College Times

Regardless of how good your student is, applying to top U.S. colleges will take more effort than buying a new home.

Parents with high expectations and a minimal understanding of how the system works find the process to be daunting to say the least. Make no mistake that your student’s high school offers college counseling but for the families who want personal and professional guidance, many are seeking additional help.

To a large degree most parents are like mine who expect nothing less than the best, especially because being from a foreign country they didn’t have all the opportunities I had. Usually the top name colleges society puts on a pedestal are the ones parents want their children to attend. And I speak with a lot of families who stay up late at night worrying about how to get their child in to UCLA, Williams, John Hopkins, Harvard or MIT.

Growing up in a middle eastern family and having many friends and family from other countries, education is the number one priority for these families. These parents are looking for their children to find a way to have their child get accepted to the most highly selective colleges they can. The caveat to this is it will not be easy to accomplish, especially if this is your first time. Parents and students are recommended to select appropriate schools, determine professional goals and make peace with the differences between American cultures and the culture of their home country.

Setting the Foundation

“Our son’s school counselor has a few hundred students to work with and we knew she may not be able to give particular attention to each individual student. Jason is a senior this year at Newbury Park high school and with his good grades we wanted to give him the best opportunity to get a good education so we hired a professional who has experience working with several families before”, says Lamia Wahba of Thousand Oaks, California. “The company helped us understand what is required to get into a good university and choose the career that matched Jason’s values and abilities”.

$2,500 to $4,000 is the typical fee for an independent counseling group which sometimes depends on how much work is to be done and the timeframe. As a rule of thumb, there are more strategic advantages to beginning in the 9th or 10th grades because these advisors have a grasp on what the colleges are looking for each year and can guide the student properly. Try choosing an advisor who has extensive knowledge on each program at the university and how to enhance the chances of getting accepted. It definitely would not hurt if that individual has a background in financial aid strategies that can decrease the amount of money your family has to pay for that education.

Advisors are familiar with the nuances of the ever-changing admission plans, such as whether it’s better to apply “early action” or in the general pool of applicants. Often times they can peel back the curtain to the decision-making processes and expose the importance of various factors such as GPA, SAT, and extracurricular activities.

Consultants urge students to distinguish themselves from the large pool of college hopefuls, most of whom have excellent grades and test scores, play musical instruments and passed all math classes the high school offers in 11th grade.

Some parents fear that participation in sports or community projects will distract students from their studies even though they may make a large impact. Whatever the case may be students must find ways to stand out. The Asian and Indian communities have a lot of competition among themselves respectively to see who can get in to the best colleges. In many cases it is thought of as not being good enough if you need an outside organization to council the family. It is important to help the student find their passion and make informative life decisions.

Do you know how to think outside the box? Let’s take for example a student who excels in a musical instrument and began composing music. What if they were to have some of his or her musical pieces published. Or how about having the student publish a book. It seems very difficult to do but in actuality there is a format that is quite simple. But not manycollege applicants are thinking about doing that sort of thing.

Doing The Right Research

If we can let a student know that based on their current scores they have a 67% chance of getting accepted to a particular college then we know how to select the rest of the list and still be competitive. Databases, such as those used by Premier College Guidance has the most comprehensive college planning tools to make choosing colleges much more precise.

How much will it cost me? That is a million dollar question many parents hate to ask because they would rather see their child get in to a good school and figure out how to pay for it later. That approach is too dangerous financially and is the old way of approaching the college process. With proprietary software that keys in on your students grades, your financial situation and the availability of free money at each college, a family can be prepared far ahead of time and know what they are expected to pay. Resources such as academic scholarships, need based grants and work study programs puts the cost of colleges into perspective for students and parents and can work on applying to the colleges that will work within their budget.

Career search programs offered by Premier College Guidance allows the student to find their footing in what direction they can take their talents in college. It is an Assessment/Aptitude Evaluation which helps students determine what skills they have and how it relates to certain industries. It then looks at starting salaries in that particular field and what the growth potential is. If the college needs more students in a particular field of study, Premier College Guidance can determine what major to select that would increase our chances of getting in. Lastly, if the student can avoid making the switch from one major to the next several times that ends up saving the family a tremendous amount of money.

Let’s Be Honest

Colleges want to build diversity but because of the various demographics that are applying to Ivy League colleges today in many ways you are not different from other students. “There is often a disconnect between the desire for prestige and the ability of students to achieve that prestige”, says Steven Roy Goodman, president of Top Colleges in Washington, D.C.

Goodman says, “There’s been exponential growth in terms of the wealth and prestige of a family in just one generation, and a tremendous expectation that an Ivy League college or a medical degree will follow”.

Students and parents show an overwhelming interest in applying for combined BS/MD programs where undergraduate admission guarantees admission to an institution’s medical school. Of course this is contingent upon the student maintaining a specified GPA. Limited to a small number of highly motivated and talented students some universities have and undergraduate and medical program that can be completed in just 7 years.

