The College Money Guys

7 tips to Make the Most of your College Visits

Webmaster — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 17:59:41 +0000

If you are even thinking about going to college in the next few years, visiting your potential colleges is one of the most important steps that you can take. Just like you wouldn’t buy a car without going for a test drive, you would be amazed at what you can learn about a school in just a few hours. So, to help you get started, here are some tips to make the most of your visits:

1. Start by visiting one type of each college you are considering.

For instance, if you are not sure whether you would like a smaller or larger college, visit a couple of schools that are close by that represent each type, like a large public school and then a smaller private school. At least now, you’ll have something to compare.

2. Do your homework before you go, and narrow your choices by using a good school selection program.

You can find some good ones online or contact my office at the address below for our suggestions. Also, make sure that the schools you are considering actually have the major you are interested in. I know it sounds obvious, but you’d be surprised at how often people skip this step.

3. Schedule your visit when school is in session.

I can’t stress this one enough, but it is very important to see not only what the campus looks like, but what the students and faculty are like as well. We want to make sure that you will feel like you ‘belong’ once you are there, so we want you to see the student body and not just a bunch of buildings.

4. Make an appointment to take a tour.

Schools will have certain times of the day or week set aside to give new people tours. This is always a great place to start. However, don’t be afraid to go with your instincts. If you pull up to the school and realize you just don’t like it, there’s no point sticking around. Also, staying overnight in a dorm, if the school offers it, is a great way to get to really get the college experience.

5. Ditch the tour guide.

Once you’ve learned some of the main features of the school, the best way to see the campus is by wandering around on your own for awhile. This will give you a chance to see what everything is really like. Be sure to sit in on a class or two, or at least poke your head in the door.

6. Get a soda or coffee in one of the student lounges.

While you’re at it, get something to eat as well. You might as well find out now what the food is like now. Some schools are known for having 5 star cuisine, while others have food that is barely edible. You’re going to be there for four to five years, so this is an important step. We don’t want you to starve!

7. Check out the library, computer lab, gym, and laundry.

Even though this isn’t directly related to what you’ll be studying and your major, you’ll be spending plenty of time at all of these areas, so be sure to take a look at them as well.

While this list isn’t comprehensive, hopefully it will give you a real good feel for what each campus is like. You will do much better at a school that you are happy at and enjoy attending, so don’t assume that all schools are the same and that this step isn’t necessary. Or, worse, don’t make the mistake of waiting until you hear if you’re in or not before arranging a visit. We want to make sure the schools that you apply to are schools that you actually want to attend. Most of all, be sure to have fun.

The College Money Guys are the nation’s leading expert on all things related to college and careers. For more information please call 281 822 6200.

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Top 5 Myths about Who Qualifies For Financial Aid

Brannon — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 17:00:02 +0000

In need of Financial Aid but don’t qualify?

You may have participated in or over-heard parents discussing the high cost of college. These conversations typically end up with everyone agreeing that they make too much money for financial aid or that they are not from the ‘right’ ethnic group to qualify for free money. In reality these thoughts are actually myths. There are several myths circulating out there; so I wanted to offer some clarity on the five we hear about the most.

Myth 1

People think that they make way too much money to get aid so they don’t try for it. Or if they do fill out the forms they do so without reading the instructions or taking much care, because they are convinced they will not qualify. Don’t let this self-fulfilling prophesy catch you! Many of the families that do apply have six figure incomes and still get aid. So don’t assume you don’t qualify.

Myth 2

People think that only student athletes or academically gifted students will receive financial aid, or that they automatically get money. On the contrary, financial aid is based solely on the financial need of the student, not their position or education level. Every student has to go through the same application process and get evaluated based on financial need.

Myth 3

People think that because their student is a minority, they won’t qualify for money. Or, if their student is not a minority, they will later lose the money they are entitled to. Just as with myth 2, the same applies to myth 3. Minorities have to go through the same process and fill out the application. Their determination is based solely on financial need. The college goes by a formula of COA (Cost of Attendance) – FC (Family Contribution) to arrive at the student’s financial aid need or FN. There are exceptions to this rule. For example, if a Caucasian student was thinking about attending Howard University, a predominantly African American school, they may be offered additional money from the school that is looking to diversify their student body. Another example would be an engineering department giving precedence to a female over a male. Other than this, the process of filing for college and financial aid still has to be followed.

Myth 4

Guidance counselors are trained to help your student get into college. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Their job is to help your child graduate high school – period! Most of them don’t even know the process of applying to colleges, and often give damaging advice. Unfortunately they are often assigned to far more students than they are able to serve effectively, which simply compounds the problem.

