Soccer field sidelines are filled with parents sharing their college expense stories and sometimes “nightmares” that can create misinformation circulating through the community. Depending on the listening parent’s effort to validate or debunk the information gleaned can determine how useful the shared experience will be in guiding their own children. Here’s a few common myths:
Tag: College applications
Huh? A School Profile? What’s that Got to Do with My College Application?
The school profile comes through the counseling office and is sent as part of the counselor’s recommendation to private universities, as part of a senior’s college application. Often, its included alongside the Secondary School Report, as part of the Common Application. Why does this matter?
What?!? Colleges Possibly Going Bankrupt?
The changes to higher education and its price in California are partially in response to the recent state funding cuts. Students (and their families) are being asked to shoulder more of the costs of their education–in the form of increased tuition and fees, parking costs, per campus student activity fees etc. At the same time,…
ACT & SAT Test Prep is Not Like Studying for a Regular Test
Preparing for the ACT or SAT is two fold: content review and building test taking skills. The ACT and SAT are unlike other tests students regularly take for high school classes. For example, rarely does a math or science teacher give a multiple choice exam, so students need to be familiar with solving math problems…
ALERT: Common App Change for Counselor Recommendation
The Common Application is allowing counselors to opt out of submitting a personal recommendation, as part of the Secondary School Report (i.e. the Counselor Recommendation) for Fall 2013 applications. Why is this change significant?
When a Letter of Recommendation Isn’t Just a Letter of Recommendation
Now, that school’s back in session (or about to be back in session), and the excitement of choosing colleges for application can be wearing thin (given that everyone who discovers or knows you’re a senior is asking where you’re applying), so what’s next? Well, parents, since about July have been asking us about letters of…
How to Make the Most of A Campus Tour: Creative Marbles in Chicago
All colleges have basic features: classrooms, residence halls and dining commons, people. How education happens at a college depends on history and culture (i.e. the attitudes, beliefs and values–which can be shaped by history.) Exploring colleges from multiple perspectives–academics, social life and the culture–will help students and parents make more confident choices about where…
CA College Tuition = UP; College Value = ?
California ranks among the top five states in the nation for the greatest tuition increases in their public universities. (Wall Street Journal, 8/14/2012) Not only do current UC students face a possible additional 20% increase mid-school year, if the November tax increase does not pass, the budget reductions can mean more cuts to courses…
College Tuition: Is a Private University Always More Expensive than Public?
According to the Wall Street Journal and the College Board, public university tuition is rising faster than private universities around the nation. “In-state residents at four-year public schools, tuition and fees are up 25.1% from the 2008-09 academic year; over the same time period, tuition and fees at private universities rose 13.2%.” While public universities…
Guest Post: Advice about the College Essay from a Graduated Senior to The Class of 2013
About the Author: In a few weeks, Hunter will be a Freshman at UC Berkeley, considering a major in Physics. He applied to 10 colleges and wrote 18 short answer and full length college application essays in Fall 2011. _________________________ Tips for writing college essays (from someone who wrote quite a few): Don’t sacrifice your…
College Rankings: What Are They Worth?
College rankings and lists are not lacking–Forbes, US News & World Report, Washington Monthly, Newsweek–just to name a few. And, for families already wondering about a kid’s chances of college acceptance, after 12 years of thinking and re-thinking every class, homework assignment and academic opportunity, not to mention the hours spent at sports practices, dance…
Thinking Outside the Box to Pay for College
What are you willing to risk to pay for college? Would you seriously consider these alternative methods of paying for college? If it sounds too good to be true, definitely take a second (or a third) look. From the Wall Street Journal, 7/31/2012
Location, Location, Location: Keystone to College Selection
To tour or not to tour? What activities should be arranged when visiting colleges and new cities? These questions and more are answered by Art Baird & Julie Nguyen, Creative Marbles CEO & CFO respectively, in the following podcast, after their return from visiting Chicago area universities. For more information, listen to our previous podcast.
Guest Post: Parent to Parent Advice about College Applications
Norman’s daughter will be starting her Freshman year at the University of Washington in Fall 2012. He offers the following perspective, having just completing the college application process: _________________________ Applying for college is an exciting time for every family. It represents all the hopes and dreams that your student has had since he or she…
UC Tuition and Fees: Up, Up and Away
Anyone involved in the University of California over the past thirty years knows one thing for sure: The tuition and fees for the UC has gone in one direction–UP.