Comparing Aid Packages
When your college-bound students complete and submit the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid), the federal government sends the student's expected family contribution (EFC) to the schools the student lists on the FAFSA. The EFC is the amount the student's family is expected to pay toward college.
Colleges subtract the EFC from the total cost of attendance to determine financial need, on which they base the student's financial aid package. The financial aid package includes federal and state grant awards, institutional awards, work-study, and federal student loans.
Each school will send the student an award letter, detailing the types and amount of financial aid the school is offering. Your students and their families should compare the award letters from various schools. The Award Analyzer on EducationPlanner.org makes it easier for your students to compare aid packages. They simply enter the financial aid information from each award letter into the spreadsheet and select "Calculate" to see the results. The Award Analyzer allows students and their families to compare the award packages side-by-side to determine which college offered them the best package.
Is the Wait List Worth the Wait?
Your students are waiting with great anticipation for word of their admission status at their top school choices. There will be acceptance letters, which create great joy, and rejection letters, which cause much distress. And then there are letters that cause possibly the most confusion: The student is on a school's wait list.
Wait lists are sort of like admissions limbo. Most students are unsure how to proceed. There is no right or wrong direction, but a look at wait list statistics may help students make the choice that's right for them.
A survey conducted last year by the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) confirmed that students should not pin too much hope on being admitted through a wait list. About one-third of all colleges use wait lists, and even more selective schools—78%—do. The survey found that, nationwide, only about 30% of students who stay on the wait list are eventually offered enrollment. At selective schools, that percentage drops to 13%.
Many college admissions counselors urge students to go for the sure thing if offered admission at another school.
We've compiled some tips for students who choose to stay on the wait list:
- Inform the college that you want to remain on the wait list. (If the college provided you with a postcard for this purpose, complete and send it back.)
- Write a letter to the admissions office emphasizing your desire to attend. Keep the college updated on any recent achievements—academic milestones, awards, etc—that would enhance your application.
- Schedule a visit and request an interview. An interview will demonstrate your interest in attending and give you a personal contact in the admissions office.
- Reconsider the colleges where you were accepted. Accept an offer from one of them and send in the deposit. You can always notify them that you've changed your mind if you're later accepted from the wait list at your top school choice.
Are Your Students Stressed Out?
Your college-bound students have a lot going on...juniors and seniors are in the process of making some major decisions about their future.
Students are juggling more responsibilities today than they ever were. Not only are they working hard to earn good grades, they're involved in extracurricular activities, managing part-time jobs, making car payments, saving money for college, and experiencing the normal "ups and downs" of personal relationships.
Add to this list choosing a major, finding the right college, and researching scholarships to help pay for college, and you have the ingredients for stressed-out students.
While some level of stress in our daily lives helps keep us functioning effectively, too much stress can result in negative behaviors, including:
- Changes in sleep patterns
- Changes in eating habits
- Diminished social functionality
- Irritability
- Extreme or extended sadness
- Substance abuse
- Destructive or risk-taking behavior
If you notice any of these actions and attitudes in your students, they may be stress-related. The most effective way to manage a stress-related problem is to talk to the student and make sure he or she is communicating with one or both parents.
Teens often believe their problems or concerns are unique to themselves. They need to be aware that most adults have gone through the same situations they are facing and that they're not alone in their experiences and feelings.
There are some things students can do to help relieve stress:
- Get at least 8 hours of sleep each night.
- Exercise regularly.
- Eat a healthy diet.
- Break large tasks into smaller, more manageable steps.
- Take time for fun with family and friends.
Students shouldn't try to eliminate all stress from their lives—it simply can't be done. Learning to manage stress during this period of their lives is a skill that will serve them well in the future.
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