Mom Knows College

A Parent's Survival Guide to College Planning

6 Tips for Saving Money on College Visits

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If you know anything about the advice I give for students who are knee deep in trying to decide which colleges are the best fit, you know that I believe that visiting college campuses is one of the most important items on the to-do list.

But, let’s be honest – these trips can get expensive, especially if your teen is gung-ho on attending college in a different state.

So first, download my free College Visit Checklist to be sure your teen’s getting the most from those college visits. Then, check out these simple strategies that will help you keep those costs down.

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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