How Do You Select The RIGHT College? How Do You PAY For It?

These are two major topics that should be discussed in your home with your high school student. Notice I am not saying with your newborn.

Do not start talking too early to your high school student about college because they will tune you out. And when you really need to begin this conversation, they will no longer be listening to you.

The only part of college to discuss with them early on is: good grades, taking a demanding academic load (demanding for them, not the class Valedictorian), some extracurricular school involvement (notice I said some, not a million activities, and if it is a sport they need at least
one in a school club, too) and some community service involvement.

Once you begin considering schools think about the following college options:

Size: 500-5,000 - What is the difference in classroom teaching?

Location: City, Suburbs, Small Town, Rural - How does each setting differ where the student is concerned?

Public versus Private: Is one type better than another?

Majors: The student does need to know what they want in most cases when they begin college, but the school should offer them a variety of major options that interest them. 

Career Center: Do they help place your darling one in an internship, or must they find one on their own? How early may a student utilize the career services?  Do they have an active alumni network?  Where? Graduate School Placement?

Special Interests: Will your child be supported in their extracurricular endeavors?  Are only theater majors allowed to be in a play?  Is the football team totally recruited or do they have try outs for walk-ons?  Do you need to audition for
the Marching Band, Orchestra, Choir?

Since I have already given you a headache with all there is to think about, and I have only just begun, let me make you crazier and briefly talk about money.

Be honest and understand that most students do not get a full, free ride to college. So what are your options?  Some students get merit money based on their academics, not your financial need.  This is the best money to get as it does not need to be paid back. Merit money is available for students at all academic levels except the most competitive schools. 

Do not assume if your child has a few C’s, that a school will not pay them something for them to attend. You just need to know where to look. Except for the top students, most merit money is a beginning and a help. It will not be a total package. There is need-based aid available at all schools based on government and institutional methodology. Your student might qualify for work study on campus. This is a great place to work since it is always flexible around tests and papers that are due. All students, regardless of parents' income, qualify for government based money, but the amount varies by year in college and offers a long pay back plan

Notice I did not talk about athletic money. The odds of your child getting a full
athletic ride are about 1 in 465 for football and then the odds are even higher
for other sports since the teams are smaller. It does not matter that they made
the Bucks County Courier Times All Star list. Multiply that very nice honor by how many papers, in how many towns, in how many states, you get the point. If you
have a star athlete and by the end of junior year and they have not already been
recruited, assume it will not happen. They might very well play in college. Many do, but the money part is very elusive. All athletes should select a school based on the principal of “If I break my leg, is this still the college I want to attend?”

For more information on saving plans for college for that newborn and even older, go to the PA Treasurer’s web page - http://www.patreasury.gov/. There is a
lot of information there to help you begin this exciting, albeit expensive,
process. A process that will have a great ending when you can retire from your business and devote a lot more time to volunteering for a committee at LBCCC.

Article by:
Francine Block, American College Admissions Consultants

E-mail:feblock@hotmail.com