Category: College Admissions

Admissions Anxiety: What to Do during the Waiting Period

Admissions Anxiety: What to Do during the Waiting Period
By Tiffany Sorensen, Varsity Tutors’ Contributor

So, you have submitted all your college applications! You know you should feel relieved, but the truth is that you are actually quite nervous.

Although feelings of uncertainty cloud your mind during the waiting period, try to take advantage of this vital period instead. This in-between time is optimal for accomplishing tasks you would have little time for otherwise.

1. Learn more about your schools

Many high school students admit to choosing colleges out of haste. They may select schools without knowing much about them or just to meet quickly approaching admissions deadlines.Regardless, now is a great time to learn more about the schools you have applied to. You can acquire information from your high school’s college center, the library, and websites. Most universities have Facebook pages you can use to check out their blogs, ask questions, and communicate with alumni.

Learning more about your schools may even involve a campus visit! This is one of the best ways to see whether or not a school is a good fit for you. After all, experiencing a place first-hand is always different from reading and hearing about it.

Some schools even offer you the option of staying overnight in a dorm so you can get a glimpse of life at the school. If an in-person college visit is not feasible for you at this time, find out if the school has virtual tours you can take from your computer.

2. Research potential majors

While at this point you cannot change the schools you applied to, it is always possible to change your intended major. And, although you may have selected a major on your applications, that does not mean you must commit to it forever. You may be surprised to learn that your dream school offers over 100 majors, and some of them you did not even know existed!Know that you are not alone if you are having difficulty deciding on a major. At such a young age and with limited job experience (if any), it is expected that you will have doubts about your career path. In fact, many college students end up changing their majors. To get a feel for your interests, start researching majors now.

3. Think about your finances

It’s no secret that college is expensive. To what extent is your family able to help finance your college degree? How much student loan debt are you willing to take on? Are you eligible for any scholarships? These are all questions you should ponder before you accept or reject an admissions decision.While you may be bent on attending a top-tier private institution, your wallet may be pushing you toward a more affordable yet prestigious state school. You could also save money by attending a community college for the first year or two and then transferring later on. No college decision should be made solely based on finances, but realistically, it is something to take into consideration as you weigh all the various factors.

The waiting period is also the perfect opportunity to apply for scholarships. Many scholarship applications require essays, so you can use your free time now to knock some of these out of the way. Given the volume of students who apply for scholarships, it is best to apply to as many as your schedule permits.

Instead of succumbing to anxiety as you wait to hear back from colleges, take this time to do something productive! Prepare for your college career by finding out the 411 on your schools, seeing which majors interest you, and getting your finances in order.

Remember, the more you accomplish now, the more you can relax your last summer before college.

Tiffany Sorensen is a professional tutor and contributing writer with Varsity Tutors, a live learning platform that connects students with personalized instruction to accelerate academic achievement.

Need money to pay for college?

Every semester, Fastweb helps thousands of students pay for school by matching them to scholarships, grants and awards for which they actually qualify. Sign up today to get started. You’ll find scholarships like the $2,000 “No Essay” Scholarship from Niche, a scholarship open to all U.S. students and those planning on enrolling within 12 months.

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Do Colleges Examine Your Online Presence?

Do Colleges Examine Your Online Presence?

Elizabeth Hoyt

You should undoubtedly clean up your social media presence, but how much do colleges really look at your posts?

You should undoubtedly clean up your social media presence, but how much do colleges really look at your posts?

You’ll be relieved to learn they don’t – at least not in the usual circumstances.

In fact, fewer than one in three admissions officers say they check applicant’s social media posts and/or Google them when evaluating their applications, according to a Kaplan survey conducted in 2014.

The survey found that “over a third (35%) of college admissions officers have visited an applicant’s social media page to learn more about them, according to Kaplan Test Prep’s 2014 survey of college admissions officers.”

However, they’ve been tracking this college admissions factor since 2008 and back then it was one in ten admissions officers. Then, that number was one in five – so don’t count out the possibility entirely. This is the highest percentage since tracking this – so the number is likely even higher now.

A Moral Dilemma

For the most part, admissions officers felt it was an invasion of the student’s privacy. The majority of admissions officers were “appalled” at the practice of looking into a student’s private online presence.

“I just think it’s wrong to do,” said Richard Shaw, dean of admissions at Stanford University.

But, then again, you never know.

The Numbers

In addition to the morality of the issue, admissions officers also say there are far too many prospective students to Google or search on social media platforms for each individual.

Consider a small school – the admissions officers would have to evaluate thousands of profiles online, assuming they were looking into each student.

