you develop a new habit of working, build a good work
         environment, and distance distractions.  (It is much easier to
         enjoy your project when distractions are set aside.)

Rewards you will have at each station

    •    Think of rewards and also what you will deny yourself
         until you arrive at each station.

Build in time for review

    •    Find a trusted friend, elder, or expert to help you motivate
         yourself or  monitor progress.

Admit to:

    •    False starts and mistakes as learning experiences.
         They can be more important than successes, and
         give meaning to "experience".
    •    Distractions and escapes.  Do not deny they exist,
         but deny their temptation.
    •    Emotion.  Admit to frustration when things don't
         seem to be going right. Admit that you have had a
         problem, but also that you are doing something
         about it.
    •    Fantasy See yourself succeeding.

Finally, if procrastination is a habit of yours, focus on the
immediate task and project, and build up from there.
Each journey begins with one step.

TIP OF THE WEEK - November 3

Note Taking Skills and Strategies


Here are some techniques and strategies that will help you become a
good note taker, whether you are taking college lecture notes or class
notes these tips will be a great  help in staying ahead:

1) If the instructor writes something on the chalkboard/overhead,
then it is usually a key point and you should write it down.

2) Try to use a three-ring binder, it allows for more flexibility in
rearranging your notes and any handouts that you may receive.

3) Sit towards the front and center of the class where you'll be less
distracted, hear the professor and have a good angle on any visual
aids that may be shown.

4) Don't rely on someone else's notes, you may not understand
everything that they write down and you'll remember the best by
taking your own notes.

5) If your instructor talks fast, it may help to bring an audio recorder
and record the lecture while taking notes. After the lecture is over
you can replay the lecture and fill in any parts that you missed.

6) Do reading assignments or homework questions before class,
it is easier to take notes when you know what the instructor is
talking about.

7) Date your notes. Add titles and subtitles when you move onto 
a new topic for easy referencing.

8) Write down any terminology along with the definition that the
instructor may present.

9) Make sure that you write legibly, if you can't read them later,
they'll be useless. If you have sloppy handwriting it may be wise
to type your notes so that they are easier to read.

10) If you missed what the instructor said ask him/her to repeat it
or go to the instructor after class and ask for clarification. If you are
in a rush, ask the instructor any questions at the beginning of the
next class. You may also want to find the answer from a friend or
the textbook.

11) Compare notes with a classmate to make sure you didn't miss
any important points.

TIP OF THE WEEK - October 26

Test Anxiety

Most students experience some level of anxiety during an exam.
However, when anxiety affects exam performance it can become a problem.

General preparation/building confidence:

• Review your personal situation and skills
• Develop good study habits and strategies
• Manage time(dealing with procrastination, distractions, laziness). Organize material to be studied and learned
• Take a step by step approach to build a strategy and not get overwhelmed.  Outside pressures success/failure consequences (grades, graduation), peer pressure, competitiveness,  etc.
• Review your past performance on tests to improve and learn from experience
  

Test preparation to reduce anxiety:

• Approach the exam with confidence:

              -Use whatever strategies you can to personalize success:
                visualization, logic, talking to your self, practice, team work,
                journaling, etc.
              -View the exam as an opportunity to show how much you've
                studied and to receive a reward for the studying you've done

• Be prepared!

              -Learn your material thoroughly and organize what materials you
               will need for the test.  Use a checklist

• Choose a comfortable location for taking the test with good lighting and minimal distractions
• Allow yourself plenty of time, especially to do things you need to do before the test and still get there a little early
• Avoid thinking you need to cram just before
• Strive for a relaxed state of concentration.  Avoid speaking with any fellow students who have not prepared, who express negativity, who will distract your preparation
• A program of exercise is said to sharpen the mind
• Get a good night's sleep the night before the exam
• Don't go to the exam with an empty stomach.

               -Fresh fruits and vegetables are often recommended to reduce
                stress.
               -Stressful foods can include processed foods, artificial
                sweeteners, carbonated soft drinks, chocolate, eggs,
                fried foods, junk foods, pork, red meat, sugar, white
                flour products, chips and similar snack foods, foods
                containing preservatives or heavy spices
               -Take a small snack, or some other nourishment to help
                take your mind off of your anxiety.
               -Avoid high sugar content (candy)

 During the test:

• Read the directions carefully
• Budget your test taking time
• Change positions to help you relax
• If you go blank, skip the question and go on
• If you're taking an essay test and you go blank on the whole test, pick a question and start writing. It may trigger the answer in your mind
• Don't panic when students start handing in their papers. There's no reward for being the first done
• If you find yourself tensing and getting anxious during the test:

                -Relax; you are in control. Take slow, deep breaths
                -Don't think about the fear
                -Pause:  think about the next step and keep on task,
                 step by step

• Use positive reinforcement for yourself:

               -Acknowledge that you have done, and are doing,
                your best

• Expect some anxiety

               -It's a reminder that you want to do your best and
                can provide energy. Just keep it manageable

• Realize that anxiety can be a "habit" and that it takes practice to use it as a tool to succeed

After the test, review how you did:

• List what worked, and hold onto these strategies

               -It does not matter how small the items are:
                they are building blocks to success

• List what did not work for improvement
• Celebrate that you are on the road to overcoming this obstacle
• Check out local centers and resources in your school for assistance!