At top schools these programs are highly selective and students need to be mature beyond their years. Those who can not strive in that type of environment will not succeed and will be replaced.

Here’s the thing, just because a university has a good reputation does not mean that it is the right one for you. Many parents think their children’s lives will be ruined if they don’t get into one of the top 10 colleges and that is not the case.

Who Is Making The Decision?

Contrary to the typical American teen, South Asian-American students do not get into conflicts with their parents over colleges and career goals. These students have a high level of discipline, respect and trust that when the parent encourages them to pursue a specific program and/or college.

In terms of professional goals, parents often have more to say than students. My experience has led me to understand other cultures and I have come to respect them because they all have validity in what they believe. The student who doesn’t necessarily want to apply to the University of Chicago but does it anyway to appease his dad is not wrong for doing so. But when the dust settles and the fog clears it is really about the student. Keep that in the back of your mind If success and happiness is what you want your child to have.

Hayley Ekhart, now a freshman at Indiana University, has parents who work in what most would consider successful industries. Her father is a computer analyst and her mother is in biomedical engineering. Hayley was first encouraged by her friends to study something they all had in common; journalism. Her choice was not easy to come by but she finally distinguished herself as a student of medicine. Her ultimate goal is to become anAudiologist.

Where does the college planning process begin? Well it is certainly not at the end of the 11th grade. You need to be on the colleges radar long before this. Receiving special invitations to see the campus is a good indication that the school really wants you. Another student of mine who graduated from Foothill Technology high school last year was flown out to the east coast and picked up by a driver to spend a day on campus at Williams College in Massachusetts. Now that he attends the best college in the nation, (US News Report) his parents rave about how happy he is and couldn’t see him going anywhere else. Of course he began planning in his sophomore year.

The opportunity is yours for the taking. Make the decision to be an informed consumer that places your children in the best school for them. Build a support team of advisors and allow your student to build a dream list of careers and universities. Continue to strive for the top and even with detours and challenges along the way you will wind up at a respectable school with endless opportunities. Put college planning at the top of your priority list and know that you gave everything you could to separate your child from being just another student in the crowd.

Upcoming college presentations put on by Premier College Guidance will discuss what admissions officers look for at the most selective universities. Register for you spot to attend by visiting www.PremierCollegeGuide.com

For students who are starting at a community college with the intent to transfer into a Cal State University there will be some detours coming up you should be preparing for. Budget cuts have already taken a huge wind out of the sail resulting in an extra semester or year to get the required classes, mainly due to a lack of class availability. Now a freeze on CSU enrollment could mean a transfer student will now need to wait an extra term until they get the debacle sorted out with the pending tax initiative on the November ballot.
$750 million in funding cuts already made in the 2011-2012 fiscal year and a proposed $200 million in additional cuts next year if the tax proposal fails is what the CSU’s are facing. What does this do to sway your support for a tax increase? If you are like most parents you will feel the pressure to back the increase Gov. Jerry Brown is pushing for.
Here’s the deal, the majority of Cal State’s campuses will not accept new students under the plan with the exception of a handful that will take just a few hundred transfer students. Sonoma, San Bernardino, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Fullerton, East Bay, Chico and Channel Islands will prove to be the ones most likely to take those few hundred students.
Contingent on the tax measure, none of the campuses will take early admissions decisions but those who represent out-of-state students will probably not be affected because their higher tuition covers the cost of instruction; according to officials.
Robert Turnage, Cal State assistant vice chancellor for budget says, “We need to keep some balance between the number of students we’re enrolling and serving and the resources we have. If we let everyone in who is eligible, the quality of services that students get and the quality of programs for everyone plunges.”
The alternative would be to increase tuition after it has already done so for the past 6 consecutive years, including a 9% hike this fall that will raise the annual rate for undergraduates to a total cost of attendance of $25,000. This is so unfortunate simply because it posses the issue of having more of our California students not having the same education opportunities as those from other states.
The University of California is not taking the same preemptive moves as Cal State’s are as they do not have any specific plan for the 10 campuses next year, said Dianne Klein who is a spokeswoman. If no other revenue sources emerge and the tax measure fails, we may see a similar trend begin to happen at the UC system which could increase the amount of out of state students entering the California system.
Can you imagine if the next mortgage bubble is the student debt crisis that forces people to pay these loans without having a job? Sure you can do a forbearance but that will not solve anything. More and more families are chasing the dream of going off to college without educating themselves on the financial impact or even other college options. Following the cattle is what I like to call it because we all know that getting an education is the smartest thing to do. Parents should take a deep breath, collect their thoughts and don’t wait until the student is going into the summer of their senior year in high school to begin figuring this out. Face it, college is not the same as it was when parents went 20 years ago. What used to work doesn’t anymore and getting ahead will take more than just talking to friends about where their child plans on attending college. Time to get a plan and focus on how to save yourself from racking up the debt college comes with.
Www.PremierCollegeGuide.com has a lot of free information on how to shrink the overwhelming cost of college and get into the best college for your