Also, because they want to remain consistent, most officers feel that it’s unfair to Google a portion of the applicants, so it’s all or nothing when it comes to looking at a student’s online presence.

Do You Want Them to Look?

This can be a good or bad thing, depending on your particular situation.

For example, if you’re constantly tweeting about issues that matter, trying to start-up social initiatives and have been featured in the local paper as a hero, you may want to be Googled.

Inversely, if your social media presence isn’t so family-friendly, you probably would breathe a sigh of relief at learning your social media posts are not likely to be examined – but you should probably clean up your act, just in case.

When Asked…

If you specifically ask a college to look at something you’re proud of on the internet, they are more likely to do so, assuming the admissions officer has time.

According to Christine Brown, executive director of K12 and college prep programs for Kaplan Test Prep, “There’s no doubt social media has become increasingly a part of the admissions process, but students should recognize that it still plays only a peripheral role. The majority of admissions officers are not looking at Facebook for applicant information, and even those who are typically do so as an anomaly — because they were flagged, either positively or negatively, to particular applicants.”

“Admissions chances are still overwhelmingly decided by the traditional factors of high school GPA, standardized test scores, letters of recommendation, personal essays and extracurricular activities. Applicants’ online personas are really a wild card in the admissions process: the bottom line for students is that what you post online likely won’t get you into college, but it just might keep you out,” said Brown.

Safety First

Many students become more cautious of their web presence when submitting applications. Rightfully so: clean up your posts, just in case, because you never know who’s looking!

Increasing the Odds

Once you get into smaller numbers like, say, becoming a finalist for a scholarship or internship, the likelihood of your personal online presence will increase.

So, a basic rule to follow is: the more you put yourself out there, the less you should put yourself out there online. Unless of course you want to put yourself out there and be noticed for positive reasons.

To learn more about what you should or should not post online, check out these social media do’s and don’ts for students.

What’s your social media policy?

Need money to pay for college?

Every semester, Fastweb helps thousands of students pay for school by matching them to scholarships, grants and awards for which they actually qualify. Sign up today to get started. You’ll find scholarships like the $2,000 “No Essay” Scholarship from Niche, a scholarship open to all U.S. students and those planning on enrolling within 12 months.

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Getting into College with Bad Grades

Getting into College with Bad Grades

Elizabeth Hoyt

The number one rule to follow in college admissions? Don’t give up!

Have bad grades? Believe it or not, it’s not always the end-all, be-all in terms of gaining entry into the college of your dreams. Don’t give up!

Attempt to combat your admissions struggle by considering these helpful tips:

Submit an explanation (in certain cases) –

First, consider why your grades were, um, less than stellar. College admissions officers don’t want to hear excuses unless the circumstances were absolutely out of your control. If that’s the case, submit a brief but thorough explanation of the circumstances. Again, only submit an explanation regarding your grades if the circumstances were completely, utterly, nothing-on-earth-you-could-have-done-to-avoid-it, one hundred percent out of your control.

What falls under this? An illness or injury that impacted your cognitive abilities (head trauma, dyslexia diagnosed later in your high school career, etc.), a death within your immediate family (sorry, grandma and your third cousin don’t count, no matter how difficult it was) and, perhaps but not always included are moving and switching schools mid-year or a poor domestic situation that was out of the norm, like a messy parental divorce.

Remember, excuses like breaking up with you high school significant other, not getting along with or claiming a teacher was unfair and other stresses typical in high school won’t work. In fact, they will work against you because it comes across as placing blame on others (no matter how real or true they are). Anything that a typical high school student experiences is likely a poor excuse.

Also, make sure your grade or grades are really bad, if you’re submitting an explanation. Explaining the lone “B” amongst your straight A’s will likely just irritate the admissions counselor.

Apply regular admission rather than early –

Your odds of being accepted during regular admission are far better than the selective process of early admission. Early decision/early admission is meant for students that not only are sure of the school they want to go to, but also confident in their ability to get into that school.

Consider community college –

Why not consider attending a community college for a year (or two), getting your grades up and then applying to the four-year college you originally wanted to attend.

Look at schools with conditional acceptance programs –

If you’re on the cusp, there are plenty of schools out that that give students the opportunity to attend the school on conditional basis. This is ideal for those who have lower grades but are great applicants otherwise. Many schools will offer conditional admission and the student must keep their grade point average at a certain point to remain enrolled within the school. If you had a bad run in high school but feel you can improve in college, this may be a route to consider.

Plan your comeback –

It’s never too late to improve- the time is now to boost your academics and show that you’re making progress in a positive direction. Get extra help or a tutor if you’re still struggling and poor grades weren’t just in the past. Sure, you may not boost them enough to get into your top choice, but it will make a difference in whether or not you’re accepted to any school.

