Waiting game begins for seniors

For high school seniors, the months of April and May should be a time to wait and compare financial aid offers from colleges. Although it is exciting to receive acceptance letters, students should never make their final decisions until they have received the financial aid letters from each college.

When trying to make the best decision about where to go to college, a student should always use the financial aspect to make the final choice. Once the student has received the financial aid package letters from all of the colleges to which he or she has been accepted, he or she should compare all of the offers and determine which would give him/her the best deal. Take into account the amount of grants, gifts, and scholarships in comparison to the loans and work-study. Determine which school will give you the most aid that you do not have to pay back. You should, however, make sure that you look at the amount of gifts/scholarships in comparison to the total cost of the school. Some schools may offer more "free" money, but if the school costs $40,000, you may find a better deal at a school that is offering less aid.

Once you have compared all the numbers, the parents and student should sit down together and make an educated decision. Even though all colleges are different, many of them offer the same types of programs. Don't make a decision based on how the campus looked or whether the cafeteria food was good, but choose based on how much money you will end up paying and whether you think that you would fit well into the school. Consider the classes you visited, the people you met, and the professors you talked to in addition to the financial package that the school has offered. Your decision should come when you feel that this would be a school at which you would be comfortable, financially, academically, and socially.

Remember that at least 30% of students transfer after their first two years at a college, so making the right choice in the beginning can save you thousands of dollars that it may cost to transfer!

A college visit checklist

Spring break is here in some parts of the country, and while some college students may be heading to the beach to relax, high school students should be taking the opportunity to visit colleges on their list of possible schools. Summer is also a great time to visit schools, so you can start planning visits now! It is a good idea for students to physically visit the schools they are interested in before they apply; they may get to a college and realize that it was nothing like the online web tour made it seem.

When a family does schedule a visit and go to a college, they should keep the following things in mind:

• Before you visit, make a list of things that are important to you to learn about the college. Visit the school's website and be prepared. Write down a list of questions that you would like professors, students, or admissions counselors to answer for you. It is a good idea to use the same list of questions and comments for each school so that you can compare.

• At the very least, you should try to schedule a meeting with an admissions counselor while you are there. You will be able to ask questions and get a feel for the school. It would be better to schedule a visit with a professor in the student's field of interest as well. This would give the student the chance to ask questions about that particular field and how the college will help him or her in that area.

• Take a campus tour! Most campuses offer tours that you can schedule in advance if you know when you will be there. This gives the entire family the opportunity to walk around campus and listen to a tour guide (usually a student from the college) talk about the good qualities of the school. Spring and summer are great times to visit because it is pretty in most parts of the country.

• Finally, make sure you ask lots of questions! It is best to do this while you are at the college and in contact with people who can answer questions for you. You could still call them after you leave, but this is a great opportunity to find out what students and professors think of the college, what they do off campus, and what a typical day might be like.

One other simple thing that you could do after you leave is write a thank-you note to everyone who took time out of their day to help you during your visit. This may help you get noticed by the college and may help with acceptance or a better financial package later.

CAPlus news

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High school sophomores

The student should start thinking now about which colleges he or she might want to visit during the summer. Spring and summer are great times to visit schools, so you should begin planning these trips now. If your family takes a vacation together in the summer, try to fit a few college visits in while you are at it. Make informed, educated decisions on which colleges to visit. You shouldn't visit schools that you know you can't afford!

Parents and students should continue to save money for the student's college education. If the student has a job lined up for the summer, plan on putting the money into the parents' account(s) rather than in the student's name. This shields the money from the federal formulas that determine how much the family can afford.

Continue studying for the SAT and ACT tests for at least one hour a week! It is important to treat this test as homework to ensure that the student receives the highest score possible. Colleges often knock down tuition prices by thousands of dollars depending on SAT/ACT scores. The software that College Assistance Plus provides is very helpful in preparing for these tests.

Top athletic students should make sure to continue compiling video highlights of their games and collecting any newspaper clippings about themselves. Most student athletes won't get a full ride to college, but they can pick up a few thousand dollars at many schools if they have the talent and if that talent is well-documented.

