HOW TO APPLY FOR SCHOLARSHIPS
by Mandee Heller Adler
Even if money grew on trees you'd have to work to get it with a ladder and a basket. The same goes for scholarships. They don't just come to you. You have to go out and get them. The good thing is there are a lot of them. Many more than there are money trees.
Our last International College Counselors newsletter let you know where to find scholarships. This is what to do once your child finds the ones he or she wants to apply for.
Applying for a scholarship is a lot like applying for college. There are a lot of choices that a student must go through in order to put together a list of worthwhile scholarships to spend time on.
International College Counselors Note: Make sure your student filters the scholarships during the search. Your child should only apply to the ones that match his or her skills, heritage, or other qualifications. Scholarships are very strict on this.
THE SEARCH
Start Early. The more time your student puts into looking for scholarships, the more choices they'll have. Your student will also need time to request necessary information and put the materials together. Scholarships requirements may include:
Transcripts
Financial aid forms like FAFSA
Essay(s)
Letters of recommendation
Standardized test scores
Proof of eligibility, such as U.S. Citizenship, birth certificate, or tribal
membership card
Stay Organized. Make separate folders for each scholarship and keep track of what is needed and when things are due.
Track the Scholarships on a Calendar. Make triple sure deadlines aren't missed.
THE APPLICATION
Follow the Instructions. Carefully. Count the words on the essay and provide the right materials. If your student has any questions about what the scholarship requirements are, or how to fill out a part of the application, have them call or email the scholarship sponsors. Many applications are eliminated because the directions were not followed to the letter.
Stay on topic in the essay(s). If the essay asks for the philosophic themes of an Ayn Rand novel, don't be clever by comparing her to Batman. Give them what they asked for. Don't give more. Don't give less.
Check and Recheck and Recheck the Application. Words must be spelled right and all the questions answered. Make sure it's signed and dated by the right people, for example, a teacher if that is what the application requests. And make sure all the words can be easily read.
Send the Application in On-Time. Make sure you do this!
***Scholarships DO Affect Financial Aid Packages***
Contact the financial aid office of any colleges your student is considering to find out the details. Each school has its own policy on which types of aid may be reduced or eliminated by the scholarship money. Different types of aid that may be affected by scholarship monies are loans, work-study and need-based grants.
If you need help, contact a private college counselor at International College Counselors to help you with college admissions and finances.
SOME SCHOLARSHIP SITES
International College Counselors Note: Legitimate scholarships and scholarship websites are free! If you are asked to pay money to apply for a scholarship, look elsewhere.
Scholarships.com
Fastweb
Scholarship Experts
Cappex
International College Counselors provides expert college counseling on undergraduate and graduate college admissions, financial aid, tuition, essays, and college applications. Mandee Heller Adler, lead college admissions consultant and Founder of International College Counselors tailors her wide range of college counseling and college coaching services to address the goals, needs, and dreams of each individual student, whether Florida college or Ivy League university. Our college advising company, based in Miami-Dade, Florida, works with domestic and international students. We also work with high schools in Miami, Boca, Broward and Palm Beach. Let us help you make the best decisions choosing, getting into, and paying for college.
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Monday, October 11, 2010
Grants, Scholarships & Loans for College Admissions
Parents. There are ways your student can go to college for free. Even to the best colleges in the country. Westinghouse scholars, Olympic champions, and tween founders of multi-million dollar companies all qualify.
But, there’s hope for the rest of us! It’s all about maximizing your financial aid and minimizing your costs.
Top ways the expert college counselors at International College Counselors recommend to make college more affordable include:
1. Government Loans
As International College Counselors wrote about in our last blog, the US government loans money to every student who needs it. To receive FAFSA aid, a student (or parent) needs to fill out and file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (http://www.fafsa.gov). This federal application for financial aid is also used to apply for aid from other sources, such as your state or school.
For our clients with the United States from San Francisco to Miami, our expert college counselors recommend that ALL students fill the FAFSA out regardless of their house-hold income, if they even have the remotest need.