Play up your strengths –

Schools look at more than grades alone. They also want students who will enhance campus life and that participate in school and extracurricular activities. Think about your strengths: do you volunteer a lot? Play on several sports teams? All of these activities are important factors in addition to your grades, so make sure you detail all of your strengths, too!

Get recognized –

Perhaps your grades are poor in math but you’re the next Hemingway. Show off whatever talent you have by getting recognized outside of school. Get an article or poem published locally. Submit artwork in to a local show. Enter science competitions. No matter where your talent lies, there are ways to gain recognition academically to include on your application.

Make your essay epic –

If you have poor grades and a terrible essay, why even apply? There is absolutely no excuse to have a terrible essay, since you have time to work on it and have people around you that can help you edit, proofread and structure your wording!

Ace your college entrance exams –

To be fair, this is easier said than done. By “ace,” we mean prepare to the best of your ability through studying, utilizing practice questions, working with tutors (often times, you can get free help!) and taking preparation courses (either enroll, if you can afford it or find free preparation courses online).

Review your options with a counselor –

When in doubt, you can always go over strategies and options with a counselor, teacher or admissions officer. They’re there to help you throughout the process and want your application to reflect the “real” you.

Need money to pay for college?

Every semester, Fastweb helps thousands of students pay for school by matching them to scholarships, grants and awards for which they actually qualify. Sign up today to get started. You’ll find scholarships like the $2,000 “No Essay” Scholarship from Niche, a scholarship open to all U.S. students and those planning on enrolling within 12 months.

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3 Ways to Set Your College Application Apart

3 Ways to Set Your College Application Apart

By Tiffany Sorensen, Varsity Tutors’ Contributor

Take on these three tasks to help set your college application apart from the crowd.

Statistics reveal that college admissions officers are receiving more and more applications each year. Because of this trend, it is more imperative than ever to make your application stick out from all the rest.

This is how to avoid being just another name: perfect your application essay, try a new after-school activity, and attend a college interview.

Get details on the best ways you can approach these tasks below:

1. Write a solid, unique essay

How can you make your essay different from all the other thousands of essays that admissions officers read? And how can you avoid making it sound like just a list of your academic accomplishments?Many would agree that the most captivating essays are those with a unified theme or an extended metaphor—for example, nature, colors, travel, etc. A well-chosen theme or metaphor can tie your essay together while giving it a whimsical literary feel. In a sense, your essay should read somewhat like a story—it should have a clear beginning, middle, and end.

With your essay, you should aim to achieve two things: entertain college admissions officers and show them something special about yourself. The college application essay is not meant to solely showcase your many skills and endeavors; that is what your resume serves to do.

2. Step outside your comfort zone

If a stranger looked at your academic credentials, he or she might notice a pattern. A high grade in Calculus and involvement in the Math Honors Society indicate an affinity for mathematics. Volunteer work at a hospital and tutoring in biology suggest a student may want to study medicine.There is nothing wrong with demonstrating development or interest in one particular area. However, admissions counselors look for evidence of a well-rounded personality. You should participate in a range of activities that will stimulate and cultivate various aspects of life.

If you are only involved in activities related to science, why not join a theater group or an intramural sports team to mix things up? Instead of focusing merely on English, consider learning a foreign language or joining the debate team. Universities want students who have comprehensive knowledge and a broad outlook. One of the ways to achieve this is by stepping outside one’s comfort zone. Do what you excel in, but also branch out by trying something new and interesting. You will thank yourself later!

3. Impress at the college interview

One of the sure-fire ways to leave a great impression on admissions officers is by nailing the college interview. Given the abundance of paperwork that admissions officers must sort through, a dynamic in-person encounter can help make you a more memorable applicant. Admissions officers look for students who are enthusiastic, respectful, and knowledgeable about the university.Although a great interview cannot guarantee your acceptance to a school, it can have a positive effect on your application. A stellar interview can sometimes be enough to “tip the scale” in your favor if admissions officers are unsure about you.

On the other hand, coming across as impolite or apathetic during the interview can certainly work against you. Failing to attend or refusing a request for an interview can also diminish your odds of acceptance.

The college interview is a precious chance to be more than just another application. If possible, schedule a college interview and use it to your advantage. A remarkable personality can only give you bonus points. Just be sure to research the college beforehand!

By now, you should have noticed a motif: for an extraordinary application, you need to show off some personality. You can let your personality shine through with an imaginative essay, a distinctive extracurricular activity, and a private interview. To get noticed, you have to be bold and different!

Tiffany Sorensen is a professional tutor and contributing writer with Varsity Tutors, a live learning platform that connects students with personalized instruction to accelerate academic achievement.

