The College Whisperer

A safe and fun-filled Labor Day Weekend from The College Whisperer and the college planning pros at College Connection.

Enjoy the last three-day weekend of summer. Fire up the BBQ. And, alas, hit those books! ;~)


The views and opinions expressed in this blog are solely those of The College Whisperer.
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The road to college begins at College Connection.

G.L. of Dix Hills, NY (via the University at Albany), writes:

Just came back from the campus bookstore. Shocked to see the prices for textbooks, even the used ones. Any advice on saving us impoverished students some bucks?

The College Whisperer responds:

Ahhh. The joys of spending too much for the obligatory texts (often written by the professors and read by only a select few).

The College Whisperer still has vivid memories of his eldest daughter's days as an undergrad. She'd pre-order textbooks from the college bookstore, pay off-the-wall prices (in many instances, even for used books), and, come the end of the semester, mom and dad would find the books still hermetically (great SAT word) sealed in their plastic wrap.

But I digress.

Indeed, the cost of textbooks -- often in the neighborhood of $1000 per semester, particularly for Freshman with full introductory course loads -- can set one back a bit.

The trend, for many years, has been to buy used. This saves a considerable sum, though still expensive. Of course, the used textbook is not always available, and there's no escaping that prof who wants you to buy the latest edition of his textbook. [We won't even touch upon the used textbooks with the dreaded red highlights covering 90% of the words. LOL]

But why buy, new or used, when you can rent?

Yes, The College Whisperer said RENT!

Face it. After the semester, how many times will you open that History of New Caledonia, 1805-1902 textbook again? Likely, assuming you can't sell it back or pawn it off as a "must read" to an unsuspecting lower classman, it's use will be relegated to service as a TV stand or over-sized paperweight.

Renting textbooks has become all the rage on campus, and it is something every student should look into.

Look where, you ask?

Start at your college bookstore. Many on-campus vendors are now renting books, though they may not be overt in their advertising of same.

Bookstore doesn't rent books? Try that new-fangled wireless thing called the Internet. [Thanks, Al Gore. You've come through for us again!]

There are a good number of reputable online textbook outfitters out there, including Chegg.com, bookrenter.com, and the ever-present ecampus.com.

Even the big boys, like Barnes & Nobles (which has many a campus bookstore concession), has gotten into the rental (and, believe it or not, download) of college text books game. Will wonders never cease?

Yes, why own when you can rent! Sounds counterintuitive (SAT word), but it's true.

Do a little comparison shopping -- in-store and online -- to find the best buys, or rents, as the case may well be.

Save yourself a considerable chunk of dough (which you will no doubt use to download books to your Kindle ;-), and happy reading!

The views and opinions expressed in this blog are solely those of The College Whisperer.
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The road to college begins at College Connection.

M.K. of North Hills, NY writes:

My son, a high school senior, will be applying for admission to colleges this fall. He has several prestigious, and expensive, private colleges in mind. His father and I were thinking more along the lines of one of the university centers of our state university. Your thoughts?

The College Whisperer responds:

When it comes to public universities versus private colleges, it would seem we think alike, M.K.

Too many folks -- particularly impressionable students who think money grows on trees (it used too, until the wild fires consumed every last one of them) -- think that private beats public, hands down.

Wrong!

Aside from the fact that you can get as good an education -- or better -- at public universities, where as many or more of the faculty hold doctorates, the bang for the buck is substantial.

Take New York University. Please. The estimated cost of attendance for one year approaches $60,000 (tuition, fees, room and board, books and personal expenses).

Compare that to, say, SUNY's Binghamton University, often referred to as "a public ivy," where the entire kit and kaboodle can be yours for just slightly over $18,000 per year.

Now, we could debate, ad nauseum, whether NYU's perceived lofty status is exceeded only by the unimaginably burdensome debt-load of its graduates (versus public universities, where student debt is among the lowest), and whether SUNY's study abroad program rivals a year of study at NYU's Abu Dhabi campus (they have an Abu Dhabi campus? Why?), but The College Whisperer was a Political Science major undergrad, so you do the math.

But private universities are more prestigious, aren't they?

In their own minds, up in that ivory tower of academia, yes. In reality?

Consider that the University of Virginia and the University of Michigan are both public, state universities. Add to the list the University of North Carolina and the University of California's Berkeley.  Prestigious enough for you?

Granted, the tuition at some of these state schools is up there, particularly for out-of-state students, but compare the cost of even the most expensive public university to, say, the most expensive private colleges, and we're talking real big bucks, folks. [Check out Campus Grotto for a list of most expensive colleges, both total overall cost and tuition].

What words come to mind? Insane? Absurd? Highway robbery? All of the above?

Lady Gaga, who was once enrolled at NYU, can probably afford to pay off hundreds of thousands of dollars in student loans. Can you?