2. Grants
Grants are better than loans because students don’t have to pay the money back. (Free money!) But they’re not available to everyone.
Pell Grants are federal grants awarded strictly on the student’s financial need. Other federal grant programs include the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (also based on financials), and grant programs for students with good grades in competitive high-school programs or specific fields of study, such as math, nursing or teaching. States and colleges also have their own pools of grant money. Like loans, grants are awarded based on the FAFSA results.
3. General and School Scholarships
For students who are seniors, juniors, sophomores and freshmen, whether in public school, private school, or home schooled (meaning everyone in high school) scholarships are available. International College Counselors concur these scholarships are highly desirable because recipients do not have to pay them back and a good number of scholarships are not based on financial need.
Thousands of scholarships are available. Sources of scholarships can be national organizations, employers, corporations, professional associations, local clubs, contests, and the schools themselves. The trick is finding the ones that best match the student. If you’re not a Native American there’s no point in going for the scholarship. You’d be better off knitting a clever outfit out of wool, measuring less than 4’ 10” in height, having the last name Zolp. All are scholarship worthy. Here are the details on those scholarships and other unusual scholarships.
There aren’t many of these scholarships with unusual eligibility requirements, but it doesn’t hurt to see what may be out there. Some scholarships are based on financial needs. Others are awarded to students with special abilities qualified as academic, artistic, or athletic achievement. Still more are reserved for people who have certain religious affiliation, ethnicity, memberships, hobbies, or special interests.
School-specific scholarships, where a student can usually receive the largest amount of scholarship aid, are typically given to top athletes, top test score recipients, and other outstanding students. In order to apply for these scholarships, you need to contact each school individually. A rule of thumb is that if you are in the top 25% of the admitted class, there could be some scholarship money waiting for you. So, a student who can get into MIT with no scholarship money may receive a full ride at Georgia Tech (still a great school!), and a student who can get into Penn could get a full ride at Drexel (a terrific option!).
HOW TO FIND SCHOLARSHIPS & APPLY FOR THEM
Students don’t have to look farther than their computer to find scholarships to apply to. Several free scholarship databases are available online, offering millions of different scholarships worth billions of dollars. For International College Counselors students, please be sure to look to Naviance for scholarship options. With thousands of scholarships to choose from, any student can find a scholarship to which to apply.
For non ICC students, and for ICC students who would like an additional resource, ICC recommends the scholarship database FastWeb.com. It’s large, most often accurate and frequently updated. Students should also look to their high school’s website for LOCAL scholarship opportunities. Clearly, a scholarship for students at your school, or your community will be easier to get than one that draws a national applicant pool.
Please remember during your search, if you are considering a legitimate scholarship site or scholarship you will not be asked for any money to apply or receive details.
Florida students should not forget to apply to the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program. The Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program provides scholarships based on high school academic achievement, and could cover up to 100% of a public college’s tuition.
Scholarships pay off in more ways than just Free Money. College advisors can say with certainty that they also look impressive on your college applications.
Getting out of college with little or no debt is hard, but not impossible, and with initiative, you and your student don’t have to rob a bank to do it.
Next week, I’ll write about How to Apply for Scholarships.
If you need help, contact a private college counselor at International College Counselors to help you with college admissions and finances.
International College Counselors provides expert college counseling on undergraduate and graduate college admissions, financial aid, tuition, essays, and college applications. Mandee Heller Adler, lead college admissions consultant and Founder of International College Counselors tailors her wide range of college counseling and college coaching services to address the goals, needs, and dreams of each individual student, whether Florida college or Ivy League university. Our college advising company, based in Miami-Dade, Florida, works with domestic and international students. We also work with high schools in Miami, Boca, Broward and Palm Beach. Let us help you make the best decisions choosing, getting into, and paying for college.
But, there’s hope for the rest of us! It’s all about maximizing your financial aid and minimizing your costs.