Need money to pay for college?

Every semester, Fastweb helps thousands of students pay for school by matching them to scholarships, grants and awards for which they actually qualify. Sign up today to get started. You’ll find scholarships like the $2,000 “No Essay” Scholarship from Niche, a scholarship open to all U.S. students and those planning on enrolling within 12 months.

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A Breakdown of the New SAT and How You Can Nail It

A Breakdown of the New SAT and How You Can Nail It

by

The SAT has gone through some renovation, and it’s pretty obvious that the new SAT is very different from the old SAT. There aren’t any penalties for wrong answers, there are four options for the multiple-choice answers instead of five, and there are fewer but longer sections. These sections are Math, Evidence-Based Reading and Writing, and the now-optional essay.

Within the Math Test, there is a 55-minute part where you can use a calculator and a 25-minute section without a calculator. Within the Evidence-Based Reading and Writing Test there is a 65-minute reading section and a 35-minute language and writing section. The optional essay (which you will probably want to take) is now 50 minutes. The new SAT is trying to move away from being a test on how well you can take the SAT and become one that tests you on what you know.

How the New SAT is Graded

The new SAT is on a 1600-point scale rather than a 2400-point scale. There are 800 points for Math and 800 points for Evidence-Based Reading and Writing. The optional essay is scored separately. Every time a test occurs, it is graded independently of other tests. This means that you are only compared to the people that took the test on the same day as you.

Test Tips

  1. Take Practice Tests

The best thing you can do for yourself is take a full-on practice test emulating the settings and the breaks of the real test before you start your studying. That way, you can easily identify your weaknesses right off the bat. After you practice, it’s a good idea to take another full practice test before the actual test, so you can see what kind of score you can expect.

  1. Figure out what makes you uncomfortable

Beyond the types of questions that were hard, take a look at the whole experience. Were you crunched for time? Were you burnt out by the end of the test? Were you completely flummoxed? If you felt uncomfortable with the whole ordeal, take another practice test and compare your answers. Find specific areas to focus on so you don’t overwhelm yourself.

  1. Practice!

The most obvious but the hardest thing to do when studying for a big test is to practice the problems that you aren’t good at. To make it easier, make a schedule for yourself. Spread your studying out over the week so you aren’t spending too much time on it every day, but you are completing all the you need to do in order to feel confident for your test. Each sitting, focus on one section or one type of problem. That way, you’ll make the most of your study time.

  1. Make sure you are getting the right information

With the new SAT, you are going to get a lot of wrong information from your parents, your older friends, and your siblings. Make sure to double check what you hear with the reliable sources like The College Board, Chegg, or Kaplan.

  1. Stay Healthy

At least 2 weeks before the test, get in the habit of eating good food, getting a full night’s sleep, and drinking lots of water. Most importantly: breathe. The SAT is scary but it isn’t the end of the world. Try your best, and if it goes worse than you expect you can always take it again!

You spend lots of time practicing and preparing for the exam, so get excited! This is your chance to show The College Board just how smart you are and how much you deserve a good score. You are so ready! Go get ‘em!

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Timeline: Key Steps for Completing College Applications Successfully

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Rising seniors should map out deadlines early to help them stay on track with their college applications.

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Students should prep for college throughout high school, but for rising seniors time is limited. Applying to college can be stressful, but proper planning can help alleviate some of the pressure on students and their families.

Students can use the following timeline to map out their college application process. For a general timeline on when to apply for financial aid, students should refer to our college savings plan for 2014.

12:00 AM
June 1, 2014 — 12:00 AM
June 30, 2014

Ask for Recommendation Letters

Students who want recommendation letters from their junior year teachers should reach out to them before the school year ends.

“It’s really ideal if you ask before the start of the summer because if you have a teacher who is on top of things he or she might actually write the letter over the summer, so you’ll have it when you come back to school in September,” says Elizabeth Heaton, senior director of educational consulting at College Coach.

12:00 AM
July 1, 2014 — 12:00 AM
August 31, 2014

Start Test Prep

“As you’re putting your list of colleges together, you want to make sure you’re making note of the different testing requirements at each school,” Heaton says. Most schools accept either the ACT or SAT, but some institutions require additional testing or make standardized testing optional.

12:00 AM
August 1, 2014 — 12:00 AM
August 31, 2014

Write Your College Essay

Application essays are one of the most daunting parts of the college application process, but students can get that part done during the summer. The Common Application has announced that essay prompts will remain the same for the 2014-2015 school year. The application will be available to students on Aug. 1. For schools that don’t use the Common App, Heaton says students can reach out to those institutions directly to ask about the prompts.