Students who are involved in clubs and organizations should try to apply for leadership roles for next year. College admission officers love student leaders, which will give you leverage in obtaining a better financial package. If there are clubs or organizations that the student would like to join, do it!

Continue to work hard in school to finish up the final stretch before the year is over. You may feel like taking it easy and coasting through until the end of the year, but it will do you more harm than good in the long run. Colleges will most definitely be looking at your grades from this year!

Parents should move qualified assets into non-qualified accounts. This strategy is an important key to receiving more financial aid than you may have thought possible. (Qualified assets are assets that qualify for the FAFSA, while non-qualified assets do not.) If your assets are exposed to either the federal or institutional methodology, you can reduce the amount you have to pay by altering the title or moving those assets into non-qualified accounts. Be careful to properly and legally implement these strategies. See your financial advisor or CAPlus representative for more assistance in this process.

Students should talk to their guidance counselors about adding AP classes to their schedules for the coming year. Many colleges accept these classes for credit, and it also shows the college that the student is able to handle a heavier course load. When a student has a good academic transcript, he or she will have a better chance to receive a good financial package from the college.

High school juniors

Juniors should remain focused on their schoolwork during the end of the spring semester. Junior-year grades are especially important because they show to the college what kind of work the student can do in advanced, upper-level courses. Grades are also used to determine scholarship and grant eligibility.

Students should check local community colleges to see if there are any summer courses that may be of interest to them. Look for courses in the major you are interested in pursuing; also look for any general courses that may count toward general education credits when you get to college. This can save you from having to pay for those credits later.

Collect information about college application procedures, entrance requirements, tuition and other fees, room and board costs, student activities, course offerings, and financial aid. The Internet is a good way to find this kind of information; your College Assistance Plus representative may be able to gather some of it for you as well. Begin comparing schools by factors that you find most important. This will save you time later.

If you plan to take the ACT, register now for the June 10 exam. Registration is due by May 5, and late registration (which requires a late fee) is accepted until May 19th. The next SAT test is June 3; regular registration is due by April 28, and late registration is due May 10. Visit www.actstudent.org and www.collegeboard.com for more information and to find testing sites.

Students should continue to refine their lists of potential colleges. Contact the admissions and financial aid offices at any colleges in which you are interested so that you can get information now on admission, scholarships, and financial aid. Talk with your parents about the colleges in which you are interested; parents can help with this process!

Summer months are often great times to visit colleges, so you might want to plan any summer visit trips now. Make informed, educated decisions on which colleges to visit; don't visit colleges that you know you are unable to afford. This may save you from emotional attachment from a college that is too expensive. You don't want to waste your time and gas money visiting colleges that you are unable to afford, and your son or daughter may just end up falling in love with a college that is way above your price range.

If the student is planning on having a job during the summer, sit down with him or her and go over the importance of having a budget to plan where the money is going to go. Also, keep the money that the student earns in a parental account instead of an account in the student's name.

When the student has figured out the things he or she would like in a college, give the information to your College Assistance Plus representative if you have not yet done so. We will then give you a detailed comparative list of colleges that meet your search criteria and their up-to-date financial information.

Athletes who play spring sports (such as track and field, baseball, softball, etc.) should plan to take photographs and video of themselves make sure that you are marketing yourself to schools now. Don't wait for the sport season to be over, because many colleges have already made decisions by that time. Now is the time to be emphasizing what you have done in that sport in the past.

Students should continue to save papers, projects, or any other good work that they are doing in school. Having these things on hand will be helpful during the admissions process (and can serve as portfolios or references later!).

Parents should also move qualified assets into non-qualified accounts. This strategy is an important key to receiving more financial aid than you may have thought possible. (Qualified assets are assets that qualify for the FAFSA, while non-qualified assets do not.) If your assets are exposed to either the federal or institutional methodology, you can reduce the amount you have to pay by altering the title or moving those assets into non-qualified accounts. Be careful to properly and legally implement these strategies. See your financial advisor or College Assistance Plus representative for any assistance in this process.

