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Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category

What If I Accidentally Lied On My College Application?

Wednesday, November 11th, 2009

Dear Babs,

This past fall I was nominated for a All-State Academic Award. To the best of my knowledge, everyone who is nominated gets recognition (last year 67 people got it). And since I have well surpassed the requirements, I naturally added it to my awards on the common app. I have since sent three applications in and now my common app is frozen. But now I’m starting to worry that I won’t be chosen for it. There is no way for me to remove it from my application. What do I do if I don’t get the award?

-Worried in Texas

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Dear Worried,

If I could turn back time, as Cher is known to say, I would recommend that you simply write “nominated for an All-State Academic Award” as opposed to “recipient of an All State Academic Award”. However, what’s done is done, and the best thing that you can do now is not to stress about “what could have been.”

As you said, most people who are nominated do get the award. So you may not have a problem at all. This is the most likely scenario, and you will look back on this whole anxious-ridden situation as a lesson learned.

That’s your best-case scenario. In the worst-case, you do not get the award, and the best you can do is damage control. To avoid lying on your application, I would send a letter informing those three colleges of the discrepancy. It was an honest mistake, and you did not intend to lie. Explain that you were presumptuous but not malicious, and that you are trying to rectify the situation with full-disclosure. Ask your guidance counselor to call the admissions department to further explain your situation, and to vouch for your character. Although that award would look nice on your application, I am sure it is not the only thing going for you. As long as the rest of your application is strong, and the colleges are understanding about your mistake, there is no reason why you should be penalized.

I just want to make this absolutely clear that you should in no way send this letter to the colleges unless YOU DO NOT GET THE AWARD. If you get the award, then no harm, no foul. No need to notify them of a lie that might-have-been. So sit tight, and hope for the best. I’m sure everything will work out in the end.

Good luck!

Babs

POSTED BY Dear Babs IN Uncategorized
11.11.09
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What are the steps to get Financial Aid?

Wednesday, April 29th, 2009


Dear Babs,

My daughter got into her first choice school, Vassar College, but I don’t know how I am going to afford it. I just got laid off, and I don’t have a college savings account set up for her. What do I have to do to get financial aid?

-Financially Insecure

Dear Insecure,

Although paying for college can be stressful, you will find a way to afford it. There are four main steps to getting the money you need to pay for college for your daughter. Follow them, and she’ll be on your way to Vassar in no time.

1)      Apply for Financial Aid-The first step to paying for college is filling out the FAFSA. The FAFSA is the form that determines your eligibility for government subsidized loans, as well as private scholarships and loans. Most schools require you to submit the FAFSA by early spring-about the same time of year that you will be filling out taxes.  The results of your application will determine your “financial need”-how much money you and your mom can realistically contribute towards your college tuition.

2)      Find Scholarships-Scholarships are the best way to finance her education, if you can.

Scholarships, unlike loans, do not have to be paid back. Vassar probably has scholarships that she will be considered for automatically when she applies for financial aid. There are also hundreds of private scholarships that can give her anywhere from 100 dollars to 10,000 dollars a year.  FindTuition.com has a great scholarship search that allows you to search and apply for hundreds of scholarships.  If she applies for as many as she is eligible, the money will soon add up.

3)      Find Student Loans-Across the country, millions of students are taking out loans to pay for their college education. She may be eligible for Federal subsidized loans, or she may have to take out private loans. Subsidized loans, like the Stafford Loan, are low-interest and do not accumulate interest while you’re in school. Private loans have a higher interest rate, but you do not need to qualify for them (no FAFSA required!). You can also apply for a Parental Plus loan-a loan that you can take out to pay for your daughter’s education. Taking out a ton of loans may seem scary, but between her scholarships and loans, you should be able to afford paying for college. Let your daughter know that once you graduates, she will need to pay down her loans. If she focuses on making small monthly instalments-and doesn’t miss a payment-her bundle of debt won’t seem so bad.

4)      Calculate the Difference-Up until this point you’ve let other people tell you how much money you should spend on college. Now, it’s time to figure out how much you can really afford. Add up your loans, your daughter’s loans, her scholarships, and any savings she might have from summer jobs. Subtract this amount from the total cost of education-including room and board, transportation, and pocket money. The Financial Aid Calculator will do all this, taking into account local prices for rent and groceries. If, after loans and scholarships, you can make up the rest with some creative financing, you’ll know that you can afford the school of her dreams.

Good Luck!

-Babs

POSTED BY Dear Babs IN Uncategorized
04.29.09
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College Search without the Alma Mater

Tuesday, November 25th, 2008

Hi there Babs! I’m in quite the quandary here. You see, my parents both went to University of Pennsylvania and have sort of insisted that I’d go there as well. I’ve started my own separate college search, though, and I think that I’d rather find colleges outside of PA that have my major. I know that my folks will be devastated that I won’t be a legacy student at UPenn, but I just don’t care anymore. Is it OK to have these feelings or am I a terrible son?-Reluctant Legacy

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Dear Reluctant,

You are not a terrible son-but it is hard to say no to Mom and Dad, especially when they are going to be footing the tuition bill. You are in a quandary that many students would envy. Being a legacy at an Ivy League university is nothing to sneeze at, but it’s also admirable to forge your own college path.

