How Long for College To Receive SAT Scores?
Estimated Family Contribution Explained
Can You Apply to a College After the Deadline
What to Bring on a College Visit
Can You Apply to More Than One College Early Action
What You Need to Know about College Planning
Do I Apply for Financial Aid Before I Get Accepted?
Info about College Admissions Deadline
What email address should I use for my college applications?
When Should I Send In My Applications? Watch this video to learn.
What is a Supplemental Essay, and why are they important?
What is a teacher evaluation for college? Here is some information you need.
When to apply for financial aid. Watch this video to learn more!
Looking for College Scholarships? Watch this video to learn more!
What is Early Action? Click to read/watch this video.
Most students wonder when is the best time to fill out their college applications. Junior year? Summer after junior year? Fall of senior year?
As a college consultant, one of the most popular questions I get asked from my clients is, “Is volunteering important for college?” My short answer: It may be but it is very student specific.
Listen to this video to learn more about college applications, and how to get ready to start, and finish them on time!
COVID 19 Update For College Admissions. What you need to know.
When should you write your college essay? Watch this video to learn more.
Get your Naviance log in now since it is the key to getting a good portion of your documents to the colleges you are applying to.
You will gain a greater understanding of the entire college admissions process, including college selection, testing, your essay, managing the application process, college visit tips, financial aid information and so much more. Click here for details/registration.
High School Juniors, it’s time to ask those teachers for letters of recommendation.
High School Juniors, get your resume in order now! Here are some useful and practical tips to get your resume written and ready to upload to your college applications.
High School juniors, have you started your college search yet?
Part 7: Honors colleges at state universities are a way for a higher level student to have access to a smaller community with like-minded students, programs, courses, housing, and other perks, that are only available to honors students, yet be a part of a larger university with all that it offers.
Part 9: Search to see if the schools you have selected have the Jewish population you are looking for.
Part 5: What is the student body like at your list of colleges?
Part 8: Search for colleges that have the sport you want to play in college.
It’s second half of my junior year – Where should I be in my college journey?
Part 6: College Navigator has a wealth of information in a succinct format.
Part 4: Understanding campus life for a college is very important.
Part 3: Money does matter and this provides a wealth of information by college
Part 2: Don’t miss Liz’s picks for valuable college planning websites
Part 1: Don’t miss Liz’s picks for valuable college planning websites
Start the year off right and work on your college admissions journey!
What is Penn State’s most difficult school to get into?
Questions about the college admissions process?
College Affordability Part 12
College Affordability Part 11
College Affordability Part 10
College Affordability Part 9
Demonstrated Interest Part 7 Final
How to apply for financial aid.
College Affordability Part 7
More important information about College Athletic Recruiting and Social Media
Demonstrated Interest Part 6- The “Why Us” College Essay
Can you afford a private college? Questions about the college admissions process?
Interview, if it is offered!
The race to the early action deadline, and more. Watch this Tuesday Talks with Liz to learn more.
College costs never go down, so be sure to budget for this. College Affordability, Part 4. Watch this Tuesday Talks with Liz to learn more.
Social media is key in the college athletic recruiting process. This is Part 5 in a series that will speak to this.
Should I email a college admissions counselor if I am interested in their school? Watch this Tuesday Talks with Liz and how to do so.
Don’t assume that the money you receive for your freshman year will be around for each year thereafter. Read this Tuesday Talks With Liz and understand this important message now, before it is too late.
Never judge a college by its sticker price. Watch this Tuesday Talks With Liz to gain an understanding of “Net Price” and a college’s generosity, the two key components in the college affordability arena.
You’ve heard it a million times, don’t post inappropriate items on any of your social media pages. This is never more true that in the college recruiting arena. Regardless of how athletically inclined you are, coaches base much of their decision, first and foremost, on your character. Watch this Tuesday Talks With Liz and gain even more of an understanding on what this means, along with other valuable college recruiting tips.
Kicking off our college affordability Tuesday Talks With Liz series, we start with the basics and build from there. Don’t miss a moment.
This is the first video in a series that will explain to you how you can show your demonstrated interest in colleges, since many of them track this information and it can be considered during their admissions process, and you can learn a lot about these colleges along the way, as well.
Watch this Tuesday Talks With Liz to understand that in order to grow, we must understand how to persevere through the difficult times. Your college years will present many of those times. Don’t run, face them head-on. You will be the better for it.