               -If you are aware that you have a problem with test
                anxiety, be sure your teacher or instructor knows
                before any testing begins (and not the hour before!).
                There may be other options to evaluate your knowledge
                or performance within the subject matter.

Three Student Activities That Can Help With College Prep - And Even College Money - When It Counts!

A simple look at the filled activity calendar will tell most folks that Fall is now in full swing. The high schoolstudents are probably pretty well immersed in their school schedules and activities. As the weather startsto get a bit crisper in some parts of the country, we all may find ourselves indoors a little bit more each day. This is a good time to reassess our priorities on activities that we need to catch up on or to organize upcoming tasks that may be on the docket. If you have put college planning on the back burner up unti now, that is understandable, but please let us remind you that there is no better time than the present to get fired up again and move forward on all the strategies that can be a part of your child attending fantastic college.

In addition to your children’s activities, you have your own schedule to balance and keep track of, and we know that managing the myriad of checklists related to college planning can be daunting. We are here to help with that. We have included tips in this newsletter that can help your child at his/her current stage of academic development. In fact, these tips will be able to apply to almost any family with a college-bound high school student. You may be a family that is seriously affected by the economic downturn the country is presently under, or you may be one of the fortunate ones who have been able to weather the storm and stay on top. Whichever situation you may find yourself in, it has been our experience that most folks are interested in hanging onto their hard-earned money, while maximizing their child’s college opportunities.  These tips can help you do that and can still help you get your child into a great school in the process.

This process is complicated for every family – we sense these difficulties ourselves, and we are among the most seasoned college funding counselors! – simply because federal laws and institutional policies tend to change each and every year. However, we can help you stay the course financially, and thereby assist you in staying focused on the most important aspect of the college admissions process – your child. You certainly cannot control the capricious changes in legislation (and frankly, neither can we, as much as it would make our jobs easier), but you certainly can play a role in whether or not your child has success in his or her academic and extra-curricular activities, or whether s/he has a quiet place to study at home.  These are the things that remain firmly within your realm of influence, and that is where we will focus.

There are many things that your child can do in order to be prepared for higher education, to make a reasonable and successful effort to maximize funding, and to become an appealing applicant to some exciting colleges and universities. We will focus on a few of these in this newsletter that should help you get jump started towards a successful academic future.

Consider Career Assessment Tests – BUT As A Tool… Not A Crystal Ball!

Sure, you may have one of those remarkable children who have been saying since they were three years old, “I want to be a lawyer when I grow up!” (Some of them actually do!) On the other hand, you could also have a child who belongs to the vast majority of people who are not exactly sure what they want to become when they grow up. Let us reassure you, there is absolutely nothing wrong with either scenario!  Some children are incredibly focused on a particular area very early in life, while most other children take a number of years – and a variety of experiences – in order to fully develop their interests in a particular field or career. Fortunately, there are a number of tools that can help your child assess where his or her  interests lie along the way so you can start to make decisions about activities and a direction to take.  When it comes to college preparation, after all, it is certainly in your best financial and professional interests as a family to have some idea what to pursue when the college years actually arrive!

If you ask your child, “What is it that really interests you?” and the response is “Umm… I don’t know” then there could be some potential benefit from asking your child to complete a career assessment test. There are many resources available to you, whether through your child’s high school counselor or even by searching online. These are career assessment and vocational interest tests that are designed specifically to determine where your child’s particular interests and strengths lie. However, these tests are tools, not fortune tellers. Some parents may get extremely worked up over these tests (a trait which does not usually endear them to their high school aged children), when they are simply indicators of the aforementioned interests and strengths! The tests offer some information about areas that can be taken advantage of in the preparation for college, as well, and they should always be viewed as such.

Of course, simply taking a career test does not set anything in stone. Just because your child may have skills or inclinations towards a certain field does not mean that s/he is bound and determined only to pursue that option. This type of test is really just a tool that can, perhaps, uncover some inclinations and interests in certain areas that can be further developed both in high school and in college. Sometimes the best options remain unrecognized until they are simply suggested, and that is what a career test can do for your child… expand the options. It could help to fine tune some elective classes, for some students. It might trigger an interest in a club or group at school. It could even cause your child to want to tag along with a family friend or acquaintance “on the job.” At any rate, it is definitely worthwhile to see whether his or her class schedule (and extracurricular activities) reflect any opportunities that might help to develop the  personal interests discovered in the career test.

Correctly Manage Jobs Or Internships – During School OR Summer

With a reasonable determination of which area is of interest to your child – whether it comes from your child directly or from some career testing activities – here is another tip that can pay major dividends in the long term and help your child on the road to getting into a top college.  Many parents have seen excellent results through helping their child find a part-time job – or even an internship – in a field that s/he may consider for a career. Others find that their child operates best in a simple part-time job. For example, if your child has already expressed some interest in a business career, it should not be terribly difficult to find a position that will teach valuable skills related to business, whether it is working as a cashier or learning leadership traits by observing people while working in business management environment. Whatever the job, time management and responsibility are also skills that can be gleaned from just about any type of job, whether it is during the school year or during vacations.

