Creating An Authentic Balance in Your College List
For many high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors, creating a college list can feel intimidating. It feels as if a whole life depends on making the “right” decision, and for some students, that can create overwhelming pressure. The key to making a good college list is to find an authentic balance: of likelihood, cost, earnings, educational program, culture, and other factors.
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Understanding Financial Aid Award Letters
March and April are when many students receive admissions acceptance letters from universities. Accompanying those letters, or following soon thereafter, come financial aid award letters. For many families, these award letters are confusing and opaque. Understanding them is critical as you make decisions on which college to attend and how to pay for it.
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The New Sat: How It’s Changed, and How You Can Prepare for It
In March of 2016, the CollegeBoard (which administers the SAT and PSAT), kicked off the new SAT, which is a major change from the old one which had been in use for a decade. The new SAT has now been used for almost two years, and there’s still not much understanding about how parents and students should best adapt. So here is a summary.
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How Many College Admissions Essays Will I Have to Write?
As the number of colleges students apply to continues to grow, the number of college admissions essays students have to write goes up as well. If you’re a sophomore or junior (or the parent of one) starting to think about college applications, you might be wondering: “How many college admissions essays will I have to write?”
read moreThe LifeLaunchr Webinar: U.K. College Admissions
The deadline for applying to U.K. universities for Fall 2018 admission is coming up fast, on January 15, 2018. That’s also the deadline to apply for deferred admissions for Fall 2019. LifeLaunchr’s recent webinar “Applying to College in the U.K.? Meet the January 15 deadline!” helped parents and students by providing expert advice on U.K. college admissions from LifeLaunchr coach Amy Garrou.
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Five Things Every Family Should Know About Paying For College
Saving for college is one of the most-avoided topics in college planning. That’s understandable, since the costs can feel overwhelming, and for many of us the response to feeling overwhelmed is paralysis. But with a little planning, the challenge of paying for college is manageable. Here are five important tips for being in a position to afford college and minimize debt.
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The Keys to a Great College Essay
This is the time of year when many students are struggling with college essays. A great essay can help you get into a school which might otherwise have turned you down. So it does matter. But what makes for a great college essay? Our earlier webinar on “Secrets of Writing a Winning College Essay,” with Jane Hirschhorn, laid out some great tips. But here are a few dos and don’ts to think about as you write your essay. Paying attention to these tips could turn an otherwise indifferent essay into one that gets noticed.
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How to Make Sense of College Rankings
Each September, the week the vaunted U.S. News and World Report college rankings come out, you’ll find parents looking over them anxiously. For many universities as well, these rankings are critical, since universities vie for top spots on this widely-publicized evaluation of their quality. For parents and students, the report adds to the complexity of decision-making about college. Here are tips on how to think about college rankings.
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Start the Year Right! Fall Tips for College Planning
Welcome to a new year of high school! As you get started on the new year, here are some tips to help you start it right. Whichever year of high school you’re in, make sure you’re paying attention to the things that will help you with college planning. Here, by year, is a list of fall tips for college planning.
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Secrets of Writing a Winning College Essay: The LifeLaunchr Webinar
At virtually every selective U.S. university, your admissions essay is the key to standing out from all the others with similar test scores and grades. Writing a great college essay can help you win admissions to stretch schools. Our recent webinar, by LifeLaunchr coach Jane Hirschhorn, tells you what you need to know to write a great college essay. For parents with rising juniors and seniors, and for their teens, this webinar provides valuable free information.
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