Career selection should be the first step when a student is planning their future. Once a career is chosen, then it’s time to select a major and choose a college that offers that major. Often parents and teens alike select the college first, then choose a major based on some type of interest, and finally sort of fall into a …

Colleges care about the potential students, both in school and out of school. When admissions officers review an application, they want to know that the student has other interests besides academic. Being involved shows the student can balance time commitments. Colleges want students to attend who will bring something of interest to the college campus. But don’t fall into the …

US News and World Report uses the Carnegie Foundation’s ranking for the Advancement of Teachings 2006. The magazine takes Carnegie’s nine categories and collapses them into 4. National Universities – 262 Liberal Arts Colleges – 266 Universities – Masters (only ranks undergraduate programs) – 572 Baccalaureate Colleges – 319 The Universities – Masters and the Baccalaureate colleges are then broken …

Visiting potential colleges is like test driving a car. The visit gets you behind the glossy brochure and gives a view of real campus life. Once you have done your research and narrowed your college choices, it’s time for the visit. Tip #1 – Call ahead and schedule a visit. By calling ahead you can be assured the opportunity to …

Most colleges ask for an essay in the admissions process. The college uses the essay to find out about you. They want to know your values, how you think, what’s important to you. Sometimes the school will give a choice of essays topics and sometimes it will be a specific topic. Steps to Writing a Winning Essay 1. Think about …

45 percent of public college students and 56 percent of private college students take out educational loans. Student loans, unlike grants and work-study, are borrowed money that must be repaid, with interest, just like car loans and home mortgages. There are four main types of loans that may assist you in paying for college: 1. Student Loans: – Stafford Loans: …

College scholarships could be an important factor in financing your college expenses. A scholarship is essentially “free money” for college that doesn’t have to be paid back. Scholarships can be awarded for academic or sporting excellence, given out to those who are members of clubs or groups, or may be based on financial need. Follow these tips when investigating potential …

Selecting the right school requires reflection and investigation. Choosing a school requires a logical thought process and shouldn’t be based on friends’ choices or parents’ choices. Below are some questions to ask when reviewing a school. It’s helpful to put these in a spreadsheet to compare when the schools are narrowed down. It’s easy to get caught up with the …

Most colleges ask for recommendation letters in the application process. Prospective students should select individuals who know them well. Provide the person you’ve asked with some details about what you’ve done in the past and your future plans. Activities Community Service Honors and Awards Leadership Roles GPA Employment Experience Special Skills Special Circumstances Also, provide the writer a personal statement. …

1. College is too expensive for my family. College is expensive, but the average college graduate earns $1 more over a high school graduate during a lifetime. College is an excellent investment in the future. Using proven financial strategies, college can be a reality. 2. There is less aid available than there used to be. There is aid available and …