Here is a question I ask at most of my public speaking engagements, “Would you consider taking money from your home to pay for college a financial aid award?” Notice that I asked “award”. Some would say that by borrowing from your home to pay for college is insane. Others would look at me and say that they would not consider that a financial aid award at all. The reason I ask this question so often is to enlighten my audience on what is happening when a college or university gives statistics on how much financial aid they meet on average.
Every family will receive a Financial Award Letter from the school they are accepted to. The difference is, some will be offered grants and scholarships while others receive loans. Why? The definition of financial aid is any type of assistance that will help the individual peruse their educational goals; which in this case would be, loans. To answer the question, yes, colleges consider loans a financial aid award.
This leads to three topics. First being, you should consider the amount you need to pay back in loans and the interest that you will accrue once it all becomes due. Second, are there better school options than that particular college you are receiving that loan from that can provide the same education but for less? And lastly, is it smarter to seek alternative funding rather than getting into Federal Direct Loans or Stafford Loans?
Let’s address the first topic in that, yes you NEED to consider how much the total repayment is going to be once before you promise to pay back that loan. All subsidized loans made to undergraduate students will have a fixed interest rate of 6.8%. (Studentaid.ed.gov) Direct Subsidized loans will not be eligible for an interest subsidy during the sim-month grace period. Which means that when your student graduates with his degree and is searching for a job, there is interest being added (capitalized) to the principal amount of the loan. Why do you think the student loan scenario is becoming a crisis? It’s because so many people take out these loans not knowing the full ramifications they come with. It’s so simple to apply and accept that you probably won’t give it much thought. They do not take anything for collateral nor do they do a credit check (because the student doesn’t have any)! Understand that you are obligated to pay these back and there is no way to get around it; not even filing for bankruptcy can stop you from paying this money back. In some cases there are loan forgiveness programs for students who pursue a career in underserved communities such Teach For America but from my experience, these are very difficult to come by and it is up to the Government to decide.
Second topic was better school options. 97% of all the parents and students I talk to want their student to attend UCLA/ Yale/ Stanford/ or Cal Berkeley. These are people who are chasing the name and believe there is little opportunity as a professional if your degree doesn’t come from that particular school. Hey, if you get accepted and have no problem paying the bill then it is one of the greatest accomplishments you can ever undertake; that and curing cancer but I will go with curing cancer if I had to choose one. The reality is, if your Expected Family Contribution is over a certain amount that is determined by the Department of Education, the chances of you getting free money are almost 0%. Therefore, there very well may be better options if price is a concern.
The last topic was finding alternative methods of funding. For parents, you will have the option to utilize the Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students or PLUS loan. This is currently at 7.9% and typically has a 10 year period to be paid back. You can also borrow from your retirement which is advised against if you are considered for NEED based financial aid. For those fortunate enough to have purchased their home at the right time and didn’t borrow the the hilt you may have home equity as an alternative. Whatever your situation, you do need to know the pros and cons behind what each option has. Consider cash flow, deductions on interest, and whether your student will attend a college that considers home equity as a resource to pay for school to begin with. There is nothing worse than an uninformed consumer who is going about making one of the biggest financial decisions of their lives and assumes they are making the right choice.
Here’s a word of advice from someone who has seen the struggles from numerous families trying to put together the financial pieces after the tornado of college expenses ran though their home. Don’t assume the information you get from other parents, school counselors, financial advisors, tax preparers, attorneys, or even people who claim to be “college experts” has all the knowledge. Rules change all the time and your best bet is to double and triple check the sources. Just this year they changed the rules behind who qualifies for a Zero Expected Family Contribution. It used to be $32,000 annually. Now, the income must not exceed $23,000 annually. The moral of what I am saying is, nobody cares like you do yourself.
A lot of what goes into this process is doing your due diligence and not waiting until the senior year to start piecing things together. Yes I know that years ago you can skip right in to almost any college we wanted and the thought of paying for it wasn’t that big of a deal. I spoke with a financial planner a few weeks ago who asked what I do so I was delighted to tell him. Our conversation led to many interesting topics as to what is happening from a global perspective on the economy and how education is the center of it all. Now this is a very intelligent individual and being fairly new to the business world he shared his thoughts of planning the whole college process on his own not too long ago. He said something that I thought was quite amusing but actually seems relevant. His comment was that it seems you need a degree just to get through the maze of picking the right school, applying for admissions and financial assistance, doing the forms and understanding what financial implications each offer has on the longterm.
Pick up the book, Paying for College Without Going Broke to get a very basic view of what to expect. This is equivalent to taking the freshman classes in college and allows you to transition to your sophomore year. If you find yourself sitting in a seminar put on by your high school that has to do with FAFSA and you are a senior, chances are you will be far behind and trying to catch up financially for the next several years.