It seems as though your parents both had incredible college experiences at UPenn and they want to share them with you. I’m assuming your parents met at UPenn, so I bet they are hoping that you’ll have similar luck at college! But if you truly want to go elsewhere then you need to sit down and have an honest talk with your parents.

It’s obvious that your parents want to be a part of your college search, so let them. Ask them what’s so special about UPenn, then try to find those qualities at other schools. Was it the professors? Greek life? The UPenn Quakers? Explain to them that you want to use college as an opportunity to gain new experiences and independence-like moving out of your home state. Have your parents’ search colleges using online college info to find schools outside of PA that remind them of what they loved about UPenn. You don’t have to apply to all their suggestions, but I bet just involving them in your selection process will make put their minds at ease.

Your parents may indeed be devastated that you don’t want to go to UPenn, but they’ll get over it. What they really want most is to see you happy and enjoying your college experience, so do your homework and find colleges that are the best match for your interests.

Good Luck!

POSTED BY Dear Babs IN Uncategorized
11.25.08
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Can I Trust Online College Info?

Monday, October 20th, 2008

Dear Babs,

My parents keep buying college guidebooks for me, which are about as interesting as reading a phone book. I really want to use the Internet to find colleges that are right for me. I’ve come across some awesome sites, including CampusCompare, but can I really trust them as much as the Princeton Review and College Board?

Confused College Searcher

- - -

Dear Confused,

I’m glad to hear that your parents are taking an active role in your college search, but I think it’s time to bring them into the 21st century. An online college search is definitely the way to go, provided that you find sites that are reputable.
How can you determine if a college information website is legit? Here’s a few things to look for:

–Is the site updated often?  Check whether the site’s blogs are updated on a regular basis—that proves that there are live humans working to keep you updated on every phase of your college search.  No blogs on the site? That’s a whole other problem. At the very least, scroll to the bottom of the page and make sure it’s copyrighted for the current year!

–What kind of college information is on the site? You want to make sure that there is a mixture of information that includes facts from the school itself, such as tuition rate, app deadlines, and academic majors, but you also want the scoop from the students themselves. CampusCompare gives you a healthy mixture of campus facts and student reviews that discuss everything from sports teams and social activities to dorms and classes.

–What kind of ads are on the site? Some sites are so riddled with advertising they’re hard to read. That’s annoying, but not necessarily bad. On the other hand I definitely smell a rat when a site seems biased or to have ulterior motives. Ever notice that they’re all for financial aid? That site’s just trying to sign you up to a hefty loan. Are all the ads for College X and it “just so happens” that every review is glowing? Yeah, right.  CampusCompare does not run any ads on its site—we just don’t want anything to get between you and the college information you’re looking for.

One last thing—make sure there’s a way to contact someone at the site, like me! I’m always available to answer questions directly, and if I think your question can help others, I’ll post it on my blog.

POSTED BY Dear Babs IN Uncategorized
10.20.08
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Should I Take a Gap Year to Save Money for College?

Wednesday, October 15th, 2008

Dear Babs,

I’m thinking of ways to save money for college, and I’ve been hearing a lot about the gap year. Would that be a good way for me to save some bucks before I go off to school?

Penny S. Aver

- - -

Dear Penny,

For those of you who have heard of the term “gap year,” but are still in the dark about what it is, here’s a brief explanation: A gap year is the year a student takes off after high school graduation in order to have time to reflect on his or her interests so that they can better prepare for the college years ahead.

That said, Babs would now like to affirm that she does not support high school graduates taking a gap year, nor does she see a time in the near future when she will.

“But why, Babs?” you might protest. Oh, she knows. You’ve got big plans to plant trees in your community, learn Esperanto, or save the manatee. All of these are wonderful experiences, no doubt, but Babs doesn’t think you should delay college for any of them. So this means that if your plans to go on retreat with Tibetan monks shouldn’t delay college, then saving money shouldn’t delay it, either.

The money that you will save as a high school graduate without a degree or any real job skills will not be enough for you to warrant taking a year off. That’s why most gappers don’t work during that year—they volunteer, take classes, or travel. Those last two require you to spend money, which is exactly what you’re trying to avoid doing.

In short, Babs is glad you’re appreciating the fact that college is a large investment, but she thinks that you’ll get a better return on that investment if you just go off to school in the fall as planned. Don’t worry—you won’t be the only one with student loans four years from now.

Don’t forget—the time you have off during the summer in college is usually a whole lot more than what you had in high school. So, for those of you toeing the line with your gap year decision, remember that you can always use your summers to work, travel, learn calligraphy, and save the rainforest.

All the best,
Babs

POSTED BY Dear Babs IN Uncategorized
10.15.08
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