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Elon University Provides Financial Aid Update Amid FAFSA Turmoil

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While Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) delays have slowed the financial aid awarding process at colleges and universities across the United States, and though FAFSA results are delayed until mid-March, Elon University has begun posting financial aid offers for families who have submitted the CSS Profile.

While the FAFSA determines eligibility for Federal Aid, the CSS Profile allows Elon to determine institutional financial aid eligibility. Elon’s aid offers will be estimated until FAFSA results are received; yet, the estimates will include all aid for which admitted students are eligible. Elon applicants with demonstrated financial need will receive their offer before others, and they may view their award via their Elon OnTrack account.

Ultimately, all aid will be listed as incomplete until the FAFSA results are submitted to Elon by the Department of Education.

UMass to Release Regular Decision Notifications on March 5

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UMass Amherst will release Regular Decision (RD) admissions decisions on the evening on Tuesday, March 5, 2024.

In the past, UMass Amherst released RD decisions in waves. This year, all RD applicants will receive their decisions on the same date. RD applicants will receive an e-mail letting them know an admissions decision has been posted. Students are instructed to log into their UMass Amherst admissions portal to check their posted admission decision on the “Student Status” page. RD applicants will receive one of three decisions: Admit, Waitlist, or Deny.

UMass will invite all accepted students to campus shortly after decisions are released.

Earlier this cycle UMass announced that it received a record 30,000+ Early Action applications.

Boston College Accepts 28% of Early Decision II Applicants

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Early Decision II applicants to Boston College will be notified of whether or not they’ve been admitted this evening, Tuesday, February 6, 2024. The news will be delivered through applicants’ Applicant Status Portals, and admitted students living in the United States will also receive paper copies of their admission packets through the US Postal Service.

Boston College reviewed 1,500 Early Decision II applications and anticipates enrolling approximately 415 students from this round. Approximately one quarter of applicants will be deferred to Regular Decision. Given the strong academic profile of BC’s Early Decision applicants this year, the university has extended a slightly larger number of offers during the Early Decision rounds. As of late, Early Decision applicants to Boston College are accepted at roughly twice the rate as Regular Decision applicants.

Total applications to Boston College have remained relatively consistent with last year’s volume. More than 35,000 students have submitted first-year applications, and BC’s admissions committee is currently reviewing 31,000 applications for Regular Decision. Last year BC received a total of 36,537 applications. This year’s Regular Decision notifications will be released in March. BC’s application totals by round for the 2023-2024 admissions cycle, are as follows:

Early Decision I 2,808
Early Decision II 1,493
Regular Decision 31,173
Total 35,474
BC has also announced that its financial aid staff will use the data that families submit via the CSS Profile to provide financial aid awards to those admitted this admissions cycle. While these awards don’t yet include specific funding sources and won’t until BC receives FAFSA data, the award amounts will be accurate. Students and families can confidently use any awards that come with acceptance letters to make their decisions. Once BC receives the data from the FAFSA, which is currently delayed due to U.S. Department of Education incompetence, awards will be updated to note whether the scholarships, loans, and employment opportunities in their awards come from federal, state or BC sources.

8 Ways to Reduce the Cost of College

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Education is an expensive ordeal, and it is only getting worse.

The average cost of college for a single student in the United States is $35,436 per year, including tuition and other expenses. It’s also just a baseline, as the costs grow exponentially if you continue your education beyond an undergraduate program. For example, if you’ve figured out that research is what you are solely interested in and passionate about, getting a doctorate may be a perfect choice, but it requires a huge investment as the Ph.D. cost is really high.

The worst part is that it is getting more expensive each year—for the last decade, it has had an annual growth rate of 2%.

But even as education costs grow, there are ways to reduce their burden. They require some strategy or forethought but can positively impact your expenses.

From simple to complex, here are eight ways to reduce the cost of your education and make your journey toward that degree a breeze.

1. Buy or Rent Used Textbooks

The cost of textbooks changes according to institution and degree, which means some may be more expensive than others. However, the average cost of textbooks for a student in a 4-year program sits at around $1,200 per year.

Expensive? It sure is—even more so, considering you’re probably only going to find them useful for a semester. That is why you should buy used textbooks rather than brand-new ones.

