Last week’s blog covered how to read your award letter, but what can you do if the amount you are on the hook for is higher than what you can-- or want to-- pay? Ideally you will have sussed this all out before applying to schools, but the reality is that a school isn’t always transparent about expected family contribution, and even when it provides a cost calculator, the school doesn’t necessarily stand by it.

Many questions arise when you read a college’s financial award letter, but what you must focus on is the bottom line: After all is said and done, what will I be paying? The formula is simple: COA - GIFT AID = EFC

Virtually all colleges that have not done so already will be releasing their regular decision application outcomes in the coming weeks, with regular decision applicants receiving feedback by the first week of April.

What “counts” for high school activities? What should I do now to prepare for college applications? Getting on the right path AND keeping track of what you do now will be a great help when you are applying to college in three years.

This blog post explains the difference between test optional and test blind. Standardized tests like the SAT and ACT remain important for many students, but the goal post has shifted a great deal in the last 18 months.

Knowing what your goals are and understanding what “counts” and what doesn’t are critical for helping your student prepare for college, and the clock starts on the first day of freshman year.