Parents and friends can often assist students in finding the right approach colleagues, friends, or local business owners about allowing your child to do an internship in a profession or business that is of interest to your child. Your child may even be paid for the internship experience in some cases. The difference between a job and an internship is sometimes subtle, but internships do look very impressive on college applications! Regardless, the experience gained through a job or an internship can be very influential in helping students to learn what activities intrigue and inspire them, and what things might have looked pretty cool from the outside, but (at least to your child) weren’t exactly all that they were cracked up to be.

However, it should come as no surprise that there are some words of caution that must be spoken when a student is intent on pursuing this route! It is absolutely imperative that your child is able to balance the demands of school, plus any other activities, and internship/work. Naturally, when it comes to prioritizing, school should always come first. If it becomes apparent that your child is falling behind in school then it is time to reassess whether any outside activity is feasible at this point. Also, remember that an internship arranged with a colleague or family friend can often be made extremely part time… it doesn’t need to occupy ten hours per week in order to be worthwhile, or to appear on college applications! It simply needs to provide a quality learning experience, and that is the bottom line whether s/he is being paid for the time involved, or not.

Another very important consideration comes into play if your child is being paid for his or her position. You see, there is a limit to how much money a student is allowed to make before it begins to affect his or her eligibility for federal aid in college. Please make sure that your student does not adversely affect future money by “over-earning” while in high school, even during the summers! If you need more details, please don’t hesitate to call us for more information on how to choose a great internship, and especially the current income limits for high school students.

Volunteer/Service Organizations – Giving Something Back And Receiving In Return

It is difficult to overstate how valuable volunteer and service experience is for the aspiring college applicant. We think it is a great idea anyway, but we see the fruits of this type of work as we help college applicants and their families through their application experience. Students who become involved in service and volunteer organizations often find a three-fold bonus as they approach their college years. First, the college applicants themselves often have an added air of maturity – especially when compared with other graduating high school students. We believe that this comes from their experiences in looking outside of themselves and endeavoring to make a positive difference in their community. These experiences are often even more valuable because they can, in many cases, help the students to  discover the things that they are most passionate about. The beauty of this is that there is almost no limit to the valuable service experiences available, from volunteering at a hospital to building homes for the homeless, and beyond. All of these experiences are valuable!

Secondly, we have noted that desirable colleges often view these students as well-rounded applicants,and  if they me the admissions standards of the school they tend to want them as part of their incoming class. This goes hand in hand with the maturity level, to be sure, but colleges like to be able to brag about their incoming class of freshman students, almost as much as parents do! Finally, there can even be a financial incentive – albeit usually a small one – for volunteer activities and joining service organizations. These types of groups often offer scholarships to their members, and their experiences also will look great on institutional aid applications. While it is almost unheard of that these scholarships cover a significant amount of the costs of college these days, they look excellent on applications (as noted above) and can tip the scales in a student’s favor. We can help with the management of scholarship funds, to maximize your family’s personal eligibility for college financial aid! Just give us a call at 724-745-0305 and we will be pleased to help.

These are just a few of the things to bear in mind as you traverse the path between where you are now, and the bittersweet day when your child heads off to pursue his/her higher education. Each of them can become an important part of the puzzle that can add up to acceptance at a great college – not to mention a much more manageable college bill for you and your family. We are eager to help you with this process, if you think that our expertise could be of benefit to you. In addition, you may be interested in reserving a free seat at our upcoming College Funding seminar in your area. If you would like to attend, please give us a call at 724-745-0305 and we will be happy to reserve a spot for you. We want to help you and your child prepare for an excellent college experience, and minimize the financial and organizational headachesalong the way!

Michael Giffin, CLU, ChFC
President
Ensphere College Planning Services
PO Box 1347
McMurray, PA 15317
(724) 745-0305

TIP OF THE WEEK - October 19

Time Management Tips
Does it seem like there's never enough time in the day to get everything done? Feel like you're always running late? Here are some tips for taking control of your time and organizing your life.

1. Make a "To Do" List Every Day.
Put things that are most important at the top and do them first. If it's easier, use a planner to track all of your tasks. And don't forget to reward yourself for your accomplishments.

2. Use Spare Minutes Wisely.
Get some reading done on the bus ride home from school, for example, and you'll kill two birds with one stone.

3. It's Okay to Say "No."
If your boss asks you to work on a Thursday night and you have a final exam the next morning, realize that it's okay to say no. Keep your short- and long-term priorities in mind.

4. Find the Right Time.
You'll work more efficiently if you figure out when you do your best work. For example, if your brain handles math better in the afternoon, don't wait to do it until late at night.

5. Review Your Notes Every Day.
You'll reinforce what you've learned, so you need less time to study. You'll also be ready if your teacher calls on you or gives a pop quiz.

6. Get a Good Night's Sleep.
Running on empty makes the day seem longer and your tasks seem more difficult.

7. Communicate Your Schedule to Others.
If phone calls are proving to be a distraction, tell your friends that you take social calls from 7-8 p.m. It may sound silly, but it helps.