You can find the cheapest textbooks online at BookScouter.com, gaining access to all your required textbooks for over half of their original price. You can search for the best offers from over 30 buyback companies, including popular vendors like Sellbackyourbook, Textbookrush, Booksrun, Ziffit, and others. Given the platform’s popularity, it has accumulated numerous reviews, allowing you to rely on other users’ experiences when selecting a company to sell your books to. For instance, feel free to read Ziffit reviews before selling your books to ensure it’s a credible buyback vendor.

You can also opt to rent instead, reducing the cost even further and allowing you to return the book once the semester ends. Simply enter the ISBN or title of the book and search for the best offer.

2. Look into AP Courses in High School

If you are still studying in high school, consider enrolling in Advanced Placement (AP) classes to save some money on your future college tuition.

If you approve your AP tests with high grades at the end of the school year, some colleges will accept the credits as if you had approved the corresponding introductory college course. As such, you can skip those classes and save the money you would have spent on those credits.

However, keep in mind that this method requires academic excellence and dedication. Likewise, which AP courses are accepted or not varies according to college.

3. Consider Community College as a First Step

Another option to rake in credits ahead of college is to make a first stop in your local community college.

By enrolling for an associate’s degree, you can complete your general classes and acquire those mandatory credits much cheaper, as a community college is often the most affordable option. Once done, you can transfer to four-year universities and only spend money on the remaining courses related to your specific degree.

However, remember that you should check beforehand whether or not your community college has any deal for guaranteed acceptance and make sure the university you aim for accepts such credits.

4. Take Advantage of Student Discounts

Many everyday expenses can rake up fast if you are a college student. Luckily, being a student is not all bad—studying gives you many benefits and discounts you would otherwise not get access to.

Whenever you are purchasing anything, make it a habit to ask about student discounts or benefits. Technology purchases often include student-exclusive discounts for hardware and software necessities, while some restaurants include student plans and meals worth checking out.

While these may not impact your tuition or direct college expenses, student discounts can significantly soften the burden of everyday needs.

5. Study Your Housing Options Carefully

It’s not a secret that there is a housing crisis within the United States, and rent can often be a considerable percentage of every student’s expense. That is why, before starting college, you must evaluate your housing options.

If possible, the best option is always to live at home. It can save you housing costs and thus reduce your overall expenditure. This is viable if you go to community college first or if your university is nearby, and commuting is often worthwhile.

When staying at home is not an option, compare and contrast the benefits of living in a dorm or staying off-campus. While staying off-campus is often cheaper, aspects such as rent, utilities, and transportation are all worth studying before determining the best deal.

6. Avoid Using a Car

A vehicle can be expensive, and car ownership can quickly increase for college students.

Between gas, maintenance, insurance, parking, and other miscellaneous costs, having a car can easily be a few grand, which is a lot for a college student concerned about other payments.

Of course, sometimes, it’s an inevitable expense. But if your circumstances and campus situation allow it, consider relying on public transportation for as long as possible and reduce your car expenses until it becomes mandatory.

7. Research Tuition Reimbursement Programs

According to their policies, some businesses or companies offer tuition assistance, paying a percentage of credits towards a certain degree. However, a significant portion of eligible employees need to be made aware of this benefit. As such, if you are employed, always research whether or not you could enjoy this assistance.

If you would like to enjoy this benefit and consider it worth trying, you can apply for part-time jobs in some companies offering programs and research. UPS, Bank of America, Chipotle, and other options worth considering.

8. Apply for Scholarships and Financial Aid Programs

Left for last is the most obvious option, but the most efficient of them all: scholarships.

The most obvious and efficient option, which is often overlooked, is applying for scholarships. However, this should always allow everyone to apply to as many scholarships or financial aid programs as possible.

There are many options worth exploring. From complete financial aid programs to textbook scholarships, any of these programs can significantly impact your college expenses, so it’s a door worth knocking on.

Conclusion: Be Savvy and Resourceful

There is no denying that college expenses are burdensome and costly. However, the tips and tricks in this article can ease some of that weight on your shoulders. The secret lies, as always, in remaining cautious and thoughtful.

If you have a savvy mind, a proactive disposition, and a knack for budgeting, you can surf through college with fewer expenses than expected. It’s not a solution, but it is a help.

Dartmouth to Request SAT or ACT for First-Year Applicants Again

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Dartmouth College

Dartmouth College has announced that it will yet again require high school students in the United States to share either an SAT or ACT score as part of their application for admission. The change takes effect for students applying for Fall 2025 admission (those students who will begin their applications in Summer or Fall 2024).