12:00 AM
August 1, 2014 — 12:00 AM
October 30, 2014

Go On A College Tour

Summer can be a great opportunity for students to see schools on their application list. Many schools have programs and students on campus during the summer, so prospective students can still get a feel for campus culture and life.

12:00 AM
September 1, 2014 — 12:00 AM
October 30, 2014

Take the SAT or ACT

Fall is the best time to retake the SAT or ACT because it allows students to get their scores ahead of early decision application deadlines.

12:00 AM
September 1, 2014 — 12:00 AM
December 31, 2014

Search for Scholarships

It’s never too early to start searching for scholarships. Many national scholarships have fall deadlines, so if you haven’t started your search already, now is a good time to start.

12:00 AM
September 1, 2014 — 12:00 AM
September 30, 2014

Create an Application Timeline

Heaton encourages students to map out their deadlines for the rest of the year. With school in session, managing time becomes more important, she says.

12:00 AM
January 1, 2015 — 12:00 AM
January 31, 2015

Fill Out the FAFSA

Everyone who is planning on attending school should fill out a Free Application for Federal Student Aid. The application is used to determine what loans students can receive and award applicants with need-based scholarships. Learn more about some of the most common FAFSA mistakes.

U.S. News Education

12:00 AM
January 1, 2015 — 12:00 AM
March 3, 2015

Apply for Summer Jobs

A summer job is a great way to build your resume and assist with some of your college expenses. Many summer jobs and internships start accepting applications for summer jobs in the beginning of a new year. Start searching now to hopefully have something secured by graduation.

12:00 AM
April 1, 2015 — 12:00 AM
May 1, 2015

Make Your College Decision

By now you’ve likely researched your top choices, gone on tours and analyzed your financial aid packages. The national response deadline for accepting a college is May 1.

12:00 AM
May 1, 2015 — 12:00 AM
May 31, 2015

Apply for Late Admissions to Schools if Necessary

Students who haven’t secured a spot at an institution still have hope. Some schools still have places open after the May 1 national response date, but space is limited.

12:00 AM
June 1, 2015 — 12:00 AM
August 31, 2015

Prepare for Freshman Year

From selecting dorms to negotiating financial aid, there’s a lot more to do after you’ve been admitted. Stay up-to-date on all of your paperwork, enjoy the summer and prepare for the new school year.

Images from iStockphoto and Getty
pic3Briana Boyington is an education Web producer at U.S. News. You can follow her on Twitter or email her at bboyington@usnews.com.
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5 Steps to Choose How Many College Applications to Send

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Make sure you’re comfortable with the number of colleges on your list.

The magic number depends on how much you can spend and the selectivity of your intended major.

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There are more than 1,000 four-year colleges in America. Most experts agree that it is important to submit college applications to several of them, but how many is “several”?

As with most things in life, the correct answer is individual. “Several” is the number that allows you to confidently enter application season. Here, then, is a five-step guide to choosing your magic number.

Step 1: Determine Your Admissions Budget

Before you begin to apply to colleges, take stock of your admissions-specific financial resources. Entrance exams like the ACT and SAT​ cost money, as do campus visits. Even the applications that you submit carry a fee. While this is a small amount relative to the tens of thousands that you might spend on tuition, it does add up quickly. How many schools can you afford to apply to, given your budget?

 Note that you are eligible for four college application fee waivers if you took the SAT or an SAT Subject Test with a fee waiver​. All Common Application schools accept fee waivers, but other colleges may not. Check a particular school’s policy here.

Step 2: Consider the Rarity of Your Intended Major

If you intend to major in a particularly narrow field, you may find that relatively few colleges offer such a concentration. For example, there are only a handful of schools with an undergraduate degree in astrobiology. If your major is rare, apply to those colleges that offer it – you may ultimately apply to fewer schools than a prospective English major, but that is perfectly acceptable.

A corollary to this step can be summed up in the following question: “How important are specialized university facilities to your career plans?” When I applied to college, I pictured a career spent studying particle physics, and having a functional particle collider on campus was one of my primary college decision criteria.

Almost every college in the U.S. offers a degree in physics, but fewer boast of particle colliders. Even more relevant to my search was the fact that many large state schools required science faculty to include undergraduates in their research activities. Some small schools offered that opportunity too, but their research facilities were sometimes limited.

Step 3: Gauge the Selectivity of Your Intended Major

If your prospective major is highly competitive, consider applying to a greater number of schools. This can help you ensure that you are admitted to at least one college in your program of choice. Many business and engineering concentrations, for instance, require an accessory admissions process that is often more rigorous than the one that the school as a whole uses.