Top ways the expert college counselors at International College Counselors recommend to make college more affordable include:
1. Government Loans
As International College Counselors wrote about in our last blog, the US government loans money to every student who needs it. To receive FAFSA aid, a student (or parent) needs to fill out and file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (http://www.fafsa.gov). This federal application for financial aid is also used to apply for aid from other sources, such as your state or school.
For our clients with the United States from San Francisco to Miami, our expert college counselors recommend that ALL students fill the FAFSA out regardless of their house-hold income, if they even have the remotest need.
2. Grants
Grants are better than loans because students don’t have to pay the money back. (Free money!) But they’re not available to everyone.
Pell Grants are federal grants awarded strictly on the student’s financial need. Other federal grant programs include the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (also based on financials), and grant programs for students with good grades in competitive high-school programs or specific fields of study, such as math, nursing or teaching. States and colleges also have their own pools of grant money. Like loans, grants are awarded based on the FAFSA results.
3. General and School Scholarships
For students who are seniors, juniors, sophomores and freshmen, whether in public school, private school, or home schooled (meaning everyone in high school) scholarships are available. International College Counselors concur these scholarships are highly desirable because recipients do not have to pay them back and a good number of scholarships are not based on financial need.
Thousands of scholarships are available. Sources of scholarships can be national organizations, employers, corporations, professional associations, local clubs, contests, and the schools themselves. The trick is finding the ones that best match the student. If you’re not a Native American there’s no point in going for the scholarship. You’d be better off knitting a clever outfit out of wool, measuring less than 4’ 10” in height, having the last name Zolp. All are scholarship worthy. Here are the details on those scholarships and other unusual scholarships.
There aren’t many of these scholarships with unusual eligibility requirements, but it doesn’t hurt to see what may be out there. Some scholarships are based on financial needs. Others are awarded to students with special abilities qualified as academic, artistic, or athletic achievement. Still more are reserved for people who have certain religious affiliation, ethnicity, memberships, hobbies, or special interests.
School-specific scholarships, where a student can usually receive the largest amount of scholarship aid, are typically given to top athletes, top test score recipients, and other outstanding students. In order to apply for these scholarships, you need to contact each school individually. A rule of thumb is that if you are in the top 25% of the admitted class, there could be some scholarship money waiting for you. So, a student who can get into MIT with no scholarship money may receive a full ride at Georgia Tech (still a great school!), and a student who can get into Penn could get a full ride at Drexel (a terrific option!).
HOW TO FIND SCHOLARSHIPS & APPLY FOR THEM
Students don’t have to look farther than their computer to find scholarships to apply to. Several free scholarship databases are available online, offering millions of different scholarships worth billions of dollars. For International College Counselors students, please be sure to look to Naviance for scholarship options. With thousands of scholarships to choose from, any student can find a scholarship to which to apply.
For non ICC students, and for ICC students who would like an additional resource, ICC recommends the scholarship database FastWeb.com. It’s large, most often accurate and frequently updated. Students should also look to their high school’s website for LOCAL scholarship opportunities. Clearly, a scholarship for students at your school, or your community will be easier to get than one that draws a national applicant pool.
Please remember during your search, if you are considering a legitimate scholarship site or scholarship you will not be asked for any money to apply or receive details.
Florida students should not forget to apply to the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program. The Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program provides scholarships based on high school academic achievement, and could cover up to 100% of a public college’s tuition.
Scholarships pay off in more ways than just Free Money. College advisors can say with certainty that they also look impressive on your college applications.
Getting out of college with little or no debt is hard, but not impossible, and with initiative, you and your student don’t have to rob a bank to do it.
Next week, I’ll write about How to Apply for Scholarships.
If you need help, contact a private college counselor at International College Counselors to help you with college admissions and finances.
