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Gary Canter’s February College Guy Rant

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Hey Seniors – greetings from the College Guy!

Man oh man time flies, doesn’t it? Winter’s grip has loosened here in Maine (well to be honest – it never really tightened) and those of you who applied Early Decision and Early Action have heard from your colleges by now. For those who are still waiting to hear from the colleges they applied to regular decision, hang tough. The most selective ones won’t spill the beans and tell you what’s up till mid-to-late march.

Here’s a chock-full-‘o-info College Guy Rant. Some of the stuff contained herein just may be of use to you and your folks, so take some time and read through it carefully…

I normally do not send out this till March, but given how the College Application landscape has changed, and the vast majority of students I work with have applied to many colleges using one of the Early plans, I think it’s appropriate to send this now.

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Parents: the FAFSA, bugs and all, needs to be submitted now if you want consideration for need based financial aid. If you’re not sure if you qualify I encourage you to apply. You can also feel free to give me a holler (that’s why I”m here, remember?) to discuss. You also need to submit the CSS PROFILE to the colleges your student has applied to which require it.

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Here’s an old Boston Globe article that will have meaning to those of you who have not gotten the news you’d hoped for. If you’ve had a rejection (or several), read it.

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Now lemme give you my “Chopped Liver” speech, which is what you’re gonna get from me when I find out that you’ve received decisions from your colleges without letting me know.

Many of you have been dutiful correspondents and have shared the good (and at times not-so-good) news with me, for which I’m appreciative. This is for the rest of you.

It goes like this: either you call me or I call you, or we run in to one another in the Old Port or Deering Neighborhood (that’s where I live) and I say something pithy like:

“So, what’s new?”

And you reply: “Well, I’m trying to decide between the acceptances I’ve gotten from Bard and Bates, but you know I was wait listed at Barnard and rejected at Brown, and also Beloit just offered me $26,000/year to go there, so I just don’t know what to do!”

“When did you hear all this?” sez I.

“Oh, I’ve known for a couple of weeks!” you reply.

…and I say something sparkly like: “Well, uh, duh, that’s great, like, were you planning on telling me? WHAT AM I, CHOPPED LIVER????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!?????!? !!!!!!!!!??????!!!!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?”

So moral of the story here is to PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHEN YOU HEAR FROM YOUR SCHOOLS: good, bad or wait-list. I’d really appreciate it cause it helps me keep the pulse on what schools are up to from year to year, y’know what I mean?

And as an added incentive (not that you should need one), I’ve got a suggestion for things you can do if you get wait listed. Briefly, it’s an attempt to appeal the decision (without begging or getting all undignified), to make sure they didn’t mix you up with someone else, to let them know you’re still interested and to score some extra points toward them potentially taking you off the wait list and offering you an acceptance down the road.

Does that happen often? To be honest, no. But over the years I’ve seen more than a few qualified applicants successfully come off a wait-list after showing the school in question some love, desire and hustle. If you should get wait listed (or if you were deferred from early decision or early action) give me a holler and ask me about the “waiting list appeal”. You may still have some moves to make.

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Now for those of you who haven’t yet heard from some of your schools don’t get all nervous. Take a deep breath and….relax. The most selective colleges like to take their sweet time, and they’ve been known to keep you in suspense till the middle or even the end of March to send out their decisions. So take a chill pill and keep the waiting game going…Concentrate on something else, like the upcoming baseball season. Um, or your physics homework.

It should go without saying (though I’ll say it here anyway) that if you haven’t heard from a college you’ve applied to and you never received confirmation from them that they received your application, you need to call that school and ask what’s up! Sometime things get lost or mis-handled, and you don’t want to find out in May that your folder got wedged between file drawers or your application got mislabeled and lost in cyberspace.

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THINGS TO DO WHEN YOU’RE ACCEPTED BY A SCHOOL

When you do get a letter of acceptance, you should follow a standard protocol something like the following:

1. Feel good about yourself, say “hip hip hooray”

2. Read the letter carefully, take note of grants and scholarship awards, invitations to attend accepted student programs, and requests for deposits (check out what I have to say about this further on in the rant).

3. Let your guidance counselor and me know.

4. Feel good about yourself again, say “hip hip hooray” again

5. Call me old fashioned, but I think it’s a good thing to write a letter (or email) to the person who signed the admissions letter (usually the Dean of Admissions). Be gracious and grateful – ESPECIALLY IF THEY OFFERED YOU MONEY!!! – and let them know how excited you are. Then assure them that although you’re still waiting to hear from another school or two, you will be getting back to them very soon to further explore their offer of acceptance.

(NOTA BENE: all schools MUST give you till April 30th before non-refundable deposits are due and you make your final decisions. No rush here – don’t let yourself feel pressured)

6. If you’ve been in close contact with coaches, professors, other “pen pal” types at the schools which have accepted you, let them know the good news as well.

7. When you get accepted by your safety schools do the same thing (it’s good to be nice, and one never knows) and as you thank them you might delicately ask if they have moolah for you.

8. Continue to feel good about yourself, lord it over younger siblings, particularly the annoying ones, and remind your parents that they won’t have you around much longer so now’s the time for them to ply you with movie tickets, nice gifts and later curfews. Try saying “hip hip hooray” within earshot of them – they’re bound to be moved!

9. PARENTS TAKE NOTE: Make sure your financial aid applications have been received by each school and you’ve responded to any additional requests for information they may have made. Oftentimes these requests are in your students’ on line “portal” at the college’s web site, so make sure your student is properly registered at each of her schools and is checking there often and carefully. Follow directions and call financial aid offices for help if needed. If you’re confused or in a bind, give me a holler and I’ll try to help out.

