Admit My Kid!

Dusting this thing off

2009-11-10T11:04:00.004-05:00

Well, hi there. I let this site fall to the wayside when my oldest son A was settled into college and I was able to take a break from the college admissions game. I'm happy to report that, if all goes according to plan, he'll be graduating in the spring. In fact I just set up the payment plan for his final semester!

Which would be exciting if not for the fact that his younger brother is right on his tail- my son N is a high school junior. Back in we go!

PS- I'm leaving the old posts up for now but will hopefully update them, after 2+ years I'm sure there's old/inaccurate info and broken links in there.

Must do: Campus Visits

2007-03-06T12:02:00.000-05:00

Lots of high school juniors (and some sophomores) take advantage of spring vacation to visit schools. I have some friends who drove all over the northeast to visit as many schools as they could in one week. Fortunately for us my son was only interested in in-state schools, but I foresee some serious travel when his brother starts looking.

Many schools have open houses or some other type of special programs for high school students this time of year. If the schools you're interested in don't, call the admissions office and set up an appointment- that's what they're there for!

Some people like to arrange interviews at this time, but I don't really see the point, unless your student is pretty sure he or she wants to attend that school. It's true, though, that it certainly couldn't hurt to make the admissions folks familiar with your kid's name!

While on campus, collect as much information in the form of old-fashioned paper as you can. I found that having a large file box with individual folders for each school we visited helped quite a bit. When we got home we'd dump all the paperwork we'd gathered into the appropriate file, then my son would go through it all at his leisure. And don't forget to grab a copy of the student newspaper. It can give you a great idea of the general pulse of the campus.

When you tour the campus you'll meet students who have lots of school spirit. You'll marvel at their ability to walk backwards while spouting trivia. You'll probably visit the new arts building but be told you can't see the classrooms because classes are in session. Don't be afraid to ditch the tour briefly and peek around a bit on your own, though. Are students taking advantage of the WiFi access in common areas, or the state of the art gym? Ask if you can visit the freshman dorms, which are always more old and run-down that the upperclass dorms typically shown on campus tours. Don't be discouraged by construction noises, but don't be misled when they say that construction will be done by next year. There's always something else ready to begin when one project ends.

Here are a few sources for information on how to plan campus visits to get the best results, and how to keep track so you remember which school is which! It's easier to confuse campuses than you might think.

Campus Visit Planner

College Visits from CollegeBoard.com

Questions to Ask During a College Visit

The Ins and Outs of a College Visit

Maximizing the College Tour

Guide to Visiting Colleges

CampusVisit.com (northeastern schools)

Check your newstand for magazines such as the Newsweek-Kaplan College Guide or US News and World Report's America's Best Colleges. They often have convenient checklists or pull-out sections that can be helpful when keeping track of all the information. And use that camera phone!

Getting familiar with the academic offerings and general information about colleges can be easily done over the internet, but as far as finding The School, nothing beats an in-person visit. More than one student has found that the school that looked perfect felt absolutely horrible once seen, and more than one has found that school that didn't seem all that interesting online was an absolutely perfect fit.

Questions to ask before borrowing money

2007-03-01T14:17:00.000-05:00

You filled out your FAFSA. Maybe you've received your financial aid packages from schools. But you still may need to find a private lender if Stafford loans & grants aren't enough.

Wells Fargo Bank has a blog with helpful advice, including a list of questions to ask before choosing a lender. Of course, I'm sure they'd prefer that you choose them, but the questions are helpful regardless of who you decide to borrow from.

On federal loans, does the lender pay any of the fees (like the origination fee or federal default fee)?

Does the lender reward responsible borrowing by offering principal or interest rate reductions for making on-time payments?

Will the lender sell your loan, or will the lender you borrow from continue to service your loan through repayment?

If you're considering a private loan, what are the interest rates and terms?

If you'll be taking out a private loan, does the lender offer combined billing for federal and private loans?

Does the lender offer other services you'll need while in college, such as checking and savings accounts?

More information at The Student Loan Down.

NPR Special Report: The College Admissions Game

2007-02-23T12:55:00.000-05:00

NPR is running an excellent series on college admissions this week. It addresses the frenzy and pressures, from both the side of the students and that of the schools. The series and links to the radio broadcasts can be found right here.

The series points out that high-achieving students are sometimes opting out of the Ivy League and well-known liberal arts colleges, finding others that fit better. And some schools are opting out of the rankings and traditional methods of finding better applicants.

It's great that things are shaking up a bit. I'm a huge fan of a well-rounded college education, even for the student that might be more technologically focused or rank-driven. Finding a school that fits not only academically but also emotionally or creatively is a big step in the right direction.

News Roundup- Financial Aid

2007-02-21T08:52:00.000-05:00

A Financial-Aid Bias? -Smart Money
Are the US Education Department and the College Board biased against self-employed parents when they determine financial aid eligibility?