8. Become a Taskmaster.
Figure out how much free time you have each week. Give yourself a time budget and plan your activities accordingly.

9. Don't Waste Time Agonizing.
Have you ever wasted an entire evening by worrying about something that you're supposed to be doing? Was it worth it? Instead of agonizing and procrastinating, just do it.

10. Keep Things in Perspective.
Setting goals that are unrealistic sets you up for failure. While it's good to set high goals for yourself, be sure not to overdo it. Set goals that are difficult yet reachable.

Consider these tips, but personalize your habits so that they suit you. If you set priorities that fit your lifestyle, you'll have a better chance of achieving your goals.

TIP OF THE WEEK - October 12

Scholarship Information:

The most common scholarships may be classified as:
• Merit-based: These awards are based on a student's athletic, academic, artistic or other abilities, and often factor in an applicant's community service record and extracurricular activities. The most common merit-based scholarships, awarded by either private organizations or directly by a student's intended college, recognize academic achievement or high scores on the ACT and SAT standardized tests.
• Need-based: These awards are based on the student and family's financial record and will require applicants to fill out a FAFSA to qualify if the scholarship is a federal award. Private need-based scholarships will also often require the results of a FAFSA, which calculates a student's financial need through a formula looking at the expected family contribution and cost of attendance at the intended college.
• Student-specific: These are scholarships where applicants must initially qualify by race, gender, religion, family and medical history, or many other student-specific factors.
• Career-specific: These are scholarships awarded by a college or university to students planning to pursue a specific field of study. Often the most generous awards are given to students pursuing careers in high-need areas such as education or nursing.

To help keep yourself on a timeframe, impose a deadline that is at least two weeks before the stated scholarship deadline to send out all required materials. Make a copy of the entire packet and keep it on file in case your packet goes astray. Make sure your name (and social security number, if applicable) appears on each page of the material to ensure that nothing is lost.

Lastly, a great place to start looking for scholarships is: www.fastweb.com

TIP OF THE WEEK - October 5

Essay Writing Tips

Gaining entrance to just about any college continues to get harder as more and more applicants are applying for a limited number of spaces. How can you improve your chances to being admitted to the college or university of your choice? By writing a stellar personal essay as part of your college application.

It may be only 500 words, but the admissions essay(s) portion of a college application can mean the difference between acceptance and rejection. Developing your ideas and expressing them clearly will help to show the admissions committee why you are different from everybody else. It also provides information about you that test scores, grades, and extracurricular pursuits cannot.

You can use the essay to describe a favorite activity, to tell a story about yourself or a friend, even a story about your dog. It should capture the reader’s attention and make you stand out.

So how do you write a college application essay? Writing the college application essay can be one of the most daunting parts of applying to college. To get started just remember 3 important parts to developing your thoughts.

Step One: Brainstorming The goal of brainstorming is the development of ideas. Pick 1 or 2 topics that you feel comfortable writing about.

Step Two: Selecting An Essay Topic After brainstorming develop the rough ideas that you would like to include in your application essay; including your goals, important life experiences, research experience, spectacular nonacademic accomplishments, etc. You should also now have an idea of what impression you want to make on the admissions officers.

Step Three: Writing the Essay, Tips for Success In writing the essay you must bear in mind your two goals: to persuade the admissions officer that you are extremely worthy of admission and to make the admissions officer aware that you are more than a GPA and a standardized score, that you are a real-life, intriguing personality. Remember to be original in your thoughts.

TIP OF THE WEEK - September 28

QUESTION - What is the major difference between the FAFSA & the PROFILE?:
FAFSA data gets processed using the Federal Methodology and determines your eligibility for FEDERAL Student Aid. PROFILE data gets processed using both the Federal & Institutional Methodologies and helps (pricier) schools estimate your eligibility for federal aid, and decide whether to give you additional institutional resources. To help schools make this determination, PROFILE schools ask for much more information than FAFSA schools. For example, you must report your family income for the past 2 years, the amount of equity in your home, etc... It's good to know in advance what schools you may be looking at so that you can prepare for what questions the school may be asking.

TIP OF THE WEEK - September 15

Bad Credit Sends More Students Packing Than Poor Grades
According to a survey of student loan applicants by loan provider Nellie Mae, 83% of college undergrads use credit cards and the average card debt was $2,327 in 2001. Furthermore, the college students surveyed steadily increased usage rates and balances. From freshman to senior year, the average debt load more than doubled and number of cards held nearly tripled. It’s easy to see why more students drop out of college because of debt than for poor grades.

But don’t forget that credit cards are designed for people with income—solid cash flow. Most young teens and college students don’t have much income. While using credit is not a beginning financial skill, teens do need to learn how credit works. How can parents ease young teens into the eventual freedom of credit cards? Allow a debit card tied to a checking account or a fixed-amount card such as Visa Buxx, designed especially for teens. Or, try a credit card with parent supervision and low limit—$500 or less.

Before teens become regular credit users or abusers, encourage them to:
1) master a checking account, write checks, and reconcile statements
2) show responsible debit card use and understand ATM fees
3) compare credit card offers and read the fine print
4) understand interest rates and billing cycle.