Oh, and don’t let your senior manipulate you in to doing something foolish like increasing his allowance or taking the family van to see Boy Genius in New Jersey…expect her to try though!

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Here’s a few important reminders to parents about paying for college and financial aid (and merit aid):

Within a week or two of getting an acceptance letter you should receive an official financial aid award (that is, if you applied for financial aid by submitting the FAFSA and, where required, the CSS PROFILE). If you haven’t received such an award letter, phone the financial aid office (not the admissions office) and ask them when you can expect to receive it.

Some schools will request that you go through a process called “Verification”. You may have to send them a copy of your taxes and another form or two they’ll direct you to. It’s annoying but not hard, and don’t be bashful about calling the school’s financial aid office and asking for clarification.

Remember, your son/daughter has until April 30 to make his/her final decision (that’s when deposits are due to the school they’re going to attend), but most folks can’t make that decision until they know what it’s going to cost. So you need to get financial aid information ASAP so you’ll know whether it’s going to be necessary to prepare an appeal for more money. Given the lateness of the FAFSA some colleges are even extending their final decision deadline to June 1, but don’t assume that unless you hear specifically from a college. Otherwise stick with April 30.

VERY IMPORTANT POINT FOR THOSE WHO QUALIFY FOR FINANCIAL AID: If you’re not pleased with the aid you’ve been given you can appeal for more. However, you’ve got to be able to make a compelling argument (meaning: you’ve got to need it, not just want it).

Each late winter/spring I work with many families who wish to make an appeal for additional aid. Get in touch with me if you have questions or want help interpreting an award letter, or composing an appeal strategy, There’s a right way and wrong way to ask for additional money. I’ll show you the right way to do it.

For those families who do not qualify for need based aid there is a way to inquire about merit aid from colleges which offer it. Give me a call if you want some suggestions.

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SCHOLARSHIPS:

Whether your family filed for financial aid or not, now is the time to be sending out scholarship applications. There are many sources of funds out there, but (sadly) most won’t give money to you. However making a time-efficient and strategic search and scholarship application blitz may not be a bad idea. Start right in your guidance office and ask about local scholarships – now is the time to be applying for them. If you’re not already registered with www.fastweb.com, sign up now.

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A FINAL POINT:

Remember that the purpose of financial aid is to fill the gap between the full cost of the school (tuition/fees plus room/board) and a family’s ability to pay and (reasonably) borrow (your Expected Family Contribution). Asking the college for more money is NOT, in my opinion, an exercise in merely “getting the best deal”, and this is an important distinction to make if you’re to be successful. If the FAO (financial aid officer) thinks you’re merely “shopping”, you won’t do as well. I tell parents to expect paying for college to hurt a little more than you’re hoping it will, but not a great deal more. If your child gets in, and if the college is a respectable one (and most are), you should have success appealing for more money once you explain your need and your true EFC. The months of March and April, when you’ve heard from all your schools, is the proper time to do this.

On that somber note, relax and enjoy the ever longer days, the NCAA basketball tournament, the impending start of the baseball season, and the wonderful and exciting changes which are in store for you in the coming months!

Stay groovy!

Gary

P.S. If you’ve read this far I suspect you appreciate all this information I’m laying out for you, despite the length. If you know of other students and their parents who would benefit from receiving my rants (particularly members of the class of 2025 and 2026 who are just starting this journey) I would be grateful if you would pass my name and contact information along to folks who may want to receive my future rants.

Thanks.

FAFSA failure leaving families in the lurch

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The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which so many college applicants, students, their families depend on in order to acquire much-needed aid for the cost of a college education, has completely failed this admissions cycle after undergoing a botched redesign and relaunch by the US Department of Education.

In response to the announcement that FAFSA applicant information will not be available to colleges until March, the National Association for College Admissions Counseling (NACAC) and other associations are urging colleges to extend their enrollment and financial aid deadlines beyond the traditional May 1 reply-by date.  This is to ensure students and families have time to consider their financial options before making enrollment decisions. In response to the FAFSA delay, NACAC CEO Angel Pérez also issued a statement.

While the U.S. Department of Education announced a FAFSA College Support Strategy to provide additional personnel, funding, resources, and technology to help colleges process student data and deliver financial aid, this doesn’t make things any easier for students and parents waiting for financial aid packages from colleges and universities.

Many estimate most colleges won’t be able to deliver final financial aid packages to students and families until late March at the earliest. Every American college and university traditionally tries to provide financial aid packages as early as possible after a student is admitted in order to entice a student and his or her family to commit to attend and deposit. The failure of the FAFSA this admissions cycle is causing massive headaches and heartburn for college administrators everywhere, but particularly at colleges that harness aid to spur matriculations and maintain enrollment numbers that are the lifeblood of the vast majority of institutions.

While the Department of Education has extended the FAFSA submission deadline to June 30, that really doesn’t help colleges that traditionally need the bulk of committed students to deposit by May 1. Most selective colleges have not extended their financial aid application deadlines anywhere close to June 30, and many high school seniors want to be finished deciding where they plan to go to college by no later than the traditional reply-by date of May 1 so that they can focus prom, the end of senior year, and the joy of high school graduation. The failure of the FAFSA has the potential to cast a pall over all of these typical rights of passage.

While a number of colleges have also extended their financial aid application deadlines and pushed by their commitment deadlines to May 15 or June 1, which is unprecedented, others, like Elon University, are doing their best provide preliminary financial aid packages to students based on data received from the CSS-PROFILE.

Ultimately, with the dream of a simpler FAFSA having turned into a nightmare, the FAFSA breakdown and delays are causing the most pain and suffering to students and parents who desperately want the information they need in order to end their college application processes once and for all and with the peace of mind that they’ve selected the best institutions in alignment with both family goals and family budgets.

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.