High school seniors

It is April, so you should have filled out your FAFSA by now, either in hard copy or online. If you completed it based on tax forms from the previous year, make sure you resubmit a corrected form based on your new tax information. If you did file your FAFSA, watch the mail for your SAR (Student Aid Report). If you have not received it, call 1-800-4-FED-AID or visit www.fafsaed.gov. This report summarizes your financial aid eligibility, so make sure you read it carefully. If there are any inconsistencies or errors, make the changes necessary and either send the packet back or update the information online. If you have questions, feel free to contact your CAPlus representative for help.

Many colleges' application deadlines have passed by now, although there are also many that are on a rolling admission schedule (meaning that you can apply at any time). If you have missed deadlines, look for colleges with later deadlines to which you can apply. We suggest applying to six or more schools. Once you have applied, follow up with the admissions office to make sure that they have received all of the necessary information from you and your high school.

Students and parents may be getting nervous if they have not received financial package information yet. Many selective schools aren't even sending out the financial packages until mid to late April, so don't panic! Remember that acceptances don't mean much until you get your packages to compare the schools. Once you get financial aid information from all of the colleges, contact your CAPlus representative, who will work with you on choosing the best school for you.

Don't make rash decisions. This is the most important thing that you can remember right now. Don't make a commitment to a school until you have received your financial packages. Remember that many students transfer after their first year, and the average student changes his or her major at least 3 times in the course of their undergraduate education. The average cost of changing a major is about $8000, which adds up, especially if the student is in school for the average 5 years. Take your time and choose a school that you really would want to be at. Also, don't choose a school because of a boyfriend or girlfriend. Often relationships don't last throughout college, and one or the other of you may decide to transfer for academic or financial reasons.

If you have not yet done so, students should meet with their guidance counselors to discuss college plans. Go over previous SAT and ACT scores to determine if you should retake either of these tests. Discuss whether the colleges to which you want to apply are appropriate, considering your academic and personal records. Request that your counselor send the transcripts of your first-semester grades to the colleges to which you applied, if necessary. Follow up to make sure that he or she has sent the forms for you.

If you plan to take the ACT again, register now for the June 10 exam. Registration is due by May 5, and late registration (which requires a late fee) is accepted until May 19th. The next SAT test is June 3; regular registration is due by April 28, and late registration is due May 10. Visit www.actstudent.org and www.collegeboard.com for more information and to find testing sites.

Don't focus in on a technical school unless you are certain that you will not be changing majors. Students who are planning on going to college for pre-med, for example, should keep in mind that 80% of pre-med students drop out of that program and change to another major in their first year of college. Liberal arts schools or community colleges are often good choices because they have a variety of programs that students can switch to if they find they do not like their original major. Talk to your College Assistance Plus representative to determine what exactly you are looking for, and they will help you find colleges that will meet your needs.

Students should also beware of ending up at a school that is too selective for them. Applying to and choosing to attend a very selective school can often hurt more than it can help; if you are only considered average at that school, they will not want you as much as they would want someone who would be above their average. Schools offer better financial rewards to students that will help their institution appear better.

If the student is taking any AP courses for college credit, begin preparing for the tests in May. If there is an AP preparation class available, consider taking it. These courses can give you college credit that you will not have to pay for later, so better grades are more beneficial.

If you have made your college choice, congratulations! It's a tough decision to make. Don't forget to send in your tuition deposit, and notify your CAPlus representative so we can update our records.

College freshmen and sophomores

By this time in April, you should have filled out your renewal FAFSA, either in hard copy or online. If you did this this based on estimates from last year's tax forms, be sure to resubmit your update information once you have filed your taxes. If you have not filed your FAFSA, you need to do this right away. Timing is everything!

Good grades mean higher incentive for the college to give you scholarships for the following year and years after that. Also, 30% of students transfer after the first or second year of college, so higher grades might give you the ability to obtain a better package. Parents need to remember that their student is on his or her own as far as school goes now, but it can be good to see how the student is doing academically or to give encouragement over the phone.

It is a good idea for parents to sit down with their students and outline a budget for the summer and the upcoming school year. Students need to be prudent about spending money instead of using loan money for pizza and CDs.

If you are planning to work during the summer, focus on finding a job that will enhance your resume. Service jobs are plentiful, but you should look for one in your field of study! Not only will this give you experience, but it will also help you determine if you really do want to be in this field. Network around and get some interviews if possible. School is almost out for the summer, and you should plan on having something lined up before the semester ends.