Regardless of how good your student is, applying to top U.S. colleges will take more effort than buying a new home. Parents with high expectations and a minimal understanding of how the system works find the process to be daunting to say the least. Make no mistake that your student’s high school offers college counseling but for the families who want personal and professional guidance, many are seeking additional help.
To a large degree most parents are like mine who expect nothing less than the best, especially because being from a foreign country they didn’t have all the opportunities I had. Usually the top name colleges society puts on a pedestal are the ones parents want their children to attend. And I speak with a lot of families who stay up late at night worrying about how to get their child in to UCLA, Williams, John Hopkins, Harvard or MIT.
Growing up in a middle eastern family and having many friends and family from other countries, education is the number one priority for these families. These parents are looking for their children to find a way to have their child get accepted to the most highly selective colleges they can. The caveat to this is it will not be easy to accomplish, especially if this is your first time. Parents and students are recommended to select appropriate schools, determine professional goals and make peace with the differences between American cultures and the culture of their home country.
Setting the Foundation
“Our son’s school counselor has a few hundred students to work with and we knew she may not be able to give particular attention to each individual student. Jason is a senior this year at Newbury Park high school and with his good grades we wanted to give him the best opportunity to get a good education so we hired a professional who has experience working with several families before”, says Lamia Wahba of Thousand Oaks, California. “The company helped us understand what is required to get into a good university and choose the career that matched Jason’s values and abilities”.
$2,500 to $4,000 is the typical fee for an independent counseling group which sometimes depends on how much work is to be done and the timeframe. As a rule of thumb, there are more strategic advantages to beginning in the 9th or 10th grades because these advisors have a grasp on what the colleges are looking for each year and can guide the student properly. Try choosing an advisor who has extensive knowledge on each program at the university and how to enhance the chances of getting accepted. It definitely would not hurt if that individual has a background in financial aid strategies that can decrease the amount of money your family has to pay for that education.
Advisors are familiar with the nuances of the ever-changing admission plans, such as whether it’s better to apply “early action” or in the general pool of applicants. Often times they can peel back the curtain to the decision-making processes and expose the importance of various factors such as GPA, SAT, and extracurricular activities.
Consultants urge students to distinguish themselves from the large pool of college hopefuls, most of whom have excellent grades and test scores, play musical instruments and passed all math classes the high school offers in 11th grade. Some parents fear that participation in sports or community projects will distract students from their studies even though they may make a large impact.
Whatever the case may be students must find ways to stand out. The Asian and Indian communities have a lot of competition among themselves respectively to see who can get in to the best colleges. In many cases it is thought of as not being good enough if you need an outside organization to council the family. Suppose they were on the right track but led the child to believe that their career path was not really what they wanted to do. It is important to help the student find their passion and make informative life decisions.
Do you know how to think outside the box? Let’s take for example a student who excels in a musical instrument and began composing music. What if they were to have some of his or her musical pieces published. Or how about having the student publish a book. It seems very difficult to do but in actuality there is a format that is quite simple. But not many college applicants are thinking about doing that sort of thing.
Doing The Right Research
If we can let a student know that based on their current scores they have a 67% chance of getting accepted to a particular college then we know how to select the rest of the list and still be competitive. Databases, such as those used by Premier College Guidance has the most comprehensive college planning tools to make choosing colleges much more precise.
How much will it cost me? That is a million dollar question many parents hate to ask because they would rather see their child get in to a good school and figure out how to pay for it later. That approach is too dangerous financially and is the old way of approaching this process. With proprietary software that keys in on your students grades, your financial situation and the availability of free money at each college, a family can be prepared far ahead of time and know what they are expected to pay. Resources such as academic scholarships, need based grants and work study programs puts the cost of colleges into perspective for students and parents and can work on applying to the colleges that will work within their budget.
Career search programs allow the student to find their footing in what direction they can take their talents in college. It is an Assessment/Aptitude Evaluation which helps students determine what skills they have and how it relates to certain industries. It then looks at starting salaries in that particular field and what the growth potential is. If the college needs more students in a particular field of study, we can determine what major to select that would increase our chances of getting in. Lastly, if the student can avoid making the switch from one major to the next several times that ends up saving the family a tremendous amount of money.
Let’s Be Honest
Colleges want to build diversity but because of the various demographics that are applying to Ivy League colleges today in many ways you are not different from other students. “There is often a disconnect between the desire for prestige and the ability of students to achieve that prestige”, says Steven Roy Goodman, president of Top Colleges in Washington, D.C.
Goodman says, “There’s been exponential growth in terms of the wealth and prestige of a family in just one generation, and a tremendous expectation that an Ivy League college or a medical degree will follow”.
Students and parents show an overwhelming interest in applying for combined BS/MD programs where undergraduate admission guarantees admission to an institution’s medical school. Of course this is contingent upon the student maintaining a specified GPA. Limited to a small number of highly motivated and talented students some universities have and undergraduate and medical program that can be completed in just 7 years.
At top schools these programs are highly selective and need to be mature beyond their years. Those who can not strive in that type of environment will not succeed and will be replaced.
Here’s the thing, just because a university has a good reputation does not mean that it is the right one for you. Many parents think their children’s lives will be ruined if they don’t get into one of the top 10 colleges and that is not the case.