Social media is key in the college athletic recruiting process. This is Part 1 in a series that will speak to this. Start with this Tuesday Talks With Liz.
Hey Juniors, happy summer vacation is almost here? Watch this Tuesday Talks With Liz and heed her advice. You will be SO happy you did so!
Attention end of year juniors! Watch this Tuesday Talks With Liz and get some golden nuggets to help you with your college admissions journey.
Need a loan to help fund your child’s college education? If you are looking to use the federally funded Parent PLUS loan, watch this Tuesday Talks With Liz and find out when and why to do so.
It’s the most, wonderful time, of the year……..Watch this Tuesday Talks With Liz and find out why.
Understand what is critical for you to understand prior to hiring a college counselor to assist you with one of the most important decisions you’ll ever make.
Know your net cost (excluding loans!) when making your final decision on where to attend.
Make sure your decision on which college to attend for the right reasons.
Still have hope after getting waitlisted at one of your top choice schools? Follow this advice to view it rationally.
You are patiently, and anxiously, awaiting your admissions response from that school that is incredibly selective to get into. Even before you hear, is it really the right choice for you? Watch this Tuesday Talks With Liz to give you some food for thought before you make that final choice.
Want to visit colleges from the comfort of your own home? You too can do this. It’s not going to replace you actually visiting the campus but it is a great introduction and a way to weed out schools without taking hours or days to make the trek to campus.
You’ve been accepted to many schools, and you ask yourself “should I put down my deposit yet?” Watch this Tuesday Talks With Liz and understand the “whys” and “why nots” in doing so.
Doesn’t each college have a preference on which test, the SAT or ACT, they prefer you submit? Watch this Tuesday Talks With Liz and understand if this is a fact or fiction.
Begin your college search from the comfort of your own home by using these websites. It doesn’t take the place of visiting but it’s a way to begin to weed out colleges and place others that you make it through your first pass onto your list.
Many of us have heard that acceptance rates at the most selective colleges have declined over time but wait until you hear the numbers. Watch this Tuesday Talks With Liz and stop dead in your tracks when you hear how much.
What does it mean to say a school is a safety, target or reach school for me and are the reach schools better? Find out with this Tuesday Talks With Liz and gain a greater understanding of what this means for you.
Is this college a financial match for me? What should you take a close look at to understand if a college is a financial match for you? Watch this Tuesday Talks With Liz and gain insight into this very important piece of your college admissions journey.
You’ve received an admissions response from your top choice school. It’s not an acceptance but it’s not a decline. It’s a deferral. What does that mean and what should I do about it?
Going on a road trip to visit colleges? Nice, but have you planned on what you will do when you get there? Watch this Tuesday Talks With Liz and find out what your game plan should be so you make the most out of each and every college visit.
Use Naviance to understand how you stack up against your peers.
Get the inside scoop on what it means to transfer to another college.
Happy new year and make 2019 all about the plan and being proactive in your college admissions journey.
I wanted to wish you all a very Merry Christmas & Happy Holiday season. May 2019 bring you good health, happiness, and success!
Is this college a financial fit for me? Figuring out if a college is generous for you is imperative. Watch this Tuesday Talks With Liz and gain insight into understanding this critical piece to your college admissions journey.
Sitting back and wondering when is the right time to start that college search piece of your college admissions journey? Watch this week’s Tuesday Talks With Liz and don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today.
You get an email from one of the colleges you applied to and they ask to set up an interview with them tomorrow! What do you do? Panic? No! Watch this Tuesday Talks With Liz and find out the 2 questions that you absolutely need to be prepared for.
Wanting to apply early action and think you have plenty of time since it’s only early September? Think again. The race is against time and there’s plenty of steps that need to be completed prior to hitting that “Submit” button”. Watch this Tuesday Talks With Liz to get a peek under the tent on what needs to occur.
So you’ve completed your primary essay, you’ve filled out as much as you can on your applications and you now have your supplemental essays to work on. Piece of cake, right? You can sit back and enjoy the rest of your summer and worry about those later. Ah, no!!! Watch this Tuesday Talks with Liz and understand, once again, that you shouldn’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today.
How does Naviance fit into my college application process? Watch this Tuesday Talks with Liz and find out who uses it and what it is used for.
I get this question all the time and the answer is in this Tuesday Talks with Liz. It’s all about making a plan. Watch and learn.
What is the 1 question you should ask when deciding on your college list?
