Mom Knows College

A Parent's Survival Guide to College Planning

5 Questions Every Parent Should Ask on College Visits

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We all know that college visits are designed to allow students to find the right college fit: to explore, ask questions and get a feel for campuses and what each school has to offer. Students should be armed with a list of questions about each school to learn the most they can on tours.

Parents, too, should be asking thoughtful questions. While it’s great to put the responsibility of finding out all he can about a college, I’ll bet that young Johnny’s not thinking about things like campus health services.

Check out this list of essential questions parents should ask on each college visit.
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How Realistic Is Your Teen’s College List?

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There are so many parents who are just sure their teen will get into their competitive dream college. And many of them apply only to those very selective schools – that’s all you’ll see on their college lists.

It could be that your kid has dreamed of attending an Ivy-league school and plans on applying to one or more. Maybe that’s even your dream for your teen. That’s very commendable, and there’s of course a possibility that he’ll be admitted if his numbers stack up, which would be tremendous!

There’s no sugar-coating this, though: Admissions officers won’t give applications a second look if students don’t fall within the range of what’s acceptable for their colleges.Continue Reading

Don’t Just Count on the School Counselor

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Don't Just Count on the College CounselorIf you follow my timeline for college planning (and, well, you certainly should), you know that the start of the school year is a good time for your teen to visit the school counselor.

Counselors at high schools can be a great resource for students in the college admissions and planning game. And one of my earliest recommendations to families is that they utilize the school (or guidance) counselor as a resource for college admissions often.

But let’s get real for a minute.

You may or may not have noticed that the school counselors at your kid’s public school are, well…more than just a little overloaded.

According to the National Association of College Admissions Counseling, the average student-to-counselor ratio for public schools in the U.S. is 471:1. And some states show ratios that are borderline ridiculous: California’s ratio is almost 1,000 students to one counselor.

Ok, not borderline. Just ridiculous.

How are these poor folks able to give your special snowflake the attention he needs in order to plan the right way for college admissions? A great question. We’ll talk about it. I’ll also tell you what you and your teen need to do on your own to make sure you’re on track with things.

But first, wouldn’t it be fun to see how your state stacks up?:Continue Reading

What to Do at a College Fair

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What to Do at a College FairOne of the best ways for your teenager to begin developing, or narrowing down, a college list is to attend a college fair.

This is an event that allows students learn about many different schools, all in one place. They’ll learn more about colleges they’re considering and discover those they didn’t know existed.

It can seem like an intimidating experience for kids if they’re not sure what to expect, and it’s important they know how to get the most out of them.

Here’s the skinny on what you and your teen should know:Continue Reading

5 Myths About Finding the Best College Fit

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Top 5 Myths about Finding the Best College FitRumors spread like wildfire between parents about college planning process. Remember that feeling you got when Emily’s mom told you there’s no way to get in to a good school without being in the 95th percentile on the SAT?

Bunk.

It’s no wonder that college admissions consultants are being hired on at high rates by parents who just aren’t sure what to do or believe.

Don’t operate on hearsay that’s been passed down over time. Let’s address some of the prevailing myths about finding the right college fit that you might have heard:

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