Who Is Making The Decision?
Contrary to the typical American teen, South Asian-American students do not get into conflicts with their parents over colleges and career goals. These students have a high level of discipline, respect and trust that when the parent encourages them to pursue a specific program and/or college.
In terms of professional goals, parents often have more to say than students. My experience has led me to understand other cultures and I have come to respect them because they all have validity in what they believe. The student who doesn’t necessarily want to apply to the University of Chicago but does it anyway to appease his dad is not wrong for doing so. But when the dust settles and the fog clears it is really about the student. If success and happiness is what you want your child to have then keep that in the back of your mind.
Hayley Ekhart, now a feshman at Indiana University, has parents who work in what most would consider successful industries. Her father is a computer analyst and her mother is in biomedical engineering.
Hayley was first encouraged by her friends to study something they all had in common; journalism. Her choice was not easy to come by but she finally distinguished herself as a student of medicine. Her ultimate goal is to become an Audiologist.
Where does the college planning process begin? Well it is certainly not at the end of the 11th grade. You need to be on the colleges radar long before this. Receiving special invitations to see the campus is a good indication that the school really wants you. Another student of mine who graduated from Foothill Technology high school last year was flown out to the east coast and picked up by a driver to spend a day on campus at Williams College in Massachusetts. Now that he attends the best college in the nation, (US News Report) his parents rave about how happy he is and couldn’t see him going anywhere else.
The opportunity is yours for the taking. Make the decision to be an informed consumer that places your children in the best school for them. Build a support team of advisors and allow your student to build a dream list of careers and universities. Continue to strive for the top and even with a detours and challenges along the way you will wind up at a respectable school with endless opportunities. Put college planning at the top of your priority list and know that you gave everything you could to separate your child from being just another student in the crowd.

For parents who are sending their child off to college within the next few years the thought of planning really doesn’t cross their mind until the beginning of the 12th grade year in high school. Possibly taking a study course for the SAT would help but maybe it’s still too early to start thinking about that; right? And the fact that your student is going to just apply where his friends are going makes the selection process a piece of cake. If you are a parent and any of this sounds familiar then the cost of higher education will frighten you.

Let’s take for example the reasons why parents put off planning until the “time is right”.
Reason number 1. I did it on my own and paid my way.
Reason number 2. I only applied to 4 colleges and was accepted to all of them.
Reason number 3. My guidance counselor showed me how to get in when I was in high school.
Reason number 4. If my child goes to college he will receive a full scholarship or he will pay for it on his own.
Reason number 5. Community college is practically free and he can figure out what he wants to do in two years.
Reason number 6. I want my child to stay close to home so that really only leaves us with a few options for colleges.
Reason number 7. We don’t even have SAT or ACT scores yet so how can I even think about college.
Reason number 8. My child’s high school only has college events for seniors so I must be too early.
Reason number 9. If I will not qualify for financial aid anyway, why bother planning.
Reason number 10. There is too much to know and research. My schedule doesn’t allow for me to put much effort towards this.
Whatever the reason is under your roof I will be blunt with you. Colleges and universities are the only ones who benefit from your lack of understanding this process. And if you still think college is the same way it was when you were in college then plan on retiring 8 to 10 years later than you had planned on.

With many students planning as early as the 9th grade some would argue that beginning the process this early is pointless but the truth is that it’s quite necessary. Merely asking them what colleges they would like to attend doesn’t make a dent in preparing but you would be much better off by involving your student in discussions that would influence their decision.
1. Competition and Demand: What used to be considered a great GPA is just about average today. Because of the enormous number of high performing students and the demand to get accepted to a good college, many families are treating this the same way they would treat retirement and begin building themselves a safety net. This is why getting in to the college of your choice demands preparation and a competitive spirit. Don’t take for granted what your child does with their time when school is out. This can make or break you.
2. Broaden Your Horizon: Let’s think about it for a second. If there are close to 3,800 colleges and universities in the United States and your vocabulary on colleges extend to only 20 names, how much good are you really doing for your pocketbook or your child. Typically we assume that the best fit college is one that is in state and close to home. Often times this notion could not be further from the truth. With programs that are offered and graduation rates that are shorter than many here in California, a great alternative may be a neighboring state.
3. What Makes A “Good Fit”: Over the past decade colleges have increased their marketing and recruitment efforts in an attempt to weed out the dreamers and attract the high achievers. Your goal as a college consumer is to read through the persuasive marketing campaigns and see what the college really has to offer your child. Look past the enticing opportunities they may offer and research their personalities and atmosphere. This investigation requires extensive planning beyond the regular high school counseling hours. With a more global world, opportunities to study abroad and the ability to make an impact on the local community, each minute that passes could be a missed opportunity that the college will look back and take notice of.