How many reach, target and safety schools should I have on my list and what are my chances of getting into each? Watch this Tuesday Talks with Liz and gain an understanding of the importance of the 1 requirement that is a must in deciding which schools to apply to.
Make the most of your summer and do the work now to complete your college applications. You’ll be thankful you did so. Watch this Tuesday Talks With Liz and find out how.
I always say “Don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today.” Being proactive in your college application process will save you angst and stress down the road. Watch this Tuesday Talks With Liz and see how you can jump on your college applications now.
Wondering how to find those best-fit colleges that you want to apply to? Watch this Tuesday Talks With Liz and gain an understanding about the depths to which you need to go to find this out.
Should I attend the college fair at my high school? I get this question frequently. To find out the answer, watch this Tuesday Talks With Liz and see how this can be beneficial, if done properly.
Will applying early decision help my chances to get into my school of choice? Watch this Tuesday Talks with Liz and learn about the risk vs. the reward and how the landscape is becoming even more competitive as each admissions year passes.
Why can it be important to visit colleges during your college admissions journey? Besides the obvious reason of seeing if it is a good fit, there’s something called “Demonstrated Interest” which can play an important role and a difference in getting an acceptance vs. being declined.
Understanding your bottom line, your out of pocket costs, when it comes to paying for your child’s college education, is paramount. Only compare the merit and financial aid funds you receive as it relates to each school’s cost of attendance and your bottom line. Watch this video to ensure you understand the importance and the difference between the two.
Acceptances are rolling in, it’s time to make the decision on where to attend this Fall and you need to figure out how to finance your child’s college education. Watch this video to better understand the Federal Direct Student Loans as well as the Parent Plus Loan. No matter how you choose to do, Federal or private loans to fund your child’s education, be sure you understand the rules and boundaries and what it means for you down the road.
Make sure you compare each schools’ net cost to you BEFORE you make your final decision. You’ve gotten many acceptances and are thrilled, and you should be. But now comes the time to get real and compare each schools’ net cost to you.
Although this is a video from a sitcom where a family receives their financial aid award letter, reflecting their “happiness” about being broke, we all know this isn’t a joke in real life. Always remember the 3 legs to financing your child’s college education stool: At the beginning of your college search, define your financial boundaries, know your financial aid picture and understand the generosity of the colleges you are applying to.
Making plans to visit some colleges? Watch this video to be sure you plan and prepare for your visit to get the most out of it and you don’t leave without having all of the information you need to help make a decision on whether you would like to apply, or not.
The third leg to the stool in financing your child’s college education is understanding a colleges generosity, and relating it your financial boundaries and financial aid picture. Watch this Tuesday Talks With Liz to touch the surface on pulling together this ever important picture in paying for college.
The previous Tuesday Talks With Liz spoke to defining your financial boundaries as the 1st leg to the 3 legged stool. This Tuesday Talks With Liz defines the second leg, understanding your financial aid picture. Watch this to fully understand why this leg of the stool is critically important to financing your child’s college education. Dismissing it can send you down a dangerous road.
Wondering how you approach financing your college years and how to make it work for you? Watch this to begin to understand this critical piece of the process that needs to be addressed at the beginning of your journey, NOT the end!
Are you a junior in high school? Have you started your college search yet? Understand the importance of beginning that college search now, actually, yesterday. There’s no time like the present.
You’re only going to spend an hour or 2, the most, when you visit a college campus, so making the most of that visit is paramount. Find out what to look for.
Rushing through to complete your college applications to ensure you make those deadlines? Settling for what you feel is “good enough”?
What is the Excelsior Scholarship and how can it benefit me? Live in NY State and wondering what this Excelsior Scholarship is all about, if you qualify and what’s the catch?
Many families have high expectations to receive an athletic scholarship when they have a child who is an athlete in high school who wants to participate in their sport in college.
The early bird has the best opportunity to get the worm. This phrase is the foundation of what I stand for and how I work with my students. Submitting your applications early provides a load off of your shoulders but then you need to wait, and wait, and wait, for many of the colleges to respond, which can be agonizing.
All of your college applications are submitted…What a relief…Want to know when you will hear on whether you’re accepted?
Want to know how to figure out which tax year your financial aid forms are based off of?
So you submitted all of your applications and you feel relieved. Not quite yet!
