College Admissions Help Blog

Harvard College announced today (Feb. 24) that it will restore nonbinding early action as part of its admissions process this fall and significantly enhance its recruiting program to assist talented students from modest economic backgrounds in navigating the admissions process. Harvard also announced it will increase its investment in undergraduate financial aid next year to more than $160 million. Currently, more than 60 percent of Harvard College students receive scholarship aid, and the average grant is about $38,000.

In 2007, Harvard eliminated its nonbinding early action program on a trial basis and moved to a single admissions deadline, announcing at the time that it would evaluate the impact of the change after several years.

Hi folks! We’re right in the midst of FAFSA season and students are beginning to receive their Student Aid Reports. I just wanted to let everyone know a little bit more about the SAR and what to look for once you get it.

When you receive your Student Aid Report, the first thing you should do is look for any errors that may have been made. If you do find an error, you do have the opportunity to correct it by web, phone, or mail, though web is usually the fastest. It is important to note, however, that you can only correct any information that was incorrect as of the day you filed your FAFSA, though if an issue arises after filing, you still may be able to change your information. To do this, contact your school’s financial aid office.

If you haven’t received your Student Aid Report yet, don’t worry. It usually takes about four weeks for your FAFSA to be processed and for you to receive your SAR. If it has been longer than four weeks since you filed, you can call 1-800-4FED-AID to check on the status of your application. Visit FafsaOnline.com for more information on federal student aid and your Student Aid Report.

You can also check out the financial aid calendar to see what steps to take next.

Ask Admissions Girl: When applying to colleges you have to send your high school transcript, but do colleges actually look at them?

YES! Transcripts are a very important part of the admissions process and in most cases, give a more accurate portrayal of a student’s academic prowess than the SAT, ACT, or other standardized test. This is why it is very important to start early and get good grades from the very start.

Although schools would like to see consistently high grades, admissions reps look for upward trends as well. If you have a bad freshman year but show a marked improvement over the next three years, this can also be seen as positive. A transcript which shows a decline in grades over your four years is conversely looked upon as a negative indication of a student’s abilities.
(more…)

The college application and financial aid process is time-consuming, and requires a great deal of research and planning. Thankfully, most of your forms can now be found and completed online.  Even your toughest questions can be answered online by dedicated advocates.

Key tasks you should get on top of as early as possible:

File your FAFSA - Filing your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the first step in applying for Federal grants and also Federal and Stafford Loans. Many people do not realize that you may file your FAFSA before your taxes.

Stay on top of your deadlines - A few FAFSA state deadlines have changed this year, so be sure to confirm yours, and your federal school codes at FAFSAOnline. Some states only accept applications at the start of the year and award aid until funds run out.

Plan for emergencies - If you come across some unexpected expenses, find, apply and compare private student loan to help cover the rest of your college expenses.

If you have a puzzling question about how you are going to pay for college or the financial aid process visit the Financial Aid Forum. The Student Loan Network’s dedicated team answers questions daily and will provide resources to help answer those tough questions.

You can file the FAFSA on January 1, 2011 through June 30, 2011, but if you are applying to a traditonal four year school for the fall 2011 semester you will want to complete the FAFSA on or soon after January 1st.  Why? In some cases, federal aid, grants and scholarships are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, so get the ball rolling early.

To file your FAFSA, there is information you will need to gather regarding income and taxes for the 2010 year, before you receive your income reports from the previous year (W2′s) and file your taxes.  This may trip you and your parents up as you are not required to file your tax information for the previous year until April 15th.  While having your federal tax return complete will save you a lot of time when filling out your FAFSA, you will want to file your FAFSA form earlier (starting Jan 1st) than you are able to complete your IRS federal tax return (after receiving income reports, by April 15th).

Thankfully, you are allowed to report estimated tax data on your FAFSA.  As long as you correct the estimates once you finish your taxes, you are not required to complete your IRS federal tax return before filing your FAFSA. It is a common misnomer that it is required when it is simply encouraged. Note there is a question on the FAFSA about which IRS Tax Form you will fill out in the future, and that is where the 1040 Form comes up. You can fill out a 1040 form using estimated income amounts, either using your previous year’s tax return or your current pay stubs.