International College Counselors provides expert college counseling on undergraduate and graduate college admissions, financial aid, tuition, essays, and college applications. Mandee Heller Adler, lead college admissions consultant and Founder of International College Counselors tailors her wide range of college counseling and college coaching services to address the goals, needs, and dreams of each individual student, whether Florida college or Ivy League university. Our college advising company, based in Miami-Dade, Florida, works with domestic and international students. We also work with high schools in Miami, Boca, Broward and Palm Beach. Let us help you make the best decisions choosing, getting into, and paying for college.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
What you Need to Know About Financial Aid from International College Counselors
If you are looking to receive financial aid, now is the time to start getting your finances in order. The US government loans money to every student who needs it. Two of the most important and most common ways of getting access to government money are the FAFSA and the CSS/Profile.
To receive FAFSA aid, you need to fill out and file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (http://www.fafsa.gov). This federal application for financial aid is also used to apply for aid from other sources, such as your state or school.
The CSS/Financial Aid Profile, CSS/Profile, or College Scholarship Service Profile is also an application that allows students to apply for financial aid. It is distributed by the College Board and is much more detailed than the FAFSA.
Most schools require BOTH the FAFSA and the CSS/Profile in order to eligible to receive financial aid.
The FAFSA determines Federal funding and the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) is set by the government. The FAFSA does not take into account home equity, medical expenses or change in employment.
The CSS/Profile helps determine institutional money, in many cases. The EFC calculation may vary by institution, and can take into account home equity, deductions for medical expenses and provisions for special circumstances.
International College Counselors recommends that ALL students who feel they need aid fill the FAFSA out regardless of their household income.
With both of these forms, it is important to fill them out as early as possible.
The CSS/Profile has varying deadlines depending on the school and becomes available in the fall. If you are applying early admissions or early decision, the CSS/ Profile is often due by November 15. The CSS/Profile can be found at the College Board website: https://profileonline.collegeboard.com/prf/index.jsp.
The FAFSA always becomes available January 1 and should be submitted as soon as data is ready. The FAFSA application can be found at: http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/
If you have specific questions, much like with the CSS/ Profile, the folks at FAFSA are EXTREMELY helpful. Please do not hesitate to call the contact numbers.
FAFSA contact info. CSS/ Profile contact info.
A family should fill out BOTH of these forms each year if you desire aid for college. Be sure to check your specific school’s website for further forms or information. Only rarely are there additional forms, but we never know.
In our next email we will discuss grants, general and school scholarships, and other ways to maximize your finances and minimize your college costs.
For more information on financial aid, please contact International College Counselors to learn more. We would be happy to send you a personalized list of your particular financial aid “to – dos”.
Also, when beginning your FAFSA, please refer to the “Common Errors When Filing for Financial Aid” page in your binder. If you are missing it, please let us know.
International College Counselors provides expert college counseling on undergraduate and graduate college admissions, financial aid, tuition, essays, and college applications. Mandee Heller Adler, lead college admissions consultant and Founder of International College Counselors tailors her wide range of college counseling and college coaching services to address the goals, needs, and dreams of each individual student, whether Florida college or Ivy League university. Our college advising company, based in Miami-Dade, Florida, works with domestic and international students. We also work with high schools in Miami, Boca, Broward and Palm Beach. Let us help you make the best decisions choosing, getting into, and paying for college.
To receive FAFSA aid, you need to fill out and file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (http://www.fafsa.gov). This federal application for financial aid is also used to apply for aid from other sources, such as your state or school.
The CSS/Financial Aid Profile, CSS/Profile, or College Scholarship Service Profile is also an application that allows students to apply for financial aid. It is distributed by the College Board and is much more detailed than the FAFSA.
Most schools require BOTH the FAFSA and the CSS/Profile in order to eligible to receive financial aid.
The FAFSA determines Federal funding and the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) is set by the government. The FAFSA does not take into account home equity, medical expenses or change in employment.
The CSS/Profile helps determine institutional money, in many cases. The EFC calculation may vary by institution, and can take into account home equity, deductions for medical expenses and provisions for special circumstances.
International College Counselors recommends that ALL students who feel they need aid fill the FAFSA out regardless of their household income.
With both of these forms, it is important to fill them out as early as possible.