“The reactivation [of the test-required policy] has been modeled on a very comprehensive research study by a group of faculty,” said Lee Coffin, Vice President and Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid, in an interview with The Dartmouth.

“We’re getting more and more applications from all around the world, and so in order to find high achieving students, test scores turn out to be a really helpful tool,” said Bruce Sacerdote, Dartmouth Class of ’90, who was part of the research group of faculty. “Our analysis shows that we potentially miss out on some great applicants when we don’t have [test scores].”

“Social science has a concept called the ceiling effect,” Coffin said. “When you plot people in a curve, there’s a cluster at the top of the curve. That’s our applicant pool. Most of the people who apply to Dartmouth are straight A students.”

The New York Times has shared more motivations for the decision, here is the working group’s report, and Dartmouth’s full updated standardized testing expectations for first year applicants, which actually are different depending on whether an applicant goes to high school in the US or goes to high school outside of the US. To learn more about what this means going forward, get my thoughts in the video below.

Dream School spotlights the nightmare the college admissions process has become for too many

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WGCU Public Media in Florida followed six high school students who worked hard to earn a seat at America’s top colleges – and now you can too in the short documentary Dream School.

Reported by Sandra Viktorova, the short documentary below also includes insights from various individuals who work in the higher education industry in America in order to shine light on what for too many has become the high stress world of American college admissions and the various factors that come into play when colleges assess who to accept.

While all those featured in this up close account of the college admissions process make it through in one piece, many viewers will leave wondering why these young adults had to go through so much stress and uncertainty to end up where they did.

Tulane reduces number of students accepted Early Decision II

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Tulane’s Gibson Hall

Tulane will release Early Decision II (EDII) notifications to first-year applicants on Monday, February 5, at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, and just as during Tulane’s Early Decision I (EDI) round, Tulane has reduced the number of EDII acceptances to provide more opportunities for students – particularly those from first generation or low/middle income backgrounds – who did not feel comfortable making a binding commitment to Tulane. Tulane has also intentionally left more space in its entering class to admit students who were deferred in its Early Action round or who applied Regular Decision.

According to Tulane’s admissions office, those accepted EDII had an average core unweighted GPA of 3.62 and an average standardized test score – for those who submitted a score at all – of 1450 on the SAT and 32 on the ACT. First generation students and students from Louisiana also make up a larger percentage of the accepted student cohort than they did last year, while international numbers held steady.

Tulane also prioritized avoided waitlisting students EDII applicants who were deferred in the Early Action round as to not leave them in limbo for a second time. For the most part, students who applied Early Action and converted to EDII will be accepted, denied, or offered a nonbinding spot in Tulane’s Spring Scholars through which students start their Tulane experience in Rome, London, Barcelona, Paris, or Tokyo. Spring Scholars have until May 1st to enroll, so they have plenty of time to consider their options.

Syracuse’s Summer College Gives High School Students Many Learning Opportunities

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For sixty-four years, Syracuse University has given rising high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors the opportunity to explore potential majors and careers through renowned summer pre-college programs.

This summer, high school students are able to choose from over 100 college-level courses offered on Syracuse’s campus, online, or in a hybrid format. Courses exist in a diversity of subjects – from Architecture and AI to Crisis Management and Sports Analytics or Management. Regardless of the course(s) one chooses, all Syracuse Summer College students build their resume or portfolio, enhance their college applications so they stand out to college admissions, and get to test out a subject before committing to their undergrad major. Students also have the chance to earn a Certificate of Completion, Syracuse University credit, or a noncredit transcript.

The scholarship deadline Syracuse’s Summer College is March 1, 2024, and the final application deadline is May 1, 2024, and applications are reviewed and accepted on a rolling basis. Yet, the most popular courses fill quickly, so if you are interested, apply soon. If you have any questions, you can call +1 315-443-5000 or email Syracuse to learn more.

4 Free Resources to Prep Students for the New Digital SAT Debuting March 9

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On Saturday, March 9, 2024, the SAT is going digital for American test-takers the first time in almost 100 years! Two million students take the SAT every year, and the transition from a paper-based to digital format marks a huge change to the college entrance exam. 

The new 2024 Digital SAT will be unlike any previous paper-based SAT exam. Here are a few of the key differences: 

(1) Digital Platform 

The Digital SAT will be administered on the College Board’s Bluebook app. This is a testing platform that will allow students to take the Digital SAT online. However, students will not take the SAT at home. Instead, parents still need to sign up their child for a test date to take the Digital SAT at an approved testing center just as they did for the old, paper-based SAT. Students will have the option to take the Digital SAT on their own laptop or use a device from the testing center. 