What is the 1040? The 1040 is the Federal Income Tax Return form. There are a few different versions of this form and it is important to determine which you will be filing. The FAFSA-on-the-web application will populate other parts of the form for you based on qualifications you would have in order to file the specific types of federal return.  Use this guide below to guide you on which form you and your parents can us.

To qualify for the 1040EZ:

• Your total income is under $100,000
• Your interest income is under $1,500
• You have income only from wages, interest, unemployment compensation, and Alaska Permanent Fund dividends
• You and your spouse are under 65 years old
• Your filing status is single or married filing jointly.
• You do not have any adjustments to income
• You are claiming only the standard deduction
• You may claim the Earned Income Credit
• You are not claiming any other tax credits

If you meet all of these conditions, you are eligible to file the 1040EZ, and you will note this on your FAFSA. Most students are eligible to file the 1040EZ.

To qualify for the 1040A:

• Your total income is under $100,000
• Any age, any filing status
• You have income from wages, interest, dividends, capital gain distributions, IRA or pension distributions, unemployment compensation, or Social Security benefits
• You can claim the following adjustments to income: penalty for early withdrawal of savings, IRA contributions, student loan interest, and jury duty pay given to your employer
• You can claim the following tax credits: Child and dependent care credit, Credit for the elderly and disabled, Education credits, Retirement savings contributions credit, Child tax credit, and Earned income credit.

Completing one of the 1040 tax forms will give you a better idea of what adjustments can be made to your income, such as tuition and fees deductions and student loan interest. And you’ll be a step ahead on filing your federal taxes when you are able to.

Filing your taxes online? Most tax software will determine for you which form you are supposed to file, and then you may note that on your FAFSA.

For more FAFSA tips visit www.FAFSAonline.com

As January approaches most of you should be narrowing a list of schools and be preparing the applications for submission.  Use this time before applications are due to get a second opinion on your college essay. English teachers and counselors are an amazing resource, but it is also good to take advice from students who have been there when you begin writing your college admissions essay.

Many colleges now incorporate student blogs on their admissions sites to help give prospective students a real taste of college and university life. Students are given free reign to talk about the things they may not have expected or the struggles they may be going through day to day such as a big test, because that is the real stuff! Notably, the MIT admissions blog employs a number a great bloggers that write on relevant topics for prospective students. This blog post “Just Chillax’ [about your college essays]“, posted a few weeks ago by Elizabeth C. ’13 may be particularly helpful for those with essays still in the review process.

My favorite line from this post is: “0% of people who do not apply to MIT get into MIT.” There is a lot of pressure to deal with when writing an essay.  Don’t be afraid of your reach schools, whether it is an academic or financial reach, because you will never know if you do not try!  As a college student recently told us, “Schools below your average can be good as a failsafe option, and schools above your average may unexpectedly accept you.” Acceptance to a reach school may hinge on your essay, so use every resource available.  Elizabeth C. includes her own essay in this post, read it and see where you essay matches up or doesn’t, and consider if any of the techniques used could help your essay.  If your school has a student blog reach out and ask for advice from a student who has been there.

Earlier I wrote about picking a college essay topic, if at this point you feel that you may be working on a topic that isn’t quite right, you still have a chance to rewrite and review before applications are due.  Sometimes it takes stepping away from the whole process for a few minutes to gain clarity. Don’t sell yourself short, use the resources around you to write a great essay!  I recommend checking out this NYT article on “A Few Essays That Worked (And a Few That Didn’t)“, and if you need advice you can post your essay on the admissions forum and admissions experts from the HowToGetIn team can give you advice.

Visit the Admissions Forum | Ask a question on twitter @HowToGetIn | Like us on Facebook

Originally published on blog.studentloannetwork.com

As many of you may know, the 2011-2012 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) will be available on January 1, 2011. In order to be prepared for this day, it is important that students, parents and financial aid officers become acquainted with the most recent changes.