Why is my Guidance Counselor asking me to complete this questionnaire about me? Completing this packet can be critical for valuable insight to those teachers and your Guidance Counselor who are writing your letters of recommendation.
Student Resume and Why It Is Important: Why put together a student resume for your college applications?
Reach, Target, Safety schools – What does this mean and how many of each should I apply to? Watch this Tuesday Talks With Liz and find out what these categorizations mean and what is the rule of thumb on how many to apply to.
How many schools should a student apply to? Find out the questions you need to ask yourself to get the answer.
Wishing you could have done more throughout your college admissions journey? Be sure that you have no regrets when you head off to college.
Warning! Are you depending on your friends to advise you on yours or your child’s college admissions journey? Think again. Watch this weeks Tuesday Talks With Liz and know why you should tune out all of that “noise” you hear that can send you in the wrong direction and down a path that can be devastating.
Thinking about being a Division I or II athlete in college? Watch this Tuesday Talks With Liz and find out what your first step needs to be.
College Application Supplemental Essays and Their Importance. So, some colleges on your list have essays that you need to write that are specific to that school. You may think that these essays aren’t that important but think again….Watch this Tuesday Talks With Liz and gain insight to your supplemental essays and how they play into your college admissions journey.
Thinking about who you should ask to write your letters of recommendation for your college applications? Watch this Tuesday Talks With Liz and know that it’s quality, not quantity.
So, you want to be an athlete in college and are unsure where to begin. Watch this Tuesday Talks With Liz and learn the 3 words that are mandatory for you to demonstrate when going through the athletic recruiting process.
Waiting for the Common App to become available to begin working on it? Watch this Tuesday Talks with Liz to get started on this now.
Saved money for your children’s college education and did so with a 529 account? How does this affect your Expected Family Contribution? See how these funds are viewed.
So, you receive your financial aid award letter and are confused about what monies you are actually receiving to pay for your child’s college education. Be sure you understand everything that it states since it can be deceiving in funds you don’t have to pay back and those that you do. Watch this video to gain insight on what is beneficial and what may not be beneficial to your bottom line.
Can you receive merit and need based aid and how much will a college give? Gain a greater understanding of this process and how it can vary from school to school.
Don’t ever judge a college by its sticker price! Watch this weeks Tuesday Talks with Liz and go with her down the path of the Adam’s family and how the sticker price of 4 colleges may differ from their bottom line, net cost. Note: This video is a bit over 5 minutes in length but well worth your while.
Can you get more money from a college after receiving your financial aid award letter? Watch this video to understand your options.
If you are in a blended household, how does the Step Parents information get considered in the student’s Expected Family Contribution calculation and will it help or hinder the final outcome? Watch this video to gain insight on the importance of the step parents information and how it can affect your bottom line.
What does it mean when a college reads a students application “Need Blind” vs. “Need Aware”? Watch this to see how your financial profile can help or hinder your chances of acceptance.
There are approximately 300 colleges in the US that require a family to complete the CSS Profile to evaluate institutional aid. Watch this video to find out what factors are considered when completing the CSS Profile in evaluating the student’s financial need and what funds they will be awarded.
Thinking about taking a Parent PLUS loan through the Federal government to help pay for your child’s college education? Watch this video to better understand what that means and how it can affect you for decades to come.
How much can a Federal Direct Student Loan help in paying for college, whose loan is it and when do I need to begin paying it back? Get the details on how it all works.
Who completes the FAFSA when parents don’t live together? This critical information could mean the difference of thousands of dollars in financial aid if you choose the wrong path.
Wondering how your untaxed income will affect your financial aid?
Understanding your assets and what to and what not to report is critical to your bottom line and could cost you tens of thousands of dollars. Understand the devastation this can cause if not reported properly.
Ever want to know how your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) is calculated? Gain insight into this complex calculation.
So how is your Expected Family Contribution calculated? Understand the 2 methodologies used for this calculation, kicking off your financial aid journey.
So you’ve received your award letter and “Work Study” is listed as a line item to fund your education.
Understand how “financial need” is defined and how this number relates to what you can receive from a college. Remember, all colleges are not created equal.
If you learn nothing else about the financial aid process, know what “EFC” stands for and what it means to your financial aid picture.
Understanding the fundamentals of anything is essential and financial aid is no different. What is COA, the Cost of Attendance?
How do you make the final decision on where you will attend college? Watch this Tuesday Talks with Liz and catch a glimpse into understanding how it all fits together if you do your due diligence.