(2) Adaptive Testing 

The Digital SAT is adaptive. However, the Digital SAT is not like many adaptive standardized tests such as the GMAT or the GRE that get harder or easier based on your answer to the previous question. Instead, the Digital SAT adapts module by module, not question by question. This means the second module’s difficulty level is based on your performance in the first module. If you perform well in the first module (on either SAT Reading and Writing or SAT Math), the second module related to that subject will present more difficult questions. This will give you the opportunity to attain a higher score overall. Conversely, if you perform poorly in the first module (on either SAT Reading and Writing or SAT Math), the second module related to that subject will present less difficult questions. This will limit your opportunity to achieve a higher score overall. 

(3) New Question Types 

There are many new question types on the Digital SAT that were not on the previous paper-based SAT exam. These include the following: 

  • The SAT Writing section now includes “Rhetorical Synthesis” questions that measure a student’s ability to selectively extract information from bullet point notes to achieve a writing goal. 
  • The SAT Reading section now includes “Command of Evidence” questions that measure a student’s ability to use both written and numerical data to draw conclusions.
  • The SAT Math section now includes “Probability and conditional probability” questions that had previously been removed on the paper-based SAT. 

Shaan Patel is the Founder and CEO of Prep Expert.

To get ready for the Digital SAT, here are 4 free resources you can use to prepare: 

(1) College Board Bluebook App 

Download the College Board’s testing app at https://bluebook.collegeboard.org. This application contains multiple full-length College Board practice SAT exams that contain official test questions. 

(2) Khan Academy’s Website 

Visit the Khan Academy’s official website at https://khanacademy.org. Navigate to the section of the website that is dedicated to “Digital SAT.” Here you will find College Board SAT questions that you potentially have not seen before. 

(3) College Board’s Website 

Visit the College Board’s official website: https://www.collegeboard.org/. Navigate to the section of the website that is dedicated to “Digital SAT Practice and Preparation.” Here you will find College Board SAT questions that you potentially have not seen before. 

(4) Prep Expert’s Digital SAT Book Launch Event 

Attend my Digital SAT Book Launch online webinar at https://prepexpert.com/booklaunch. I am hosting an online book launch event on Sunday, March 3 to release my new book Prep Expert Digital SAT Playbook. The webinar is free to attend and I will share test prep tips for parents and students on how to ace the new Digital SAT! At this online book launch webinar event, you will learn the most powerful tools to maximize scores on the new Digital SAT. In addition, attendees will also receive free bonus chapters, masterclasses, cheat sheets, practice tests, and more. If you are a high school student or the parent of a high school student, you won’t want to miss this online Digital SAT book launch event! Register free here. 

Good luck on the new Digital SAT!

Boston University offers 3 summer journalism programs to high school students

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High school students interested in pursuing a career in journalism, writing, communications, or photography, may want to research and apply to the Boston University Summer Journalism Academy, hosted by Boston University College of Communication.

According to Ermolande Jean-Simon, Student Programs Manager Boston University Summer Journalism Academy, for fourteen years, BU’s summer program has educated high school students about critical skills in news reporting, interviewing, and writing through courses taught by award-winning working journalists, including Pulitzer Prize winners Lara Salahi and Rochelle Sharpe. Students interested in visual storytelling also have the opportunity to learn from veteran photojournalist Stephen Haines of The Boston Globe.

Regardless of which program students choose, BU’s summer program challenges high school students to step outside their comfort zone and experience life as a working journalist through one of three course pathways:

  1. an on-campus residential program from June 24 to July 12, 2024 (for students with some journalism experience);
  2. an on-campus photojournalism program from June 24 to July 12, 2024 (for students interested in visual storytelling); or
  3. a two-week learn-from-home program for high school students at all experience levels, starting June 17, July 1, and July 15.

Applications for the on-campus session are due on April 19. Applications for learn-at-home sessions starting June 17, July 1, and July 15 are due on May 10. Students who apply, are accepted, and fully registered by March 8 can save $400 off the full fee for the on-campus academy or $200 off the full fee of the learn-from-home academy.

There are limited need-based scholarships and financial aid available to students; students should email BU for more information. For more information about the Summer Journalism Academy, visit www.summerjournalism.org.