More families, and younger, are asking Creative Marbles about financial aid and paying for college. Parents are facing difficult choices between supporting multiple kids through 4 years of higher education and saving for retirement, while confronting the challenge of encouraging their children to dream big, yet understanding the realities of financing that educational dream.
Author: Jill Yoshikawa, Ed M, Partner of Creative Marbles Consultancy
Jill Yoshikawa, EdM, Harvard ’99, a seasoned, 25 year educator and consultant, is meticulous in helping clients navigate all aspects of the educational experience, no matter the level of complexity. She combines educational theory with experience to advise families, schools and educators. A UCSD and Harvard graduate, as well as a former high school teacher, Jill works tirelessly to help her clients succeed.
Are College Going Attitudes Changing?
Are students’ and their families’ attitudes changing about college? 375 colleges, an increase of 96 institutions from 2011, report still having space available for freshmen and/or transfer students for Fall 2012. Has the economic uncertainty caught up with families’ choices? Is the $1 Trillion total student debt and consequences for individual borrowers causing families to…
3 hours and 45 minutes…Preparing for the SAT or ACT
The ACT with Writing and the SAT are 3 hours and 45 minutes of testing time alone; not to mention–given on a Saturday morning, requiring teenagers to arrive at the testing center by 7:45 am, and can be a 5 hour endeavor with the standard breaks and registration checks. Plus, these can seem like “the…
“Why Not?”
“No one chooses to do the violin if they have a rational mindset. We started anyways and we came from the premise of why not?” Adrian Anatawan on why he and his parents choose for him to learn the violin at age 9, despite being born without a right hand and part of his forearm.…
To Take AP or Not to Take AP…
The number of Advanced Placement (AP) classes being offered and the rates of passing scores on the tests are increasingly being used as one criteria to rank high schools. (Washington Post, Newsweek) As parents become more savvy about the college admissions process, many know that the number of rigorous courses offered at a high school…
PTA in College?
Parents are “graduating” from 12 years of PTA/PTO/PTSA meetings, alongside their high school seniors, so joining a college’s Parent Association may be the last idea on their list of moving junior/juniorette out of the house. Plus, aren’t kids meant to be finally on their own in college? For the secret helicopter parent, a college parent…
A University for the Students?
Is college education a public good or a student-centered model for individual development or both?
Instant Civics Lesson–Memorial Day & California’s Tuesday Primary Election
Learning isn’t only in the classroom and for a grade. Life presents educational opportunities everyday. Tuesday’s Primary Election can spur conversations about citizenship. Why is there a Primary election? Why are voters electing delegates to the party primaries, not the Presidential candidate themselves? What’s a Proposition? Why are the voters deciding abut new expenses (i.e.…
Middle Class Families Concerned about Affording College
Real wages haven’t increased, at the same time as pension values are decreasing, state budgets uncertainties are reducing funding for public universities and children are maturing into college age. What a perfect confluence for many middle class families and contributing to nervousness that the lifelong dream of a college degree–demonstrated through multiple honors and Advanced…
Why Teens Don’t Always Apply for Scholarships
Shifts in the views of parents with children aged 16 or younger about when adulthood financial independence should begin coincides with parents concerns about paying for college. In Creative Marbles experience, parents expect to shoulder the majority of college costs, at the same time expecting children to contribute toward their education. However, the shift in…
Summer…To Break or Not or Both?
Summer break–two words that often have a different meaning for parents and for students. Parents are often concerned that their students will dive into sleeping through the day and video games, while ignoring summer reading. Students seeking to relax will meet a compromise with parents by participating in camps and leadership activities that flex…
European History in 3 Minutes…Wait, Don’t Click Away
Ever wonder how history is relevant? Do you believe history is boring–simply memorization of facts and dates? Here’s a short 3 minute history of the changes in Europe for the past 1000 years. Watch and wonder how many people’s lives changed with the shifting borders, how many cultures were exchanged after being conquered and conquering…
What I Did for Summer Vacation: College Tours
With summer breaks, many families are busy planning vacations that include college campus tours. The expense and time families invest in visiting colleges can be more valuable, with preparation by both parents and students. Here’s a few tips:
College Admissions Yield? Why Students Should Pay Attention
The college admissions yield is the percentage of students who enroll from the total number of students admitted to the school. A higher yield shows the greater likelihood that an admitted student will enroll; thus, colleges will often admit less students and may have shorter wait lists, if any. So, for prospective applicants, a higher…
What’s Test Optional Admissions?
While many colleges require students to take the SAT or ACT (with or with the Writing exam) as part of admissions, a number of colleges don’t require students to take the tests or report scores as part of an application process. Test optional admissions policies sometimes ask students to send additional letters of recommendation or…