Myth 5

Colleges and Universities can help. Again, this is not true. They may not be the enemy, but asking them how you can get more money for college is like asking the IRS how you can lower your taxes.

By being aware of the myths you can make informed decisions about the college admission and application process. Feel free to explore our blog where you will find additional information to help you navigate this journey. In addition, you are welcome to register for one of our workshops where you will learn how to pay for college without going broke!

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Signs of Success

Brannon — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 16:00:43 +0000

Becoming Successful

Successful people do things in a repeatable manner. You can watch, listen, and learn their habits, traits, and methodologies. Once you have observed their actions you can start to implement the same strategies. No one has a monopoly on success! According to Napoleon Hill, “truly successful people are those that have a definite purpose and a plan for attaining it”.

Purposeful Living

People who act with a purpose and a plan attract opportunity. How can life give you what you want if you don’t know what you need? Others can’t help you on the road to success if you are not crystal clear in your expectations and how you intend to proceed. Only with definiteness of purpose can you get over, under, and around any obstacle that gets in your way.

Offer Your Help To Others

If you will help enough people get what they want you will absolutely get what you need. Make it a habit to ask others how you can be of assistance. Take time to listen to their ideas and start to understand their business. Equipped with an appreciation of their business you are in a better position to offer help. Your help may come in a variety of forms. Perhaps you refer people to them, help to spread the word about their products or services, again by helping them get what they want you will get what you need.

Plan To Achieve

If you want to achieve success make the decision today to define your purpose and commit it to memory. Write down your goals and decide specifically how you plan to achieve them. Be sure to outline your plan with care. Follow through on the actions necessary for attaining what you desire. Pay attention to what others are doing. Determine how you can help them grow their business. Study successful people and emulate what they do. Start today to put your plan into action; you can determine your future!

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College Bound Flight Plan – Will Your Child’s Exit Strategy Get Off the Ground?

Brannon — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 16:30:47 +0000

Do You Live Moment by Moment?

No successful business person would ever dream of stepping into a meeting without an agenda; yet these same people return home each evening only to parent on a “moment by moment” basis. I want to challenge you to take a few minutes now and think about what kind of person you want walking out your door to college. When I had my daughters, I really spent a lot of time developing a very proactive parenting approach. I discovered exactly what I was looking for and then I designed a plan to achieve just that!

Where Will You Like To See Your Teen At?

There are specific skills your teen is going to need to be productive successful leaders of their community. With that in mind, we need to be willing to use and capture all the teachable moments we are offered in this short amount of time we have left. One of the most important things I learned from going through this process with my own family is that, once the big decisions are made, the little ones are very easy. I wanted my daughters to be self-discipline, self-directed, self-taught, self-confident leaders. So, as things came up in our lives, I was able to refer to my list and ask whether this activity or decision would get my girls to where I want them to go. If it didn’t lead me to the overall goal and desire I had for my girls, it was not the route for us! This technique allowed me to stay much grounded and to remember what was important to me so that I could raise my daughters to be the women I wanted them to be.

You Are An Important Influence

Keep in mind your role in this process. You are a very important influence in the molding of your children. Ask yourself: What values are important? What are the goals/desires? What is the plan? Without a plan, you are like a leaf in the wind that gets blown in any and every direction. Imagine getting on a plane and the pilot came on and said: “Welcome. We’re so glad you are traveling with us this afternoon. Now, just sit back and enjoy the wonderful in-flight service. We have a wonderful movie planned for you and, well, we are not really sure where we are going to be landing this evening, but I know it’s going to be a great flight.” Would you stay on the plane? I know I wouldn’t! So just like flying, parenting requires a destination and a clear plan to arrive at that place. Just like a plane that may get off course, it is very easy to self-correct when the destination is clear. You don’t have to go back to the start and begin the trip again. You simply adjust the route.

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What Have You Done To Prepare For Your College Freshman Coming Home For The Holidays?

Debbie Elder — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 17:00:12 +0000

Beware of Hidden Landmines

Your college freshman is coming home for the holidays, now what? Having the time to reconnect and visit is very enticing. But this time is filled with lots of hidden landmines. Your child has been on their own with no curfews, no one to report to, enjoying total freedom. The dynamics have changed and whether we as parents want to admit it, so have our children. So, how do you navigate this new twist to your relationship?

Remember Key Term

The key term to remember during this time is respect. Once your child has returned and settled in it is time to sit down and discuss the parameters of this new phase of your relationship. By discussing expectations at the beginning of the visit you can set the tone for a very enjoyable break. Keep in mind that the discussion is a two – way talk, your student will also have expectations and requests that need to be heard and honored.