The CSS/Profile has varying deadlines depending on the school and becomes available in the fall. If you are applying early admissions or early decision, the CSS/ Profile is often due by November 15. The CSS/Profile can be found at the College Board website: https://profileonline.collegeboard.com/prf/index.jsp.
The FAFSA always becomes available January 1 and should be submitted as soon as data is ready. The FAFSA application can be found at: http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/
If you have specific questions, much like with the CSS/ Profile, the folks at FAFSA are EXTREMELY helpful. Please do not hesitate to call the contact numbers.
FAFSA contact info. CSS/ Profile contact info.
A family should fill out BOTH of these forms each year if you desire aid for college. Be sure to check your specific school’s website for further forms or information. Only rarely are there additional forms, but we never know.
In our next email we will discuss grants, general and school scholarships, and other ways to maximize your finances and minimize your college costs.
For more information on financial aid, please contact International College Counselors to learn more. We would be happy to send you a personalized list of your particular financial aid “to – dos”.
Also, when beginning your FAFSA, please refer to the “Common Errors When Filing for Financial Aid” page in your binder. If you are missing it, please let us know.
International College Counselors provides expert college counseling on undergraduate and graduate college admissions, financial aid, tuition, essays, and college applications. Mandee Heller Adler, lead college admissions consultant and Founder of International College Counselors tailors her wide range of college counseling and college coaching services to address the goals, needs, and dreams of each individual student, whether Florida college or Ivy League university. Our college advising company, based in Miami-Dade, Florida, works with domestic and international students. We also work with high schools in Miami, Boca, Broward and Palm Beach. Let us help you make the best decisions choosing, getting into, and paying for college.
Sunday, October 3, 2010
How to Help your High School Junior
Junior year is the homestretch. The critical decisions that are made this year could have a major impact on the next five years of your life – and long beyond. This is the year students start narrowing lists of colleges and career paths. This is the last full year of grades that college admissions officers will review.
Expert college counselors at International College Counselors strongly recommend that parents continue making this college admissions journey fun and positive. For many students, the college admissions process can feel so overwhelming, they become frozen, missing deadlines and forgetting important details. With the right strategy stress can be minimized – it isn’t realistic to believe it will be eliminated. Approach this as a bonding discovery process for all involved. Parents: Let your child know that you’re proud of your child and you’re there to give your support.
Here are some other International College Counselors tips for parents:
Time Management
• Review your student’s schedule with him or her at the beginning of the school year. The goal is to have your child enroll in challenging classes that will help them prepare for college. If your student is aiming for the more competitive schools he or she must take college-prep classes, including advanced-placement. Care must be taken not to overload on classes or extracurricular activities as junior year courses and grades are critical. A college bound student should be aiming slightly above his or her comfort level. A student needs to show the college admissions team that he or she pushes him or herself.
• Make sure your student meets with a college counselor to discuss college plans and review his or her transcript and experience.
• Help your student keep a calendar. Work with him or her to update it regularly with any important dates and deadlines.
Standardized Tests
• Make sure your student stakes the PSAT/NMSQT again, which is given in October. If your student does well on the exam, he or she can qualify for a National Merit Scholarship
• As quickly as possible say expert college counselors, plan the junior year testing schedule. A student can take either the SAT or up to three SAT Subject Tests on one test day, or the ACT. Your student should take the SAT and the ACT tests before the end of their junior year. We always recommend that the student try BOTH the SAT and the ACT. The colleges accept them equally, and students often have a natural inclination towards one test.
• Invest in SAT and/or ACT test review material. Juniors should begin preparing for these tests as soon as possible so that the process isn’t rushed. SAT/ACT test prep can include an online course or traditional class, and practice tests. Make sure your student spends time studying the material for the test. Neither of these tests can be crammed for in one night.
Extracurricular activities
• Encourage your child to remain involved with extracurricular activities. This year is very important. Colleges want to see that a student sticks with something. Encourage your child to assume a leadership role in an extracurricular activity. If your child’s forte is sports or music, consider getting involved in regional, state or national competitions. Colleges aren’t looking for quantity in activities, but quality. And advancement.