The most important lesson that I hope you take away from this is the fact that college admissions review students academic and extracurricular activities fo the entire 4 years. For the majority of parents and students who will fall victim to the Reasons I mentioned above you may never grasp what colleges expect of you. Therefore you risk the surprise of not meeting specific requirements or not having enough time to build on what the colleges are interested in. Challenge your child to find their passion early in life and allow them to showcase that in a variety of different ways. Think different by encouraging them to start their own club on campus or in the community. Introduce what a college education means in terms of opportunity, and prepare them to be advocates for themselves as they decide which high school courses to take and which activities to be involved in. This is the process to help them discover their passion in life which will allow us all to welcome in a new generation of entrepreneurs, surgeons, educators, architects, entertainers, biomedical engineers and maybe even an industry we haven’t dreamed of yet.

Most of us dream about having a college experience with buildings that date back to the late 19^th, early 20^th centuries and a level of school spirit that rivals the spirit of ancient Greeks. Some plan on propelling their career by building a network of fellow students that will be with them for the rest of their lives. Others just want the college experience and a good name to put on their diploma. Whatever the case may be, the greatest years of a student’s life will come at a tremendous cost financially.

Let’s begin this journey by talking about what matters most when looking for a college and what it should offer. Rather than getting into the reputation of any particular school or the pedestal our society sometimes puts a college on, I want you to understand what qualities make the 4 year college experience a good investment. First will certainly be graduation rates with low levels of debt tied to the parent and student. I talk about this all the time and if you don’t know by now it is time you learn that colleges will consider a loan part of a financial award. Second would be having great career prospects. It’s better to attend a college that the majority of their graduates enter the workforce right away. Third on this list is quality of teaching. I certainly do not like my students attending colleges where the teaching assistant lectures to the class while the professor is busy writing his or her next book.

The idea behind this is being an educated consumer just like anything else. I highly doubt you would purchase a home without doing extensive research. Some experts are advising families that they should not pay more for an undergraduate degree than what the child will earn in the first year of their career. There are, of course, many ways of doing so. One piece of advice I will offer is to avoid chasing that name brand college for the reasons I will explain in just a bit.

According to the Center for College Affordability and Productivity, a small, western-Massachusetts liberal arts school has been named the best undergraduate institution in America. I can say I know Williams College personally as one of my students will be starting there in the fall after receiving $42,000 in free money. That is certainly a bargain when annual costs for everything add up to $55,000. With the highest four-year graduation rates in the country, the 2000 undergraduate students win all kinds of prestigious awards such as Rhodes and Marshall Scholarships. Not to mention they are also rewarded with high-paying careers right off the bat.

Forbes put together a list on college affordability. Princeton University, if you are fortunate enough to get in, is proud to offer their students virtually not debt by the time they graduate. This school ranks hire on the affordability list than University of Pennsylvania, Columbia, Cornell, Brown and even Dartmouth. If the idea of attending an Ivy League school merits a debt of nearly $200,000 you may want to research whether the school’s reputation is really worth it.

Something that is seldom mentioned but is common practice at even the best colleges is the manner in which they balance their budget. They need at least half of the freshmen class to pay the entire amount which means more than 50% will not see any free money. What’s more interesting is how they offer discounts to others just like car dealerships do in order to make the deal more enticing. When it comes down to it they would rather you borrow because the funds go straight to the college and the burden is on the student and parent to pay it back. In other words, enrollment managers and financial aid advisors are not a freshman’s best friend and one should be cautious when asking for help.

The idea of attending a zero-cost military service academy may seem unappealing to some but for those who know the rewards that come with it are going to come out ahead. When you consider the ROI on an education from Air Force Academy, Naval Academy or even West Point, you find that you have money left over to make important investment decisions like buying a home or starting a business of you own. Not to mention the invaluable training you received along the way.

When creating a chart for yourself to determine which colleges you are applying to rank highest, the following are items you should consider. Post Graduate success (alumni pay). Next could be retention rates or otherwise known as student satisfaction. This would incorporate how other students rate the professors. A useful website to view for this is www.collegeprowler.com. Graduation rates are important and it should be noted that some universities will guarantee a 4 year graduation. Hopefully they will accept the AP courses you took and passed which can sometimes shave off an entire semester. Awards that are offered based on your academic profile. Here you will want to become familiar with the various scholarships that are offered and what your SAT or ACT score needs to be in order to become a recipient. Of course it is advisable to incorporate debt in this chart. Find out which colleges are graduating students with debt and how much.

You may contact me directly if you want more information on how to set up your own college plan and how to receive the best education without going in to massive amounts of debt. The ball is literally in your court when it comes to college selections so play it smart. Come visit my website at www.premiercollegeguide.com or attend my upcoming workshop in your area. I, Trevor Mizrahi, will personally take you through the process of selecting a college that fits your budget and can get you out in the least amount of time. Your goal should be making sure the money you invest in your education is substantiated by the tremendous benefits your industry offers when entering the workforce.

