How Many Scholarships Should You Apply For?

April 26, 2022
Kate Kaushal
Scholarships

College finances are all over the news and it’s not a secret that many people are saddled with the burden of student loans. Scholarships, although desirable, seem to have their own secret mystery about them... How do you find them? How do you win them? How many should your child apply for? There’s no perfect number of scholarship applications. The answer is a very unsatisfying “it depends”. As a college counselor for many years, I’ve seen students apply to over…

What To Do After You Submit A College Application

Hitting the submit button on your college applications typically leads to feelings of great accomplishment and relief. However, before you put your feet up and relax, you need to make sure you’ve taken care of a few key items to solidify the process. It's crucial to review each college’s website so that you know exactly what else needs to be submitted to complete your “application file”. Here's an overview of what to do after you submit a college application to…

Career Counseling For Young Adults Is Crucial

Career Historically, people have chosen their professions to satisfy their own needs for financial security, esteem, or prestige. Many others choose professions to “make their parents proud.” However, what's most often overlooked and undervalued in a career choice is a sense of personal fulfillment. This level of self-actualization can only occur when one knows themselves intimately. Unfortunately, the average person does not reach this level of self-awareness until after they have already made their career decisions and sought out the…

Do You Have To Live On Campus Freshman Year?

April 15, 2022
Kate Kaushal
Campus Life

The idea of attending college often coincides with the allure of freedom: freedom from living at home freedom from curfews freedom from a strict 8-3 high school schedule But, just how many colleges allow incoming students the freedom to live off-campus? Do most colleges require students to be in the dorms freshman year? Surprisingly, less than 50% of residential campuses require freshmen to live on campus. Of course, there are some tangible benefits of living on campus, but this figure…

3 Benefits Of Living On Campus

April 7, 2022
Kate Kaushal
Campus Life

I vividly remember my move-in day for college. Aaliyah’s “Are You That Somebody” was blasting loudly throughout the halls. You could feel the excitement as kids tromped up and down the stairs with trunks, pillows, and shower shoes. Although the pandemic put a pause on the greatly hailed tradition of dorm life, we’ve slowly moved back to regaining that custom. However, as some students consider college options, they may feel some sort of way about colleges that require freshmen to…

How To Deal With Burnout In College

April 6, 2022
Joanne Leone
Campus Life

In these days of overstimulation from social media, news broadcasts, working many hours, taking college courses, and trying to have an enjoyable home life, the term burnout is more prevalent than ever. But, what exactly is it, and how can we avoid it, or at least have tools to lessen its hold on our lives? There are three main types of burnout: college, work, and social. Who knew!! One gets tired and stressed just reading these terms. However, generally speaking,…

Can’t Afford College Even With Financial Aid? Read This!

Many families think the financial aid process ends once a student accepts a financial aid package and enrolls in college. However, it turns out that contacting a school’s financial aid office can help a student stay in school when that package turns out to not be enough. According to a recent report, money is the most common reason students drop out of college. In 2017, more than 38% of students cited financial pressure as the main reason for discontinuing their studies.…

When Is It Too Late To Change Your Major?

March 28, 2022
Kate Kaushal
Academics

Is your college student thinking about changing their major? If so, they aren’t alone! Between 70-80% of students change majors in the course of their college career. However, many students and their families wonder "When is it too late to change your major?". The answer to this depends on their unique situation, such as what year of school they're currently in, the specific major they chose, and more. If your college student is stuck between switching majors or staying put,…

How To Finish College Early

March 23, 2022
Joanne Leone
Resources

With so many things to juggle in life these days, students want to know how to finish college early. Is it possible? Yes, but it takes a bit of planning with the correct information to guide you. There are many choices and paths available - you just need to decide how to get all your ducks in a row for which ones are best for you and make a plan. How To Finish College Early - A Guide On Different…

Three Tips For Optimizing Your Appeal For More Merit Aid

March 22, 2022
Billie Jo Weis
Financial Aid

Your appeal for additional financial aid is not something that begins after you receive your award letter and suddenly realize you can’t afford to pay for your child’s dream school. Your appeal, rather, is one of many components of your overall game plan to pay for college. It can be one of the most important components for lowering college costs. Here are three important tips for optimizing your merit aid through the appeals process: Plan your appeal early. It should…