Many high school students and their parents ask me, “Am I (or is my son/daughter) doing enough activities?” Enough is the key word in the question, as well as an unquantifiable amount that is one of the indicators that college admissions can be an art and subjective. Parents and students over the years have begun…
Tag: High school junior
Wrapping Your Arms Around College Costs
Parents often remark that they don’t want money to define their child’s choices for college, and then proceed to ask me questions about financial aid and scholarships. The sense of an impending expense in the thousands of dollars can make any normal human being nervous. Teens can often react with guilt and fear, that they…
The Mixed Bag of College Applications
“Where will I get in?” “Are there too many reach schools on my list?” “What schools would be backups?” I am often asked these questions when parents and students first start talking about the college selection process, usually toward the beginning of the conversation too. The fear of not being accepted can loom large…
The Many Meanings of “I Don’t Know”
“I don’t know” is a common answer to a variety of questions, when I talk with teenagers and their families about college and education. What I’ve come to learn is that “I don’t know” has a different meaning, depending on the question.
Embrace, Don’t Shun Worry and Stress; a Normal Part of Living
We spend our lives–first, learning and then, embracing–the idea that stress and worry should be avoided, denied, and minimized, but seldom understood. Art shares his view on worry and stress with a high school junior client and their family, as well as how one can work with stress and worry to become stronger, not weaker…
“The College Frenzy” aka The Junior Year
College that mythical, out there place that’s simultaneously used to motivate and be a warning through the first 10 years of school–then, transforms, seemingly in a flash, when 11th grade rolls around and every parent seems to be talking about SAT this and ACT that, plus asking, “What colleges will you tour? We toured X,…
The Six Figure Cost of College: In Dollars & Sense
The words, “financial aid,” can send chills down any parent’s spine, as they wonder, “How in the (insert expletive) are they going to pay for college, without going bankrupt?” Many American families approach college, like other purchases in their lives–dream big and figure out how to pay later. Parents often believe, “If my kid…
Guest Post: The Savings for College Challenge, Part Three – How Much to Save in a 529
About the authors: For over 25 years, Cynthia S. Meyers, CFP®, MBA, has assisted people with their Lifetime Financial Planning–helping to build and preserve wealth in every area of life. Jenny Hood, CFP® has been a paraplanner with Cynthia S. Meyers for five years and enjoys being a part of the financial planning process. _____________…
Transfer Admissions from a California Community College: Bargain or Cost?
Several changes to California Community College policies in the current 2012-13 school year may affect the typical transfer student who chooses community college, by extending the total number of semesters before transfer to a 4 year university. The typical transfer student is usually qualified for 4 year college admissions, yet “doesn’t know what s/he wants…
The Climb to the Summit is Always the Most Beautiful, Yet Dangerous
The University of California deadline comes to pass at Midnight (U.S) West Coast time, November 30. Plus, a number of highly selective private and flagship public colleges—notable names include the University of Southern California (USC)—have a deadline for Midnight Dec 1. Students and their families scurrying to complete applications within this backdrop are confronted with…
Financial Aid Reality Check (That Won’t Cost Your Checkbook)
We’re hearing from parents of seniors, who’re looking through their check registers and not seeing $30,000 to $60,000 available for next year’s college expenses, nor in their savings or investments. Actually, we’re hearing from parents of juniors, parents of sophomores, parents of freshmen and parents of pre-schoolers about the continued rise in costs and…
Potential Can Be Nurtured with Effort: More about College Selection
“Doing your homework” when it comes to choosing colleges is essential. A former client and current college freshman’s mom, recently shared her experience how to do that “homework” and how pleased she is with the family’s final choice for her son–UC Santa Cruz. Her son is growing, even in an unexpected triple roommate situation, and…
Community College Transfers Increasingly Enroll at Multiple Campuses
Last fall, about 69,665 students attended two schools, nearly 5,000 went to three schools and about 400 to four or five schools, according to data from the California Community Colleges chancellor’s office. (The numbers include students who take online classes; officials are unsure how many are in that category.) Los Angeles Times, October 16, 2012…
English Teachers & The College Essay
At this point in the school year, many senior English teachers assign the college essay as a class assignment to be completed for a grade. While this may seemingly “kill two birds with one stone”, relieving parents concerns about their student’s seeming procrastination to start writing the essay and student’s thinking that “once and for…
Guest Post: A Parents’ Perspective Times Two
About the Authors: Anne’s & Dan’s two daughters both moved away from home this fall to start college–one as an upper division transfer at University of San Francisco and one as a freshman at Baylor University. Their experience helping both daughters’ pay college expenses was featured, along with Creative Marbles, in the October issue of Comstocks…