There is no hard and fast rule for determining the number of competitive programs to apply to. The upper limit on applications will be dictated in part by your budget.

You can also speak with admissions officers to gain a sense of how competitive you will be for entry to a particular college or major. If you are set on a specific concentration, but your admissions portfolio is not ideal given the competitiveness of the major, you may want to apply to a larger number of schools – perhaps six to 10.

Step 4: Review Your Other Needs

Colleges vary widely in their culture, location, social environment and a host of other nonacademic features. Depending on your criteria, you may have a very short list of possibilities to work with – the Department of Education’s College Navigator lists exactly two private, nonprofit colleges located in rural settings in Alabama, for example.

Another important need involves finances. If your tuition budget is limited, it may be important to you to attend a public college in your state of residence. In some states, this requirement may present you with just two or three choices, naturally shaping the number of schools you will apply to.

Step 5: Ensure You Are Comfortable With Your Number

I would recommend a minimum of three applications: one target school, one stretch school and one safety school. Even if you are positive that just one college is perfect for you, it is well worth having a backup plan.

The more difficult problem lies in deciding your maximum number – in other words, how many is too many? Again, the goal is to feel as comfortable as possible as you begin to apply to schools. Ideally, you want to have several acceptance letters to choose from.

If your discussions with admissions counselors and your own research suggest that you are borderline for admittance, six or seven applications may be warranted. More are likely unnecessary – if seven of seven colleges turn you down for a competitive program, the eighth almost certainly would have as well.

Remember that there is a cost in time, money and stress when sending out applications. The key to success lies in striking a balance between the factors discussed above.

Brian Witte is a professional SAT tutor with Varsity Tutors. He earned his Bachelor of Science from the University of Washington and holds a Ph.D. from Ohio State University.

Varsity Tutors is a live learning platform that connects students with personalized instruction to accelerate academic achievement. The company’s end-to-end offerings also include mobile learning apps, online learning environments and other tutoring and test prep-focused technologies. Got a question? Email admissionsplaybook@usnews.com.

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3 Ways the Government Overestimates Your Ability to Pay for College

finaidThe government uses an antiquated family budget, and no regional cost of living adjustments.

By
 

“Where do they think we’ll get this money from?”

Parents who fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, are often shocked by how much the federal government thinks they can afford to pay for college when they receive their official “Expected Family Contribution,” or EFC.

Those who have investigated exactly how the government calculates the EFC say there’s a reason: The formula is so unrealistic and so old—it’s loosely based on a family budget from 1967—that it isn’t surprising that many 21st Century families are flabbergasted.

The Education Department takes the family’s financial information and applies a complicated formula adjusting for the family’s size, expenses, ages, and other factors. The department has published worksheets explaining the details of the formula for the 2010-11 and the 2011-12 academic years.

 Although the number the government computers calculate is called the “Expected Family Contribution,” that turns out not to be the amount most families have to spend on their children’s college. Colleges can and do calculate their own versions of a family’s EFC. But the federal EFC is important because it determines who gets federal financial aid such as Pell Grants and low-interest student loans, as well as many state, community, and private scholarships. And many colleges use it as a starting point before determining each student’s financial aid package, which results in his or her own unique net price of attendance.

[Read about how private colleges are adopting used car lots’ pricing strategies.]

For the 2010-11 academic year, the government will give an EFC of $0 and the maximum Pell Grant of $5,550 to students from families earning less than about $30,000. For every $100 in after-tax income above that $30,000 threshhold, the government will raise the student’s EFC by at least $22. For every $100 of after-tax income above about $60,000, the student’s federal EFC will rise by as much as $47.

That means a middle class family of four with an adjusted gross income of about $75,000 could get an EFC of anywhere from $4,000 to $9,000 a year, depending upon other factors such the parents’ ages, savings, and expenses.

Many financial aid administrators defend the stingy EFC formula, saying neither schools nor governments can afford to give aid to students from families who haven’t saved for college because they’ve chosen to spend on things like bigger-than-necessary houses, new cars, or iPhones.

But independent financial aid analysts say three government EFC policies can penalize even frugal families:

1. Outdated budget estimates. The Education Department bases its estimate of what families can afford today on a government budget for a “family maintaining a lower standard of living” in 1967. That budget has been adjusted for inflation every year. But it has not been adjusted for changes in family spending patterns. During the 1960s, fewer wives worked, for example, so families spent much less on child care. The antiquated budget also can’t account for modern technological expenses such as cell phones, computers, or internet access.