Parents and College Tuition Struggles
An ABC News Special Report

6 Tips to Find Money for College

Proposal exempts 529 funds
A provision in President Bush's proposed budget could exempt 529 funds from financial aid formulas.

Removing the FAFSA fear for low-income families
Have H&R Block fill it out for you?

A Fresh Look at 529 College-Savings Plans -Smart Money

Facing Down Form 1040 -Business Week
Tips for students preparing their first tax return.

No Child Left Behind?

2007-02-20T14:23:00.000-05:00

The No Child Left Behind Act is up for renewal, and the Bush administration is proposing to extend the mandates to cover more middle and high school students. Head over to Parenting Teens to read Gayle's take on all this.

Do you know anyone who supports this act? I don't.

AP classes- what was the point again?

2007-02-20T12:49:00.000-05:00

Our children are told AP classes are important, but why?

Colleges want students who challenged themselves in high school, and AP classes certainly do that. The college credits they can earn help both the financial bottom line and in fulfilling some core requirements at college. But do they really prepare students for college level academics?

One study says maybe not: AP classes don't always prepare for college.

It seems that AP classes are taking over the nation's high schools. Newsweek, for example, annually ranks American high schools using this criteria:

Public schools are ranked according to a ratio... that is the number of Advanced Placement and/or International Baccalaureate tests taken by all students at a school... divided by the number of graduating seniors.

If AP classes aren't really preparing high achieving students for college level work, are the Newsweek rankings an accurate reflection of how good a high school is at college prep?

We were told repeatedly by admission folks at colleges that AP classes are only a part of the picture, and my son was accepted at each school where he applied, including his reach school, with only one AP class on his transcript. I have to wonder whether there's a disconnect between what high schools are emphasizing and what colleges are looking for.

Find out what's expected

2007-02-14T14:46:00.000-05:00

The website TuitionCoach has a nice little free calculator that gives you a general idea of what your EFC (Expected Family Contribution) will be, based on the formulas used by the FAFSA and CSS (another financial aid formula used by many private colleges.) I looked all over the place for a little tool like this last winter! I had no idea what our EFC would be until I finished the FAFSA.

The site itself is a business that will help minimize college costs for an annual fee of $59 (there is a free membership level available as well.) I haven't tried it out but it looks legit and might be a good option for a time and cash strapped family looking for help with the financial aid minefield!

Mom to the rescue? Not so much.

2007-02-12T09:36:00.000-05:00

I've noticed a lot of articles recently about "helicopter parents." You know them- maybe you are one. They're the parents who watch every move their kid makes, swooping in to the save the day or fix any and all problems, making use of their awesome swirling blades to blow everything back in the "right" direction.

It's a little annoying, but harmless, right?

Hmm.

At every school we visited over the last few years, the issue of helicopter parents was addressed. Schools realize that parents not only want to be involved and aware of what's happening on campus, but they also feel entitled to know, seeing as they're often paying the bills. But colleges are in the business of producing well-rounded responsible adults. How do they learn responsibility if mom and dad are always fixing things?

As parents, it's hard to go from being the most important person in your child's life to a mere sideline player. But for the kid's sake, we have to make the effort to step back. For us, it means we are there if things go haywire, but we won't leap into action at each misstep. Responsibility is gained from learning and experiencing the consequences of irresponsibility. And yes, they'll be irresponsible. You were, right?

If you recognize yourself as a helicopter parent, you can start pulling back little by little now. If your child does poorly in a class, tell him to speak to the teacher, don't call the teacher yourself. If she gets a speeding ticket, make sure she pays the fine herself. Believe me, he wants to be trusted to do the right thing on his own. She wants to be able to say yeah, I screwed up, but I fixed it, too.

Emergency! Make sure your child knows what to do when things go wrong.

2007-02-08T10:37:00.000-05:00

My oldest son has been away at school for less than six months, and we've already had to deal with a couple situations that we probably should have been better prepared for.

The first was a medical emergency. My son had to go to the ER, but he wasn't really sure how to go about it. In the end what he did was ask a friend to drive him, and she took him to the only hospital she knew about, which was further away than necessary. It didn't provide such great care once he got there, either.

The second was an incident in which he was the victim of a crime on campus. A night spent waiting in the campus security office and the local police department, tired and frustrated.

These things happen, much more often than we realize. It's best to make sure your child is prepared and knows what steps to take.

Take some time to review what to do in a medical emergency. Where is the health office, and what are the hours? What kind of emergency care is available? Is it better to just call 911? Have your kid call the school and get the facts. Also, by federal law parents aren't allowed to be informed about health issues. I don't agree with the law, but that's besides the point. Before your child heads off to school, have him or her sign a statement giving the school permission to notify you during a health emergency. Even in the case of minor children, this has to be in writing. Make sure a signed copy goes to the school health office. Check with the school for the exact legal requirements.

If your kid balks at all this, and you're paying the bills, remind him or her of this fact.