Credit cards do remain an attractive alternative to cash for four reasons, providing it’s used wisely.
1) Credit is handy—and safer—to carry. If teens don’t ever see cash leave their wallets, however, it’s difficult for them to understand the reality of expenses, budgeting, and cash flow.
2) Buy now, pay later. Paying later also makes it easy to overspend, and not be able to pay when credit card bills arrives. It’s not easy for anyone to have the willpower to curb credit card spending once the habit is started. Teens need maturity to overcome the “I-want-it-now” syndrome.
3) A credit card is good for emergencies, when you have no cash. But buying daily lattes, new clothing every trip to the mall, or pizza on weekends doesn’t count.
4) Using credit establishes a credit score. Yes, frequent use of a credit card does build a credit history—good or bad. But overspending and irresponsible use can tarnish a credit score for years and affect interest rates for future loans.

Don’t Delay…We Can Help Things Fall Into Place!

Yup, it’s that time of year. Summer is pretty much behind you and you are getting ready for school to start. You’re out shopping with your child & getting the necessary supplies for school. You’re looking through the weekly circulars to make sure you’re getting the best deals on clothes and everything else your child will need to get through this next school year. If you’ve got an incoming freshman, you may be doing some extra coaxing and counseling as s/he nervously enters the first year of high school. There are schedules to synchronize and activities to sign up for. You are busy. For many, school is starting right after Labor Day. Yes, the lazy days of summer are gone and it’s time to look forward to the Fall and get ready for the upcoming school year.

There are so many things that you will need to do in order to prepare your child for the upcoming year. However, now is also the time to look beyond the immediate upcoming year and think of preparing for your child’s college plans. There are a lot of things to accomplish in that regard during the school year. The earlier you get a jump on things, the easier things will be for you (and your child) down the road. We would like to be a part of the process with you.

We have divided this newsletter so you can go directly to the section that pertains to your child. You will also receive extra bonus points for going through the entire newsletter! Well, not exactly, but it will definitely be useful for you to peruse through all of the sections, as they will either pertain to your child in the future, or to other children on the college path. Getting your child through high school, let alone college, is no easy task. Regardless of which year your child is in, there are always things that can be done to help your child along his/her path to college attendance. We would like to help you along that path. Please feel free to contact us with any questions that you may have. We know how difficult and time consuming this process can be and would like to provide the necessary guidance that can make things just a little bit easier.

FRESHMAN YEAR

If your child is starting the first year of high school, this is a great time to get a jump start on the plans for college. Your early efforts will definitely pay off in the years to come. It’s never really too early to start and you will want to provide the best foundation for your child that will support him/her in the years to come.

• Plan to meet with your child’s guidance counselor
This is the start of your child’s high school career. Make sure you start it off on the right foot. Make an appointment with your child’s guidance counselor to go over academic plans for the next 4 years.

• Increase your child’s vocabulary
There are several ways to do this. One of the best methods is through reading books. Find interesting but challenging books for your child that will expand his/her mind and vocabulary. You can also have your child write down the words that s/he is not familiar with and afterwards you can go through the words together.

• Plan to have your child take a challenging course load that also fulfills college requirements.
It’s important that your child chooses classes that will fit the requirements for college acceptance. Be aware that most colleges have “core requirements.” Your child’s acceptance may literally depend on how well s/he did in these core classes. They are usually as follows:

o Math: Three to four years (including algebra, geometry, and calculus)
o English: Four years (composition, literature, speech)
o Social Sciences: Three years (history, sociology, psychology, political science, geography, economics)
o Science: Three years (earth science, biology, chemistry, physics)

Depending on the college your child would like to attend, there may be additional requirements. These courses are, however, what most colleges use when considering students for acceptance.

• Have a heart-to-heart with your child
Freshman year is notoriously difficult for many students. Your child is officially with the “big kids” now and that is a daunting idea for many teenagers. Take the time to go over what is to be expected when starting high school and let them know it’s all right to feel overwhelmed. If your child knows s/he can depend on you, things will go a lot smoother throughout the year.

• It’s never too early to get your financial plan together
Protect the money you’ve saved. If you have money saved outside of your company’s retirement plan, talk to your College Funding Advisor about repositioning those assets into accounts that are not exposed to the financial aid formulas.

SOPHOMORE YEAR

Your child is now officially NOT a freshman. This often is followed by a huge sigh of relief from many incoming sophomores! Your child is no longer “learning the ropes” but is, by now, used to high school and what is expected. If freshman year was a rocky start, then take the time to help your child feel comfortable and confident going into this next academic year.

• Plan to take “The PLAN,” if your child’s school requires it
There are some schools that require 10th graders to take the PLAN in order to prepare for the ACT. Check with your child’s school to see if this is a requirement. If so, schedule a time to have your child take the test.

• Have your child sign up to meet with his/her guidance counselor regarding the PSAT
The PSAT is administered in October. The PSAT is a preliminary test that provides students with practice for the SAT. Your child can also enroll in the PSAT/NMSQT. This stands for the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. It gives students a chance to enter the National Merit Scholarship Corporation scholarship programs.