College selection/ Application preparation
• Encourage your student to get to know the junior year teachers – and leave a positive impression on them. This is preparation for the all important college recommendations.
• Start narrowing down colleges and universities. Information can be gathered in books and on websites. Try to talk to alumni or current students. In the spring, your student should meet with his or her college counselor to draft a college list. Before the start of your student’s senior year, the goal is to develop a list of 15-20 colleges of interest.
• Talk about career choice(s). These may have a big impact on the list of potential colleges to be considered. The idea here is not to have a student commit to a career path, but to try and narrow down the career possibilities.
• Go on college campus tours with your student. Make sure you take a look at the whole range: public, private, large and small. Consider taking a college road tour over Spring Break. Schedule interviews with admissions counselors at the colleges your student is most interested in.
• Attend any college fairs that come to your area, as well as presentations by traveling college admissions officers.
Money
• Keep talking about financing college if you haven’t already. Talking about money helps students understand how much college really costs, and how they can help defray the costs through applying to private scholarships and getting good grades. Talking about money will also start introducing them to the adult concepts like financial aid and loans. Generally, if you treat your child like an adult now, chances are they will behave more like an adult later.
• Hop on the internet and research scholarships. Then help your student apply to them. Meeting deadlines is a must. Make sure everything is proofread.
Summer
• Help your student find a summer opportunity. This could include an internship, job or college program. Whatever it is, start early. You want to beat the competition. Many other students are going to be looking for opportunities, too. Do some networking on your student’s behalf. If your student is interested in medicine, see who is in your network that you might be able to call. The same goes for if your student wants to be a graphic designer or a lawyer.
• Help your student search online for summer school programs for high school students at colleges, if this is the route they choose.
All year round
• Encourage your child to read. It’s the best way to prepare for the SAT and all standardized exams. If they don’t have a favorite author? Take them to the local library to explore popular options within their age group.
• Hire a personal college advisor to provide the individualized attention any student needs to properly tackle the graduate or undergraduate college admission
process. Whether your student is the first person in the family to go to college or comes from a long line of Ivy League graduates, the dedicated advisors at International College Counselors can give your student the tools to find and get into the college of his or her dreams.
Most importantly: Be there for your child. Be present in his or her life. Listen to his or her hopes, fears and goals. Working together can make these dreams more real and much more possible.
International College Counselors provides expert college counseling on undergraduate and graduate college admissions, financial aid, tuition, essays, and college applications. Mandee Heller Adler, lead college admissions consultant and Founder of International College Counselors tailors her wide range of college counseling and college coaching services to address the goals, needs, and dreams of each individual student, whether Florida college or Ivy League university. Our college advising company, based in Miami-Dade, Florida, works with domestic and international students. We also work with high schools in Miami, Boca, Broward and Palm Beach. Let us help you make the best decisions choosing, getting into, and paying for college.
Expert college counselors at International College Counselors strongly recommend that parents continue making this college admissions journey fun and positive. For many students, the college admissions process can feel so overwhelming, they become frozen, missing deadlines and forgetting important details. With the right strategy stress can be minimized – it isn’t realistic to believe it will be eliminated. Approach this as a bonding discovery process for all involved. Parents: Let your child know that you’re proud of your child and you’re there to give your support.
Here are some other International College Counselors tips for parents:
Time Management
• Review your student’s schedule with him or her at the beginning of the school year. The goal is to have your child enroll in challenging classes that will help them prepare for college. If your student is aiming for the more competitive schools he or she must take college-prep classes, including advanced-placement. Care must be taken not to overload on classes or extracurricular activities as junior year courses and grades are critical. A college bound student should be aiming slightly above his or her comfort level. A student needs to show the college admissions team that he or she pushes him or herself.
• Make sure your student meets with a college counselor to discuss college plans and review his or her transcript and experience.
• Help your student keep a calendar. Work with him or her to update it regularly with any important dates and deadlines.