2. No regional adjustments. The government doesn’t account for the different costs of living in different cities. The Council for Community and Economic Research, which produces widely used data for tracking cost of living, estimates that living in New York City, for example, costs more than twice as much than living in, say, Pueblo, Colo. Yet the federal government assumes Brooklyn, N.Y., families paying, say, $2,000 a month for a three-bedroom apartment can afford to spend as much on college as similar families with comparable income paying only $1,000 for a similar home in lower-cost communities.

3. Unrealistic family spending assumptions. The government’s formula doesn’t make any accommodation for parents whose disposable income is reduced because of their own student loan bills, even though a growing number of parents are still paying off their own student loans as their kids enter college.

These policies mean the EFC is “at best, a very harsh assessment of families’ ability to pay,” says Mark Kantrowitz, publisher of FinAid.org. At worst, he says, it is “somewhat unrealistic…and archaic.”

Making the EFC even harsher is the grim reality that most colleges, especially public universities, don’t have enough grant money these days to ensure that every student only has to pay the official EFC. Students fill those financial gaps with loans, extra work, or “merit aid,” such as scholarships awarded because of grades or special skills.

Federal officials note they have made some improvements to the EFC in the last couple years by, for example, raising the ceiling for the amount a student or family can earn and still receive an EFC of $0 from about $30,000 in the 2010 academic year to $31,000 in 2011.

In addition, in 2009, the government told colleges to lower the EFCs of students who appealed for extra aid because they had expenses or family problems that weren’t accounted for in the standard form, such as unusually high medical expenses or the loss of a job.

And since colleges are free to calculate their own EFCs for their own aid money, some colleges (generally elite, wealthy universities) give enough scholarships to ensure that some students—especially those with top grades or other special talents—pay less than their federal EFC.

The government has also ordered colleges to post on their websites “net price calculators” so students and parents can estimate how much they are actually likely to pay. Many colleges, including Drexel University, West Virginia University, and Williams College, have already launched calculators ahead of  the official deadline is Oct. 29, 2011.

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Financial Aid 101: Fill Out the FAFSA

finaid-101Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid to help pay for college.

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Wondering how you’ll pay for college? Start by filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). If you don’t, it could cost you thousands in grants, work-study, low-interest federal loans—and need-based scholarships.

Filling out the FAFSA is the most important thing you can do to get your hands on need-based money to pay for college. The vast majority of students who fill out the FAFSA are eligible for some sort of federal financial aid.

Filling out the FAFSA can be somewhat complicated. But don’t let that deter you from applying. Instead, lower your stress level by taking heed of the following advice.

1. Use one of three means to submit your FAFSA: You can submit online, via a printable PDF, or using a paper FAFSA form. More than 98 percent of FAFSA applications are submitted online. We recommend filling out the online version of the FAFSA for three reasons:

• There’s a built-in guide to help you complete the application.

• “Skip logic” automatically skips questions that aren’t applicable to you.

• The schools that you wish to receive your FAFSA information will get results faster.

If you decide to apply online, make sure you go to the right website: The official FAFSA website is www.FAFSA.gov. Remember, you should never pay to submit your FAFSA.

If you’d rather not submit your FAFSA online, download a PDF copy at www.studentaid.ed.gov/PDFfafsa or call 1-800-4-FED-AID FREE to request that a paper copy be mailed to you.

2. Apply for a Personal Identification Number (PIN): You can use your PIN to electronically sign your FAFSA online. This is the fastest way to submit your form. If you’re a dependent, at least one of your parents will also need to apply for a PIN to sign the FAFSA electronically. To apply for a PIN, visit www.pin.ed.gov.

You can use your PIN immediately to sign your FAFSA. You can also use your PIN to access your Student Aid Report online, make corrections to your FAFSA, or complete a FAFSA renewal next year (you’ll just need to wait up to three days after issuance for verification of your name, date of birth, and Social Security number by the Social Security Administration).

Tip: Hang on to your PIN! You’ll need it in the future.

3. Complete the “FAFSA on the Web” worksheet: For efficiency’s sake, sit down (with your parents, if you’re a dependent) and gather all of the necessary documents before filling out your FAFSA. Use the “FAFSA on the Web” worksheet to help you get organized.

Tip: To determine whether or not you’re a dependent, visit this website: https://fafsa.ed.gov/fotw1011/help/fftoc01k.htm.

You won’t be submitting this worksheet; it’s simply an organizational tool to make filling out the FAFSA easier. The worksheet will ask you and/or your parents for information like your Social Security number, driver’s license number, federal tax information for the year leading up to your application year, records of untaxed information, and assets like savings, investments, and business assets. After you fill out the worksheet, you’ll be ready to sit down at your computer to insert all the information quickly.