• Have your child take NCAA approved classes as part of his/her course load
If your child has an interest in sports and wants to pursue that interest in college, then you should be aware of the requirements set forth by the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association). Make sure your child takes classes that meet their requirements.

• Protect your money!
You’ve worked hard for your money. Protect that money by talking to your College Funding Advisor about keeping those dollars out-of-sight from the financial aid formulas.

JUNIOR YEAR

If your child is a junior, high school could now be more of a piece of cake. S/he has maneuvered through the freshman and sophomore years and is now ready to tackle the junior year. S/he has now officially joined the ranks of the “Upperclassmen.” Things will start to heat up this year. You will want to start thinking seriously about which colleges your child is interested in.

• Register for the October SAT
It’s September and we’re several weeks away from the SAT that is administered in October. Make sure your child is registered this month so s/he is ready to take the test in October.

• Have your child plan to save samples of his/her work throughout the year
It’s a good idea to keep an academic portfolio. This should include all of your child’s best work throughout the academic year. Keep samples of your child’s best papers or projects in this portfolio.

• Have your child attend an ACT/SAT preparation workshop
If there is a workshop in your area that offers a preparation course for the ACT/SAT, then it would be a good idea for your child to register for this workshop. If not, there are practice books or software that you can purchase that will also help to prepare.

• Have your child consider running for leadership positions
Junior Class President. It has a nice ring to it, yes? Well, not only does it have a nice ring to it, it looks great on high school transcripts and college applications. Colleges love to see students who have participated in leadership positions. If your child feels up to it, have him/her consider running for office!

• Get your financial game plan in place!
Guard the money you’ve worked so hard to put away. You want to protect what you’ve saved for your child. Perhaps you have money either in mutual funds, bonds, stocks, or CDs. Those funds are typically calculated against you in the financial aid formulas. However, by working with your College Funding Advisor, there may be ways of moving those funds to accounts that won’t be held against you when you’re applying for aid.

SENIOR YEAR

You’ve got an incoming senior. Wow! Your child has successfully completed three years of high school in order to get to this stage. That is no small task. This will be a busy year. You will have a lot on your plate and staying organized and on top of things will certainly benefit you in the long run. Here are some tips that will help your high school senior along the way.

• Have your child request all of the applications from the colleges s/he is interested in
The application process can be long and tedious. The sooner your child gets a jump on things the better. Have your child write, call or request online all of the applications needed for admission and financial aid.

• Keep a chart of all of the application deadlines
It’s not easy to keep track of all the deadlines for each school. Make a chart that has all of the colleges and their deadlines in one spot so you and your child are always aware of what is coming up next.

• Register for the October/November SAT Reasoning Test and/or SAT Subject Tests or the September/October ACT
September will be gone before you know it. Make sure to register for the tests that you and your child decide are best for the institutions where s/he plans to apply. The deadlines are fast approaching so make sure you register as soon as possible.

• Plan to have your child meet with his/her guidance counselor
Start the year off right by meeting with the guidance counselor at the beginning of the school year. Your child and the guidance counselor can go over his/her academic and co-curricular record to make sure that everything is accurate and appropriate for the schools your child would like to attend.

• Keep your money safe from Financial Aid Formulas!
A College Funding Advisor is there to help protect the money you’ve worked so hard to put away for this important occasion.

Soon there will be a crisp breeze in the air to remind us that Fall is officially here. Let us help you start off this school year right. Call on us with any questions you might have about getting your child ready to attend college. We would be more than happy to help!

As always, please do not hestiate to contact us if you have any questions...

Michael Giffin, CLU, ChFC
President
Ensphere College Planning Services
PO Box 1347
McMurray, PA 15317
(724) 745-0305

TIP OF THE WEEK – September 8, 2009

With the spread of the swine flu in schools and college campuses increasing all across the country we thought it would be a good idea for this week’s Tip-of-the-Week to be about prevention.

The most important thing to effectively combat a disease is the early identification of the disease and timely medication. The symptoms of swine flu are similar to those of normal influenza like illnesses including
Fever
Sore throat
Head aches
Body aches
Running or blocked nose
Chills
Fatigues
The recent outbreak has also a large number of patients reporting vomiting and diarrhea.
The virus affects nose, throat and lungs causing respiratory problems.

HOW TO PREVENT SWINE FLU:

Effective swine flu prevention can only be done by ensuring three things i.e. prevention in swine, prevention in human and prevention of its spread among humans.

Cover nose and mouth while sneezing and coughing.
Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth frequently.
Wash your hands at regular intervals.
Drink large quantity of water and also get enough sleep.
Avoid close contact with affected people and stay at least 3 feet away from those having respiratory infection.

Please contact your health care professional with any additional questions or concerns.

Hope you found our “Tip of the Week” to be informative and helpful.

Until next week…

TIP OF THE WEEK - August 31, 2009

10 Scam Warning Signs, Courtesy of FastWeb

Knowing these warning signs can keep you from being a scholarship scam victim

1. Fees: You shouldn't have to pay to search for or apply for scholarships. Check out the free scholarship search at FastWeb.com.