Standardized Tests
• Make sure your student stakes the PSAT/NMSQT again, which is given in October. If your student does well on the exam, he or she can qualify for a National Merit Scholarship
• As quickly as possible say expert college counselors, plan the junior year testing schedule. A student can take either the SAT or up to three SAT Subject Tests on one test day, or the ACT. Your student should take the SAT and the ACT tests before the end of their junior year. We always recommend that the student try BOTH the SAT and the ACT. The colleges accept them equally, and students often have a natural inclination towards one test.
• Invest in SAT and/or ACT test review material. Juniors should begin preparing for these tests as soon as possible so that the process isn’t rushed. SAT/ACT test prep can include an online course or traditional class, and practice tests. Make sure your student spends time studying the material for the test. Neither of these tests can be crammed for in one night.
Extracurricular activities
• Encourage your child to remain involved with extracurricular activities. This year is very important. Colleges want to see that a student sticks with something. Encourage your child to assume a leadership role in an extracurricular activity. If your child’s forte is sports or music, consider getting involved in regional, state or national competitions. Colleges aren’t looking for quantity in activities, but quality. And advancement.
College selection/ Application preparation
• Encourage your student to get to know the junior year teachers – and leave a positive impression on them. This is preparation for the all important college recommendations.
• Start narrowing down colleges and universities. Information can be gathered in books and on websites. Try to talk to alumni or current students. In the spring, your student should meet with his or her college counselor to draft a college list. Before the start of your student’s senior year, the goal is to develop a list of 15-20 colleges of interest.
• Talk about career choice(s). These may have a big impact on the list of potential colleges to be considered. The idea here is not to have a student commit to a career path, but to try and narrow down the career possibilities.
• Go on college campus tours with your student. Make sure you take a look at the whole range: public, private, large and small. Consider taking a college road tour over Spring Break. Schedule interviews with admissions counselors at the colleges your student is most interested in.
• Attend any college fairs that come to your area, as well as presentations by traveling college admissions officers.
Money
• Keep talking about financing college if you haven’t already. Talking about money helps students understand how much college really costs, and how they can help defray the costs through applying to private scholarships and getting good grades. Talking about money will also start introducing them to the adult concepts like financial aid and loans. Generally, if you treat your child like an adult now, chances are they will behave more like an adult later.
• Hop on the internet and research scholarships. Then help your student apply to them. Meeting deadlines is a must. Make sure everything is proofread.
Summer
• Help your student find a summer opportunity. This could include an internship, job or college program. Whatever it is, start early. You want to beat the competition. Many other students are going to be looking for opportunities, too. Do some networking on your student’s behalf. If your student is interested in medicine, see who is in your network that you might be able to call. The same goes for if your student wants to be a graphic designer or a lawyer.
• Help your student search online for summer school programs for high school students at colleges, if this is the route they choose.
All year round
• Encourage your child to read. It’s the best way to prepare for the SAT and all standardized exams. If they don’t have a favorite author? Take them to the local library to explore popular options within their age group.
• Hire a personal college advisor to provide the individualized attention any student needs to properly tackle the graduate or undergraduate college admission
process. Whether your student is the first person in the family to go to college or comes from a long line of Ivy League graduates, the dedicated advisors at International College Counselors can give your student the tools to find and get into the college of his or her dreams.
Most importantly: Be there for your child. Be present in his or her life. Listen to his or her hopes, fears and goals. Working together can make these dreams more real and much more possible.
International College Counselors provides expert college counseling on undergraduate and graduate college admissions, financial aid, tuition, essays, and college applications. Mandee Heller Adler, lead college admissions consultant and Founder of International College Counselors tailors her wide range of college counseling and college coaching services to address the goals, needs, and dreams of each individual student, whether Florida college or Ivy League university. Our college advising company, based in Miami-Dade, Florida, works with domestic and international students. We also work with high schools in Miami, Boca, Broward and Palm Beach. Let us help you make the best decisions choosing, getting into, and paying for college.
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