University of California system has been known to graduate some of the top students over the past 20 years. With the competitive prices, California families have flocked to these campuses and were willing to pay full price over the thought of going to a private college that is almost twice as much. Things are changing; drastically.

It was voted on Thursday to raise tuition by 9.6 percent – on top of an 8 percent increase already approved for this fall, drowning students in debt. Undergraduate tuition for California residents will rise to $12,192, compared to $10,302 last year. This comes along with mandatory campus fees and rising salaries for some administrators. Simply put, a year at UC now costs $13,218 before you factor in room and board.

Students are protesting as the climate is rapidly changing and are forced into larger amounts of debt. Andrew Albright, a UC Berkeley junior says, “I’ll have to drop a lot of my academic goals to graduate in four years and not graduate with a lot of debt.”

Much of the debate stems from Republican lawmakers who refused to raise taxes to balance the budget. Since the alternative to the increase was to cut more and damage quality, they decided to cut a quarter of UC’s $1 billion shortfall by increasing the tuition and passing on to the families.

Who really is suffering from this decision? Well, I can tell you that out-of-state students will pay three times the in-state price. This is definitely appetizing to UC officials as the trend is to accept a fewer number of California residents. Parents who think the UC system is still not as competitive today compared to when they were in college are in for a rude awakening. I had a student this year who had a 4.2 GPA and great SAT scores that was denied to UCSD. Their response to our inquiry, “we had 12,000 other applicants just like you who we had to turn away.”

UC gets more cash from tuition than from taxpayers for the first time starting in the fall. Only $2.37 billion of its $22 billion budget now comes from tax dollars; 12 percent from students. For families that have yet to be exposed to borrowing for a college education, I urge you to become familiar with the rising amounts of debt students are forced into today. It is common practice for a college to offer a family either a Stafford or PLUS loan and tell them that it is an award. My definition is a bit different as I consider an award money that is given which you do not need to pay back.

If you are still under the assumption that you make too much money to qualify for grants or other forms of free money, you should do your homework. Many middle income families are finding that a private university is less costly than a UC or Cal state. The trick is to find the one that is a good fit for your student. Make sure it has their major and offers a 4 year graduation. Because the state schools are impacted, it will most likely take your student an extra year, if not more, just to earn their degree.

Although the UC’s will waive the $1,890 tuition increase for students who qualify for financial aid, their statistics show that the average household income in California will not qualify for this. Therefore, most middle-class students don’t qualify for aid, and are the hardest hit by UC’s rising cost. For those who earn up to $80,000, one-third of the increase paid by other families will be set aside to cover tuition for their income level.

Middle income families are urged more than ever to start planning the right way for college. I typically see that waiting until the end of junior year to begin this process puts a massive dent on the financial situation for both parent and student. Learn the process by attending a workshop in your area on college planning and how you can qualify for massive amounts of free money. Trevor Mizrahi talks about not concerning yourself with the name of a college but where you can get the best academic and financial program. To learn more, email me at trevor@PremierCollegeGuide.com

You don’t need to look very far when you are searching for scholarships. Today they are as simple to apply for as taking money out of the ATM. But will you actually have the result you want after hours of submitting applications?

Admissions Directors are not going to waste their time looking at a college application that has minimal participation. To say it bluntly, you are diminishing your chances of being recognized by a good college when your summer before senior year is packed with a whole bunch of wasted time. Let me fill you in on what can dramatically increase your chances of beating the elusive Letter of Acceptance to America’s top colleges.

Think of opportunities that would get you a summer job shadowing position. For my students who are interested in architecture, call some local architects and let them know you are interested in pursuing a career in their industry but would love the opportunity to gain some experience by offering them help during the summer. Building relationships, obtaining recommendation letters and networking with such individuals will pay dividends while you are looking for summer jobs while home from college.

For those students who are heading down the route of having your own business, I strongly encourage you to take action and start developing a business plan. The plan should demonstrate what you plan to sell, how you will get it to the marketplace and when you anticipate making a profit. Demonstrate your leadership skills by having friends or classmates participate in marketing your service or product.

Some students want to give their time towards a good cause by helping the environment or working with underprivileged kids. Nothing stands out more to an admissions reader than the ability to elicit powerful emotions in your essay. They want to know why they should choose you over another student who has similar academic qualities as you do. If you can display to them what events impacted your life by having a profound turn of events, you may just earn your spot in that college because you demonstrate qualities of someone with compassion. And you proved it! Contact organizations life the Red Cross, UNICEF, IVPA. Colleges are always looking to get international recognition and what better way than to attract and graduate students that volunteer out of the country.

Write an article for a newspaper. Here’s the angle that you should take if you decide to run with this idea. You are a high school student who can bring knowledge to an educational journalist who is looking to write a really interesting story on top performing science programs. If you do some of the leg work for the journalist and help by contributing to a unique story, this could be a great way to have your name featured in the paper.