Communication is Highly Important

Prior to the conversation it would be wise to let your child know that you’d like to talk about their time at home and what plans they have. In giving them an opportunity to think about their plans, the discussion will be more productive and they will not feel ambushed. The goal is to tackle this new territory together. Your parenting role has shifted now and getting used to this new role will require you to spend some time determining what you want this new part of the journey to look like. I really encourage you to put thought into this; purposeful parenting should always be your motto!

Don’t leave this visit to chance. Don’t wait until your expectations are not met to talk with your student. Chances are if you do you will be feeling disappointed and angry and this is not a good recipe for building a strong relationship. Together you and your child can determine a level of understanding that will allow both of you to enjoy the holidays and your time together!

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Think Accurately

Debbie Elder — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 14:00:38 +0000

Your power of thought is the only thing that you have absolute control over. To use this power effectively, you must think accurately. Successful people make their own decisions and have a definite system by which they reach decisions with accuracy. They gather information, get the opinions of others, but in the final analysis they make the decision themselves.

There are two fundamental bases for accurate thinking: inductive reasoning which is based on assumption of unknown facts or hypotheses when the facts are not available; and deductive reasoning based on known facts or what are believed to be facts.

An effective thinker always takes two important steps. First he separates facts from fiction or hearsay that cannot be verified. Second, he separates facts into two categories, important and unimportant. An important fact is one that can be used to his advantage in attaining his objective. All other facts are worthless.

Accurate thinkers know that emotions are not always reliable. They protect themselves against emotions by carefully examining and weighting them through the power of reason and the rules of logic. In addition they recognize the ‘free advice’ volunteered by friends and others, may not be worthy of consideration. Sound advice can be sought from a dependable source and paid for in one way or another. Because he knows nothing of value is obtained without careful consideration.

Obviously, accurate thinking calls for the highest order of self-discipline, a trait that is very closely related. Prompt and accurate decisions are the most important cornerstones of success in all walks of life. They are not attainable without courageous and honest self-discipline. By making decisions you have the freedom to move forward. Collect your data, draw your conclusions, and decide to act.

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5 Tips For Staying Involved In Your Teen’s Academic Success

Debbie Elder — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 14:00:17 +0000

As the parent your role on your teen’s school success team is critical. Don’t make the mistake several parents do and decrease your involvement when your child starts middle school. More now than ever – they need you! Both middle and high school present a new set of challenges for a student and your participation is the key to their success.

Here is how:

1. Meet the teachers and staff.
Get to know the people who make up the rest of your child’s school success team. Make it a point to introduce yourself to the teachers and staff that will be interacting with your child on daily basis. Let them know you are an involved parent who is willing to do your piece to ensure your student is successful. Keep the lines of communication open with emails, texts, and phone calls. Update the staff on any changes your child may be experiencing from illness to academic struggles.

2. Teach time management skills.
Don’t assume your child has these skills; most do not! Help them with both short and long term planning. Together review their agenda each evening and stay on top of their projects and assignments by being aware of their progress. By having your child articulate to you their ‘plan of attack’ you are helping them to manage their time. Encourage extracurricular activities and limit the use of TV, video games, and computers.

3. Engage in regular discussions about the future.
Help your teen to identify their strengths and areas of interests. Take the time to avail yourself of the fabulous tools that are available to help students determine what they like and excel at. Talk about college and where they might want to go, visit the campuses, talk to the students and faculty to get a real feel for the college. Teach your teens to set goals and objectives.

4. Have high expectations.
When parents have high academic expectations their student performs better. By placing a high value on education you are setting the stage for academic success. Be their coach and greatest fan! Motivate them to be their best and always give 100% in all that they do. Lead by example and talk about your work and how you apply these principles daily.

5. Encourage reading for pleasure.
Students need to read to learn, and parents can encourage pleasure reading at home to hone their reading skills. Introducing your student to speed reading is another incredible gift to give your adolescent. When they can easily comprehend at a rapid pace, learning becomes efficient and effective. Enrolling them in a great study skills course is also another incredible gift that can equip your child for success now and through college.

What are you waiting for? Start now!

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Students – Stay Focused!

Debbie Elder — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 14:00:29 +0000

As you get started in this new academic year stop and take inventory of your scholastic behaviors. Are you equipped to deal with the demands of the upcoming year? Be prepared to deal with procrastination, organization, hectic schedules, studying demands, professors, and your social life. By taking a few minutes now to plan, you can decide to have a successful academic year. The results through targeting the pitfalls and preparing accordingly will amazed you.