The National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA) recently released their “Summary of Changes” for the 2011-2012 FAFSA. This document covers everything from changes in design to changes in the way questions are worded. Whether you are a student filing the FAFSA for the first time, or a seasoned financial aid professional, NASFAA’s document will help you approach this year’s FAFSA with the right information.

Download NASFAA’s Summary of Changes Now!

What do you want to be for your entire life?

Easy question, right? For some – yes. For others – no.  As you search for colleges, you may be feeling pressure and struggling to know what you will major in, knowing that your college major will affect the job you land post-graduation, and life thereafter.  While majors and specialized programs are a crucial factor to consider when evaluating the academic fit of a school, and your college choices do in fact affect your post-graduation life, it is not that clear cut, so do not worry if you are not sure.

Here are 5 tips on college majors to help you find the right fit.

1. Your major does NOT determine what you do for your entire life – In today’s job market, unlike the 1950′s where once you got a job you worked into retirement, in the same field, same company. The median years a person stays in one job is 4.1 years (2008), an avg person will have to have 7-10 jobs in their lifetime.

2.For most schools, you are not required to declare a major until the end of your sophomore year.

3. Many people say “college doesn’t just educate you, college teaches you how to think.” What you learn can be taken in many directions. Today’s employers seek unique skills that can be derived from the arduous studying done in any subject at the college level. Stick to your strengths, learn how to support your weaknesses and broaden your ideas.

4. In addition, college does not make you. You will only get what you make of it. Yes, another saying you may have heard, but it is true.  College is an amazing opportunity to learn, explore and grow.  You will find benefit by immersing yourself in the subject you study, regardless of the limited or plentiful job opportunities in the field.

5. Understand what it takes to start a career in fields you are curious about. Search for jobs that interest you on BLS.gov. The bureau of labor statistics will tell you the average salary paid at this job, whether it is competitive or a growing occupation, and the degree and experience required to get that job.  Pick a few careers you think you would enjoy, write down the requirements and look for schools that can support one or two of these options.  Another way to get this type of information is by job shadowing, interning, or reading job listings online.

Search for colleges by college major on HowToGetIn |  Search for colleges by State

So the time has finally come, you are putting procrastination aside and sitting at the computer to write that killer college admissions essay. Congratulations! Here are some tips for the best way to approach the task on hand.

• Write in first person
• Share a powerful message
• Connect to the requirements of the essay
• Strategically support your academic profile and goals
• Show your ambition, exude confidence and express initiative

First develop an overall strategy.  Sit with your mentor (friend, parent, brother, sister, grandma, physics teacher, boss, school counselor — an outside reader) Talk about what you want out of college, and that will most likely match with the top colleges on your list. Let this information guide your strategy to incorporate supporting qualities, information into your essay. Qualities that match up with the school’s mission and your goals.

Each short or long essay you write is “a chance to tell your story.” To who? Why? To convince the admissions person reading your essay that you are their ideal candidate.  At this point, your grades and scores have put you into the yes or no column, but colleges must then use the essays to select candidates with the best fit.  Most admissions offices consider the college essay fourth in importance behind grades, test scores, and rigor of coursework. Read more about the school of choice, to figure out what matter most to them.  Connect with the reader based on what you know about the school.  Each school has a tagline, put that tagline in your head, (“The Best School in The West”) while you write and let it guide the story you craft.

Focus on the details that make your story unique, include the facts that are not obvious to the reader.  I had such writer’s block when I started writing my application essays. Don’t let the pressure of deadlines throw you off track – you are too good for that! Pick a topic that answers the essay question, and remember to relate back to it the topic during the story. If you are have trouble starting, remember an English teacher may have already assigned an essay that you can use as a starting point. Look through your old writing, talk to teachers and mentors, and refine your thoughts.

Why is college important to you? Remember you are filling the gaps in of the admissions person’s knowledge. To show yourself in the best light, and to put the reader in a jolly mood, focus on the positive. Stories that have positive outcomes, despite struggle, show initiative and make powerful college admissions essays.

Community college students can successfully transfer to some of the nation’s most selective four-year institutions and perform as well as those who start as freshmen, if they are given appropriate academic and social support, a new report on a five-year project by the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation finds.