Selecting a College and Finding Scholarships
Dear Parents:
To close out the year I have chosen two articles that cover topics close to my heart when it comes to counseling students. The first article echoes Frank Bruni, the New York Times Education Opinion writer who wrote a book about the College Selection Process. The article reinforces the idea that it is not where you go to college, rather what you do when you are there. Return on Investment is important. If money is no object, then attending an Ivy League school or a highly selective college that does not offer merit aid, is a great option for a high performing student. For most families today, money is important and paying for college is something to seriously consider. The article about selecting a college reminds us what is important in the college search besides name.
The second article is where to look for scholarships once the student has exhausted what the specific colleges the student applied for admission offer. Independent scholarships are tricky because they are often like looking for a “needle in a haystack”. Often students who rely on the internet searches from websites like Fastweb.com to search for scholarships, apply to many and end up not being awarded any or only one. Narrowing the search is critical. This article gives good tips on where to look for merit aid that will give a better result for the effort.
2019 is almost over. It has gone by fast! Reflecting over the year I am grateful for the fabulous and interesting students I have had the pleasure of helping to navigate the college admissions process this year. I am looking forward to hearing from each of my seniors to hear what their options are for attending schools next fall, and what their final choices are in the coming months.
Thank you for your readership. Here is to a great 2020! Safe travels and happy holidays this joyful season!
Sincerely,
Catherine L. Marrs, CEP
The College Your Kids Attend isn't as Important as the Majors they Choose
The colleges your kids attend matter far less than the majors they choose, and multiple studies have shown elite schools don’t offer any extra payoff for most graduates.
Here are the most important facts to know as you navigate the college admissions process and decide how much to spend.
Source: Liz Weston - Nerd Wallet
What Are The Best Resources For Finding College Scholarships?
Scholarships are essentially providing the financial missing puzzle piece in your college puzzle. For many students, they are often either the component that allows to attend college in the first place or scholarships may fill the financial gap between your dream college and the state college down the block.
Source: Michaela Schieffer - Quora/Forbes