Begin networking with admissions directors and future employers. If you have been working on your top 20 colleges, like I’ve been encouraging all my students to do, you should have a list of several names that you could potentially contact. Types of questions that you should be asking are: 1. Are there advisors for each student? How much time are they required to spend with each one in order to get to know the applicant? 2. What extracurricular opportunities are available on campus? Are student organizations encourages and supported by the school? How? 3. What is the average class size? What is the largest? 4. Can we arrange an interview in order for me to fully understand what your college stands for and if it will be a right fit for me? 5. What organizations do some of your top graduates end up finding employment? Do you assist in helping us find an employer at any point while I am a student at your college?

I mentioned above that you should be thinking about gathering information with future employers and start a relationship with them. A good idea would be to find out the top companies that recruit from a choice college and begin building a bond with someone in their HR department. These relationships will come in handy for you when you graduate from college and are looking at different employment opportunities.

Attend a workshop and learn valuable techniques Trevor Mizrahi shares with parents and students. “I would like to see more students going on to a 4 year college right after high school and skip over the idea of a community college. Scholarships and other forms of financial aid are attainable no matter how much money a family earns. Finding the right fit college can save a family thousands of dollars and keep them from going broke paying for college”, Trevor tells the class at a recent workshop.

As an education consultant I am constantly asked by parents where I recommend them doing their research. Let me just say that if you haven’t already visited www.collegeboard.com then you must do it after you read this post. Why so many parents use this tool is the same reason so many others choose not to use it. It jam-packed full of information.

Unless you can pull together the various components and make the pieces match to what your student desires in a college, chances are you are not going to make the best decisions on your own. The variable that is of highest concern for the majority of parents is never truly broken down in terms that can be comprehended by the average parent. But even if you have the most detailed map in the world, if you don’t know how to properly use it the map is virtually useless.

Parents should utilize The College Board website to create a fundamental understanding behind colleges admissions, SAT and financial aid processes. However, with all the vital stats that it can offer, there is none more important than the specific component I will share with you in a moment. The moment you think your research begins and ends with collegeboard.com, your opportunity for improvement is diminished. Spending countless hours going from page to page, absorbing new terms and deadlines means little if you don’t have the right questions to ask potential universities.

Number one, you will want to use the calculator that is on their site which can help you determine, to a certain degree, what you are expected to pay per year for college. This term is called your EFC or Expected Family Contribution. A main reason so many families create a financial hole for themselves is because the information reaches them too late. Parent’s will learn of this number during their child’s senior year of high school which is entirely too late. I recommend you know where this figure is while the student is a sophomore in high school. Just like planning for retirement, being prepared takes time, effort and an action plan.

So it is great that you can learn what the Department of Education expects you to pay but offering specific strategies on reducing that number is vital information that isn’t explained. Here is where a parent will assume that the figure ( EFC ) is what it is and therefore not worth filling out a FAFSA form. And now you have just fallen victim of the college financial aid trap. The moment you learn you are ineligible for a Federal Pell Grant your gut tells you that all bets are off. Now you are left searching for the private scholarships from local foundations or businesses. Colleges have now gained another family who subscribes to the belief that the only money they will get for college is going to be from a highly competitive scholarship fund that will consume countless hours and essays. EFC can be reduced in many cases which should be explained to a parent with a college bound student.

Don’t buy the advice someone gives who says financial aid is only for families who need it most. With the cost of college rising 8% each year, ANYBODY can use some help from the college. This is why it is so important to know the formula: Cost of Attendance ( Minus ) your Expected Family Contribution ( Equals ) NEED.  NEED is the amount you can qualify for that will help you bridge the gap of what you are expected to pay and the remaining cost of the college you applied to. There is a trick however. Most colleges will offer a family a loan that is called an award. This is why so many students are now struggling with the payments and ultimately defaulting which hurts their credit.

You want to identify universities that can offer grants because your student has meritorious SAT or ACT results. Participates in an activity, sport, club or instrument that would make them a desirable candidate. A well rounded student is just as desirable to a particular college as is an individual who carries a high GPA. Think about school selection in depth as there are numerous opportunities outside the typical names of colleges that run through your ears. If a school can meet a high percentage of your NEED then you are in good shape. Remember now that keeping the EFC low is critical to how much in free money you can qualify for.

For a list of some common ways to reduce an EFC for W2 employees send me an email. Also, if you are interested in how a 1099 independent contractor can reduce an EFC feel free to contact me as well. There are over 163 different opportunities that can effectively discount your cost for college. And remember that income, assets and your child’s ability are the main factors in determining how much you will pay or save for college. Finding solutions are vital, especially for a middle income family who historically spends more for college than any other income level family. It is more important than ever to start planning now.

Trevor Mizrahi is a speaker on the topic of college financial aid and admissions. He has helped numerous families during the college planning process and has offices in Ventura county as well as Los Angeles county. He speaks for school districts and various high schools. To attend an upcoming workshop contact his office.

trevor@premiercollegeguide.com

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