Students may want to schedule a meeting with a career counselor at college. Talking with someone may help you figure out what you can do with your degree and where you might look for a summer job. Don't count on someone else to find you a job, however.

Students should be sure they have met with their academic advisors to work out schedules for the next semester and to discuss plans for the next few years. If you have not declared a major yet, talk with a counselor or general advisor to determine which classes to take in the next semester that may be required to graduate. Don't get trapped into an extra semester or year if you can help it.

College juniors

Students should be sure they have met with their academic advisors to work out schedules for the next semester. Make sure you are on schedule to graduate on time! Also, talk with advisors or professors about helping to find an internship or summer job. Don't expect that someone else will find you a job, however; this is your responsibility.

By this time in April, you should have filled out your renewal FAFSA, either in hard copy or online. If you did this this based on estimates from last year's tax forms, be sure to resubmit your update information once you have filed your taxes. If you have not filed your FAFSA, you need to do this right away. Timing is everything! The longer you wait, the more of a chance there will be that your application for aid will end up at the bottom of a pile.

Students who plan on attending a summer session at college should make sure that they have applied. Make sure to stay on top of the work and do well in the course; if your grades are exceptional, your CAPlus representative may be able to leverage more aid for your senior year.

Continue talking to friends/relatives/acquaintances about any job connections those people may have. In order to ensure that you find a job when you graduate, it's good to find an internship or job in your field during the summer. Networking is the best way!

Do not hesitate to call your College Assistance Plus representative if you are uncertain about how to use your degree. We are here to help, and sometimes it is beneficial to have a third party with whom you can talk about this issue. We want you to be in a good financial place, so we will try to help you figure out what you want to do with the degree you are getting.

College seniors

It's almost the end of your college career! Keep pushing to keep your grades up until you graduate. Parents, if you are planning to celebrate after your student graduates, remember to keep it within your budget.

If you aren't sure what you want to do (or can do) with your degree, feel free to contact your College Assistance Plus representative. We want to see you succeed, and we know a lot about careers and what you may be able to get into with your degree. We are here to help you!

Continue looking for jobs and internships, and talk to friends and family for ideas or contacts. If you'll be coming home for spring break, this will be a great time to talk to people! Network like crazy and stay focused. Parents usually have many friends and contacts that may be helpful. Try to talk with anyone who might be able to help so that you have as many people as possible looking for opportunities for you. Remember that most jobs aren't posted on web sites or in the newspaper. Don't rely on the college to get you a job; getting your first job is all about networking! If you're in a four-year program, you're only three months away from the end of your college career!

Students should also take this time to pursue recommendations from college professors or department heads. If you do not know your professors or department heads personally, try to get to know them in the few months you have left. It is important to have a relationship with these people because they can be very influential and helpful when it comes to recommendations or references.

Strategic Suggestions

It is extremely important for high school students, especially juniors and sophomores, to spend time studying for the SAT and ACT tests. Unless you got a nearly perfect score, retake the tests! The highest combination of scores is kept, so there is no way for you to hurt yourself by taking the tests again. Some schools automatically reduce the costs of tuition by 50% or more if the student's SAT score is 1100 (by the old standard) or above! There are also many scholarships that students can qualify for based only on their SAT/ACT scores.

High school students should also take the summer to do volunteer and community service, and to seek a job in a field they might be interested in pursuing. Try to find a job that is more relevant to your career than flipping burgers at a local fast food joint. When you understand the job market and what you will be getting yourself into, it will be easier to choose a major in a field that you will stick with.

Those students who are in college should finish the year with a strong academic showing. The best way to get more financial aid next year is to bring value to the college. Keep your grades up and contact your CAPlus representative, who may be able to find a way to get you some more aid for next year.

If there has been some circumstance in your family that has suddenly created financial hardship, write a letter to the college's Financial Aid Director explaining the situation. Make sure that he or she understands that you are not looking for loans but gifts/grants/hardship dollars directly from the college or university. If you call or email your CAPlus representative, he or she will assist you in drafting this letter.