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Archive for October, 2008

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

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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

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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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