2. Credit card or bank account information needed: You should never have to give credit card or bank account information to award providers.

3. Scholarship guarantee: No one can guarantee that you'll win a scholarship because no one can control scholarship judges' decisions. Also, be wary of "high success rates"—they usually do not refer to actual award winners.

4. No work involved: You can't avoid putting in time to fill out a scholarship application.

5. No contact information: Legitimate sponsors should provide contact information upon request. If the sponsor does not supply a valid e-mail address, phone number and mailing address (not a PO box) after you've asked for one, that could the sign of a scam.

6. Unsolicited scholarships: If you are called to receive an award for which you never applied, be alert—it's most likely a scam.

7. Pressure tactics: Don't allow yourself to be pressured into applying for a scholarship, especially if the sponsor is asking for money up front.

8. Claims of "exclusive" scholarships: Sponsors don't make their scholarships available through only one service.

9. Sponsor goes out of their way to sound "official": Scammers sometimes use official-sounding words like "national," "education" or "federal" or they display an official-looking seal to fool you into thinking they are legit.
Check with your school if you question a scholarship provider's legitimacy.

10. Your questions aren't answered directly: If you can't get a straight answer from a sponsor regarding their application, what will be done with your information or other questions, proceed with caution.

Hope you found our "Tip of the Week" to be informative and helpful.

Until next week...

Your Friends At The College Planning Network

TIP OF THE WEEK - August 24, 2009

SOCIAL NETWORKING SITES

This excerpt discusses how colleges are now using social networking sites, such as "Facebook", to try and recruit students by posting pages about their university. However, many of these same colleges may be looking at YOUR social networking page (Facebook, MySpace, etc...) to get a better idea about YOU as a candidate for their school.

Just remember to keep this in mind when posting things (comments, pictures, etc...) to your Facebook/MySpace pages.

Just like you may be doing research on the college on these sites.... the college can be doing the same to you!!! A good rule of thumb is don’t post anything on your social networking pages that you wouldn’t want you grandmother to see!

"THE ADMISSIONS OFFICE FINDS FACEBOOK" - With an eye on the demographics, schools are seeking applicants through social networking sites

- Courtesy of Alison Damast of Business Week

A few months ago, Steven Price logged onto his Facebook page one evening to do his usual check-in with family and friends before going to bed. He was surprised when he found a "friend" request from Scott Minto, the director of the admissions office at San Diego State University's Sports Management Program sitting in his in-box.

"I was blown away," said Price, 22, a recent college graduate who is applying to business schools this fall and is currently interning with the Minnesota Vikings. "I'd been in touch with other schools through e-mails and phone calls, but I'd never had any schools contact me through Facebook."

Minto is part of a small but growing number of graduate school and college admissions officers who are aggressively using Facebook to recruit students for their programs. Many have built their own Facebook fan pages, which they are using as a tool to display videos, pictures and news articles about their schools. Others are using the site as a marketing tool, purchasing advertisements and targeting them towards certain demographic of students, based on their age and location. By drawing students to Facebook, schools hope to keep in constant touch with potential students, as well as provide them with important updates on the school, without bombarding them with dozens of e-mails and mass mailings.

Where the Boys and Girls Are

"College and graduate school admissions officers are on the cutting edge of this," said Nora Ganim Barnes, director for the Center for Marketing Research at the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth, who recently conducted a study that found that 29% of university admissions departments surveyed used social networking sites such as Facebook and MySpace (NWS)--a level higher than fast-growing Inc. 500 corporate respondents.

"If you're an undergraduate or graduate institution and you're looking to attract people 35 and under, then I think you have to go to Facebook because that's where your opportunity is," she said.

This is the case for Minto, 27, who estimates that he spends several hours a day updating the page and communicating with the students who send him questions via the page. The school also spends some of its advertising dollars on other areas of Facebook, placing ads that are targeted to the student audience Minto is seeking: college graduates 24 to 34.

San Diego State's Facebook page is filled with pictures and videos of campus events, ranging from footage of the school's involvement in the U.S. Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach, Calif., to students' visit to the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, Calif. He invites students via Facebook to the admissions open house events that he hosts in different cities around the country and also maintains a blog on the site. The community of applicants interested in the program online has become so active that he communicates with some of them now exclusively on Facebook.

The number of schools diving into social networking sites like Facebook is still small: there are only about 60 schools that currently have official sites on Facebook, Ganim Barnes said. Among graduate programs, she said that smaller schools and programs appear to be more active.

By Popular Demand

At the University of Toronto's Rotman School of Management, the school launched a Facebook admissions page last fall, mostly in response to student demand, said Richard Powers, Rotman's assistant dean and director of MBA programs.

"The students kept asking: 'Do you have a Facebook page,'" Powers said.

"It came up so often that we tried it, and it was just a phenomenal success. We use it all the time now." The school uses its Facebook admissions page to hold question-and-answer sessions for prospective students, led by the school's director of admissions, Cheryl Millington. The first chat, held just a few days before the school's first application deadline last fall, attracted 90 participants, and recent ones have attracted as many as 117 participants.