In the case of a crime, make sure your child knows how important it is to cooperate with campus security and the police. Avoid the temptation to protect friends or the tendency to not want to get involved. Tell him or her to call you or a trusted adult for help and advice as soon as possible, especially if he or she is being accused.

In the end, everything worked out fine for my son, but a lot of confusion and questions could have been avoided if we'd taken the time to review some simple procedures before he headed off in the fall.

Dialing down the stress level

2007-02-06T13:48:00.000-05:00

An article in the Washington Post points out the insanity of the college admission process. Kids are stressing out about grades, test scores, and AP classes, in the race to get into the top schools.

Overachieving Students Told to Lighten Up

There has always been stress in students' lives, but parents, counselors and experts say there is more today than ever. And teens say most often it is schoolwork and college applications that are putting them on edge.
In a 2005 poll, conducted by The Washington Post, the Kaiser Family Foundation and Harvard University, more than half the D.C. area adolescents surveyed -- 58 percent -- said school was their biggest cause of stress. About 35 percent of local teens said they experienced stress frequently, compared with 27 percent of teens nationwide.
"People make it seem like you can't be competitive if you don't take a thousand AP courses," said Elaine Singerman, a junior at Oakton High School in Vienna. "It's like our educational system is eating us alive."

What matters most is a good fit between student and school. I'm not saying kids shouldn't challenge themselves in high school, shouldn't always do their best. It's going beyond what's reasonable and sane, in the push to gain admittance to the "dream school," that goes too far. Most kids are not Ivy League material. And that's not only OK, that's great, because there are schools out there for every kid, schools that will guide students toward a successful and happy life. The goal shouldn't be to reach the "top", it should be to find a comfortable school that will make the next four years not only challenging but exciting, and yes, even fun.

So tell your kid (and yourself) to take a few deep breaths, and realize the best school is the one that fits the real student. The kids that succeed at the Harvards and MITs are the students who don't have to struggle and give up fun to get in. For the rest, the right school is out there.

What the FAFSA?

2007-02-06T11:05:00.000-05:00

Ah, FAFSA. I bet before your child entered high school you never heard the term, but once you get deep into the sludge of college entrance you learn what it means and learn to dread it.

For the uninitiated, FAFSA is the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. It's second only to your tax return in importance among paperwork for students heading to college and their parents, and it's nearly as complex. The information you enter into your FAFSA is what determines your kid's eligibility for financial aid, and even if you aren't eligible for aid, you still need to complete the form to take advantage of the Direct Student Loan program. There are some scholarships out there that won't give you a penny till they see the results of your FAFSA. States use it to distribute aid, as do individual colleges.

So, no excuses, fill it out. But you really don't need to dread it.

A few helpful points:
Some schools and states have early financial aid deadlines, so be sure to find out what they are and get the FAFSA submitted in time. In a perfect world you'll complete your Federal tax return first, because you need information from it, but we know the world ain't perfect. So you can estimate the numbers on your FAFSA, and when you get your taxes done you can update the FAFSA with the correct information.

This is important because you should get the FAFSA submitted as soon as you can, preferably by mid February (again, it may be even earlier depending on the school.) Often financial aid is doled out on a first come, first served basis, so you need to get in there.

You'll need all your financial information, and all your child's financial information. Read the requirements carefully, there are some things that you don't have to declare (like some retirement savings) and some you do that you may have forgotten about (like old savings bonds you child received when he was born.)

If you need help, spend some time online looking for answers. There are businesses that will help you complete the form for a fee, but unless your situation is unusual, it's probably unnecessary. If you do need help your accountant is probably the first place to ask. At least that's what I'd do.

It's possible to complete the FAFSA offline, but it's much easier, and faster, to do it online.

The results of your hard work will appear in the form of the SAR, or Student Aid Report. This is what goes to the schools you've identified, and it's based on this that most financial aid is doled out.

Remember, the vast majority of college students are eligible for financial aid, but there's only one way to get it. So set aside a few hours (or maybe a couple days) because more likely than not, it will be well worth it.

It's almost over!

2007-02-05T20:24:00.000-05:00

It's early February. Most of the applications are complete and sent in. Some of the responses have started trickling back, too.

For college seniors and their parents late winter can be a tense time. The insanity of researching colleges, testing, and application deadlines has given way to the waiting by the mailbox- or email box. Will it be the hoped for fat envelope (or email with attachment?) Or will there be the mental and emotional adjustment needed because the perfectly good but not quite dream school was the one that said yes?

Best of luck to all those still waiting. And remember-
It'll be ok.

Legal Disclaimer

2007-02-05T17:02:00.000-05:00

The contents of AdmitMyKid are provided for informational purposes only, and should not be construed as advice. While all information shared on this website is believed to be accurate and reliable, the owners/operators of this website specifically disclaim all warranties, express, implied or statutory, regarding the accuracy, timeliness, and/or completeness of the information contained herein. This website is intended to provide general information only. Please discuss your specific needs with a qualified professional.