4. Fill out your FAFSA: You’ll be given the opportunity to pre-fill the application with information you’ve entered previously, if you’ve completed a FAFSA in the past. Otherwise, complete sections 1 through 4 using your “FAFSA on the Web” worksheet; this should make filling out the FAFSA fast and easy!

5. Find identification numbers: Where do you plan on applying to college? Make sure you gather all of the identification numbers for those schools (found on the FAFSA website) so your FAFSA results will be automatically sent to those colleges.

6. Calculate total earnings and tax return amounts: If you’re filling out the FAFSA online, the online application will automatically calculate your total applicable earnings and tax return amounts. If you’re using a paper form, you’ll need to calculate this by hand.

7. Follow the directions: See the directions on the website for online submission, or mail in your paper application to the appropriate address listed on your application.

After your application has been processed, your FAFSA results will be submitted to the schools to which you’re applying. Colleges will use your results to determine your remaining financial need and whether you qualify for any need-based scholarships.

Michelle Showalter joined Scholarship America in 2007 and is an alumna of Luther College in Decorah, Iowa.

Scholarship America® is a national organization that helps students get into and graduate from college through three core programs: Dollars for Scholars®, DreamkeepersSM® and Scholarship Management Services®. More than $2.7 billion in scholarships and education assistance has been awarded to more than 1.8 million students since 1958. Their scholarship administration expertise has helped nearly 1,100 communities and more than 1,100 corporations develop and implement local scholarship programs. Got a question? Email scholarships@usnews.com.

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Look to Parents’ Employers for College Scholarships

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Make Mom or Dad’s place of employment the first place you search for money for higher education.

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It was a great summer, wasn’t it? You laid around the pool all day, hung out in the basement playing video games with friends, and watched marathons of your favorite reality TV shows for hours on end. But now that you’re several weeks into the school year already, it’s time to crack down and get to work, and not just on your math homework.

Yes, we’re talking about college again. It’ll be here before you know it, so don’t wait until it’s time to fill out the FAFSA before you start to seriously think about how you’re going to pay for it. Lucky for you, the Internet has made it much easier to locate and apply for scholarships than ever before. But before you dive into your search, there’s one not-so-obvious place you should look first: your parents’ place of employment.

We’ve put together a list of some great scholarship programs offered by companies to children of employees. Don’t see your mom or dad’s company on the list? No worries. All you need to do is have your parents ask their HR departments if a scholarship program exists where they work.

And here’s a side note to the parents out there who happen to be in between jobs and seeking employment: If you’re concerned about the high cost of your kids’ college education, consider focusing your search on employers that offer scholarships. They’re more common than you think.

If your mom or dad is an employee of Siemens, you’re in luck. Children of employees of Siemens can apply for a merit-based scholarship, awarded during the final semester of their senior year of high school. You do have to take the PSAT/NMSQT as a junior this fall if you want to be eligible for the scholarship in 2013, but it’s worth it for a $1,000 yearly scholarship.

Is one of your parents a federal employee? There are a variety of scholarships offered to employees and children of employees of the federal government, depending on where you live and in what government sector your parent works. The Federal Employee Education and Assistance Fund is an excellent merit-based scholarship competition that awards more than 400 students from 27 regions with scholarships ranging from $500 to more than $7,000.

Verizon is another company generous enough to offer scholarships to children and legal dependents of employees. Each year, the Verizon Scholarship Program accepts applications from eligible high school seniors planning to enroll in an accredited four-year college or university the following fall. Renewable scholarships are awarded for up to $4,000 per academic year for four years of study. Doesn’t get much better than that!

The Intel Scholarship for Employees’ Children is an excellent scholarship to apply for if one of your parents happens to work for Intel. Every year, Intel awards up to 400 scholarships worldwide. Children of employees can receive a one-time award of up to $4,000 to help achieve the goal of postsecondary education. Scholarship awards vary based on whether you’re going for a two- or four-year degree.

For more than 25 years, Fluor Corporation has awarded more than $11 million in scholarships to 2,600 children of U.S. and international employees. The Fluor Scholarship Program is geared toward supporting the goals and aspirations of students who want to go on to college. Recipients can attend two- or four-year colleges, universities, or vocational-technical schools.

Michelle Showalter joined Scholarship America in 2007 and is an alumna of Luther College in Decorah, Iowa.

Scholarship America® is a national organization that helps students get into and graduate from college through three core programs: Dollars for Scholars®, DreamkeepersSM® and Scholarship Management Services®. More than $2.7 billion in scholarships and education assistance has been awarded to more than 1.8 million students since 1958. Their scholarship administration expertise has helped nearly 1,100 communities and more than 1,100 corporations develop and implement local scholarship programs. Got a question? Email scholarships@usnews.com.

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