Procrastination can raise its ugly head if you don’t get a handle on it from the beginning. Deciding now that you are going to tackle what comes your way in real time will allow you to avoid this time stealer. By staying organized you can enjoy a stress free year. Use a planner and remember professors are not like your high school teachers, you will be responsible for staying on top of assignment and test dates. Keep in mind that you will have very hectic weeks with papers and tests due at the same time; use your organizational skills to stay balanced and on top of your game. Don’t panic!

Find a comfortable place to study and include time daily in your schedule to keep up with your school work. By reviewing regularly you can keep on top of your work load. Balance your time between social activities and academic requirements. Get involved in campus activities, meet new people and have fun – but remember why you came to college. Get to know your professors. Take time to visit them during their office hours and introduce yourself. Remember they are there to help you and are vested in your success! Take advantage of the many academic resources available on campus. If you fall behind or are failing, hire a tutor. Don’t wait until it is too late; get help if you need it.

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53% of College Graduates Take 6 Years to Complete 4!

Debbie Elder — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 14:00:02 +0000

According to the American Enterprise Institute, a conservative think-tank, “Nationally, four year colleges graduated an average of 53% of entering students within six years, and rates below 50%, 40%, and even 30% are distressingly easy to find.” So what has happened? Are the incoming high school graduates not as smart as we were? Or are they leaving high school unprepared? Research indicates that the majority of seniors are not prepared for college success.

What needs to happen to change these unsettling statistics? What can our high schools start doing differently today to have the greatest impact on these students? One place to start is with academic behaviors. In order to be successful, one must act successful. Actions of successful college students are very different than those of successful high school students and this is where the problem originates. High school students from across the country are spoon feed their academics, and high school counselors are preparing students to graduate high school and not how to be effective in college. In addition to this, the majority of incoming college freshman are taking remedial core courses when they enter college.

When students take ownership of their learning, the following behaviors need to be firmly established. Time management skills allow the student to successfully plan out their semester, month, week, and day. In college you need to keep up because it is almost impossible to catch up. Students need to realize that the professor’s job is to augment their learning; he or she will not be touching on every point made in the textbook, if they even discuss it at all. Unlike in high school, college classes require the student to be self taught. Assigned reading is mandatory and without that knowledge it is extremely difficult to pass a course.

A good note taking system is a necessity; simply outlining a chapter will not cut it in college. Students need to have a very clear understanding of the material and be able to move passed regurgitation to analysis. In college you need to have the ability to think, so if your senior is simply going through the motions, they are headed for disaster next year. Test taking strategies are another area that seems to be overlooked in the typical high school prep program.

There are 7 levels of knowledge and different tests require different levels of knowledge. For example, a multiple choice test requires a lower level of knowledge than a short answer test. But if you are not aware of the different study strategies for each distinct type of testing, your student will waste a lot of time doing the wrong things. Remember there are no hard questions, only questions you don’t know the answers to – adequate preparation is the key to eliminating test taking anxiety.

Adequate college preparation is the key to completing a four year degree in four years. When a student is equipped with the proper academic behaviors, knowledge, and support they can succeed. Spend time now ensuring your child’s time and your money are both not wasted because they attended college unprepared. High school and college are two separate entities that require totally different rules of engagement.

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Hold on to Your Time!

Debbie Elder — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 14:00:11 +0000

Where Does the Time Go?

Unproductive people can’t tell you where their time has gone. Ask yourself who and what gets your time, talents, skills, resources, and life energy? Each moment we have is precious and needs to be used in a way that brings us the most benefit. But if you are just mindlessly meandering through life, chances are you are not enjoying what life has to offer.

To Reduce Stress be Purposeful with Your Time

By being very purposeful with our time we can reduce feelings of stress and increase our feelings of well-being. An investment that will pay dividends is to take inventory on your day and determining where improvements can be made. How can you avoid unproductive uses of your time, who is robbing you of moments without any measurable benefits? Determining these factors will give you a great starting point to take charge and revamp your productivity.

Always Rushing but Never Getting Anywhere

Ever find yourself rushing because you ran out of time? How does that feel? Most of us feel incredible anxiety when we are ‘running out of time’. Mistakes are generally made in this state. Why? Well one observation is that “There never seems to be enough time to do it right BUT there always seems to be time to do it over!” When my students and I discussed this concept we all enjoyed an incredible increase in productivity and production. Together we decided that redoing a task or correcting a mistake was not something we wanted to spend our time on!

Get an Accountability Partner

In order to accomplish this goal we assigned ourselves accountability partners. We teamed up with another to ensure we didn’t slip back into old, time stealing habits. With the help of our ally we were able to bridge the time between wanting a new behavior and truly owning and acting differently. We also experienced increased awareness as we debriefed with our partners at the end of each day and listened to their insight and observations of our behavior. Start today to determine how you can be more effective, and hold on to your time!

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