Niki Healey, director of MBA Admissions at the University of Western Ontario's Richard Ivey School of Business, said her school launched a Facebook site in February to draw more students to the school. The site gets several hundred hits a day, mostly from prospective students who are checking out posting such as video
of the 2008 valedictorian's speech or pictures from last year's MBA formal.

Students post messages on the page's "Wall", asking about registration deadlines or when they can come to campus to visit a class.

Risky for Tradition

"They're probably not visiting our Web site every day, but they are most likely checking their Facebook page every day," Healey said. "We decided, let's be where they are, instead of trying to change their behavior." Of course, running an official Facebook page is not something that every school is embracing. In order to have a page that will appeal to students, a school needs someone to update it daily and answers students' questions in a timely manner, Healey said. Schools also need to be comfortable with the back and forth -- and public -- interaction between students and admissions officers, she said.

"I think social media can be risky for the tradition of business school recruiting because it is such an open forum," Healey said. "People can post information, and we have no control."

Indeed, this is an issue that admissions officers all over the country are struggling with in relation to social networking sites, said David Hawkins, the director of public policy for the National Association for College Admission Counseling, an Alexandria (Va.) group that represents more than 20,000 secondary school counselors and college-admissions officers.

"I think most colleges are just in the period of trial and error, where they want to have a presence, but they are still feeling their way around in terms of what is most appropriate," Hawkins said. "If you jump into this medium, how do you appeal to students and come off as being tech-savvy enough to get their attention and not appear corny or forced."

Hope you found our "Tip of the Week" to be informative and helpful.

Until next week...

Your Friends At The College Planning Network

TIP OF THE WEEK - August 17, 2009

SO WHEN SHOULD I ACTUALLY APPLY TO A COLLEGE???

We have heard some crazy rumors going around about when to send in the applications,
but here is the bottom line: Only schools with rolling admission consider applications as they come in. It does give you an advantage in such schools to send your materials in early, so that your credentials can be evaluated before the class is filled.

As for early decision, early action and regular applications: as long as your application is in before the deadline, it will be considered at exactly the same time as others. When a deadline date is published, you must make sure to have your application in on time. Applications which arrive after the deadline will not be considered.

Admissions Officers do not regularly discard applications which come into the office on Tuesdays, or dance on a pile of late Friday arrivals. Schools establish deadlines so that they can have enough time to have admissions people read and consider every application.

Relax and comply with the deadline, and then find a creative way to deflect anxiety until you hear from your school of choice.

Hope you found our "Tip of the Week" to be informative and helpful.

Until next week...

Your Friends At The College Planning Network

TIP OF THE WEEK - August 10, 2009

Creating Competition For A Student:

We recommend that students apply to upwards of six colleges. The reason is that this
helps create competition for the student. For a Student to create the maximum amount of competition between schools, they should include the following types of schools in the list of colleges that they wish to attend:

1. An in-state public school
2. A private college that is known to give good award offers
3. A college in the same athletic conference
4. A comparable college that is out of the student’s region of residency
(colleges encourage cultural diversity in their enrollments)

Hope you found our "Tip of the Week" to be informative and helpful.

Until next week...

Your Friends At The College Planning Network

TIP OF THE WEEK - August 3, 2009

As a parent of a college-bound student, make sure you:

* Offer help and support in the application process… but don’t micromanage or impose when you’re told to back off.

* Spell out your family budgetary constraints from the get-go… but expect to work together in looking for strategies to increase your financial aid.

* Listen and advise when problems arise… and at the same time, encourage your student to find their own solutions, enlisting resources on campus.

Hope you found our "Tip of the Week" to be informative and helpful.

Until next week...

Your Friends At The College Planning Network

TIP OF THE WEEK - July 27, 2009

Early Decision vs. Early Action

As you begin to complete your college applications, you should be aware of the
differences between early decision and early action. The exact rules may vary
somewhat by college. Check with your counselor to make sure you understand
your rights and obligations.

Early decision plans are usually binding. Meaning, you agree to attend the college
if it accepts you and offers an adequate financial aid package. Although you can
apply to only one college for early decision, you may apply to other colleges through
the regular admissions process. If you're accepted by your first-choice college early, you must withdraw all other applications. Usually, colleges insist on a nonrefundable deposit well before May 1.

College Planning Network does not recommend you apply early decision if your
ability to attend college depends on the financial aid package you receive.
Applying early action makes appealing for additional financial aid much more difficult because you cannot use other college’s offers or your choice to not attend as leverage for additional financial aid.

Early action plans are similar but are not binding, unlike early decision. If you’ve
been accepted, you can choose to commit to the college immediately, or wait until the
spring. Under these plans, you may also apply early action to other colleges. Usually, you have until the late spring to let the college know your decision. This allows you time to consider all the financial aid packages offered to you before committing to enroll in a college.

Single-choice early action is a new option offered by a few colleges. This plan
works the same way as other early action plans, but candidates may not apply early
(either early action or early decision) to any other school. You can still apply to other schools and are not required to give your final answer of acceptance until the regular decision deadline.

Hope you found our "Tip of the Week" to be informative and helpful.

Until next week...

Your Friends At The College Planning Network