When it comes to the public vs. private debate, the edge goes to public, decisively. On value, quality, academics and amenities, many public institutions rival, if not outright overtake, their private counterparts. On affordability, well, better in your pocket than in the Bursar's (what the heck is a Bursar, anyway?) at an overpriced private school.

Yes, there are instances where private will trump public. Certain programs fitting particular needs. Legacies (highly overrated). Full-ride scholarships.

That said, students, and, certainly, parents footing the bill and looking for affordable, first rate education, should consider public universities (notably, the ones in their own state).

We're not saying, mind you, to forsake the private colleges, by any means. Apply (although, here too, NYU's application fee of $70 is rather steep). Weigh costs (literally) versus benefits. See where you are accepted, and what kind of financial aid package each school -- public and private -- offers. Then, make you decision.

As is often the case, one student's priorities may vary from another's, or even from that of his parents. Cost, too, is not everything to everyone. Take, for instance, a consortium of small private colleges, struggling to meet enrollment, that increased tuition substantially. The following year, enrollment skyrocketed. Apparently, there are still people out there who believe you always get more when you pay more. Go figure!

E-mail The College Whisperer at info@TheCollegeWhisperer.com.

The views and opinions expressed in this blog are solely those of The College Whisperer.
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The road to college begins at College Connection.

Seems that every time you turn around, someone -- usually an enterprising college student who needs the cash to pay that tuition bill -- is writing a book on how to pay for college. Add on the perfunctory, Without Going Broke, Without Mooching Off Your Parents, Without Going Into Debt, and you've got a best seller.

Saunter (a good SAT word) into your local Barnes & Nobles and you'll find at least a half dozen books dedicated to paying for colleges, the profits from any one of which likely to be sufficient to fund an endowment. Why, simply do a Google search, "paying for college," and up come hundreds of sites -- with books, articles, treatises and rants galore -- everyone (including The College Whisperer) sticking in his or her two cents on how you can best spend yours.

Of course, there's no real magic, and only a touch of sleight of hand, when it comes for saving and paying for college.

Much like Steve Martin's comic routine, How to Make a Million Dollars (first, get a million dollars), the best approach to paying for college is saving for college, well in advance of that first tuition bill hitting your mailbox (or e-mail box, as is the case these days, more often than not).

Open and regularly contribute to a college savings (529) plan. Check out SavingForCollege.com as a guide to 529 plans, generically. New Yorkers should visit NYsaves.org for the low down on NY's 529 plan, which offers saving through a wide array of investments (managed by Vanguard), along with a handsome NYS tax deduction. New Yorkers can start a 529 plan with as little as $25 (which is what you might have left in your pocket -- if you're lucky -- should you choose to feed the insatiable coffers of, say, an NYU).

Search -- and actually apply for -- grants and scholarships. You'd be amazed at all the places you can find money for college, if only you'd take the time, not only to look, but to chase after those greenbacks. Yes, start with fastweb, the universally recognized portal where life in the scholarship frenzy begins. Then, seek out other sources of free money for college. Scholarship search websites (and there are dozens), such as meritaid.com, scholarshipexperts.com, and finaid.org. Community-based scholarships and grants. Kiwanis. Rotary. Lions. Church and synagogue. Fraternal organizations. Local businesses and banks. And don't forget the feds (i.e., Pell Grants) as well as scholarships offered by the colleges themselves. The list goes on. And remember to hound your high school guidance counselor for new scholarship opportunities arriving daily. Dig. Then dig some more!

Work. Full-time, during the summer and those traditionally long college breaks. Part-time during the school year. You'd be surprised how those dollars add up. Many colleges offer work-study as part of the financial aid package. Take advantage. A little hard work never hurt anyone. And who knows, you may just have something left over for pizza and a keg party (Shh! I didn't say that...).

Borrow prudently. If you must take loans to pay for college, do consider the federal Stafford loans (particularly of the subsidized variety), typically offered as part of the college's financial aid package. If private loans are necessary, compare rates and terms. Check out private loans at SimpleTuition.com.

Complete FAFSA online (and, when required, CSS Profile). No matter what money you may be entitled to in scholarships, grants, work-study, and even loans, you won't get a penny from colleges unless you complete the FAFSA form and submit same in a timely manner. FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) is, as its name implies, free to file, and a pre-req, in most instances, to getting a financial aid award. Some schools require the CSS Profile, in addition to or separate and apart from FAFSA. [Hey, College Board needs to make money too, right? ;-( ] Mind those deadlines!

The College Whisperer could go on and on with respect to finding money for college. There are, indeed, millions of dollars to be mined, much of it untapped each year. Then again, you -- as students and parents -- need to be good and diligent prospectors. Money is out there, much of it free. But it won't be knocking at your door...

For those still married to the book, here's a review (collegecandy.com) of the latest "How To Pay..." book to hit the stands, How I Paid for an Outstanding College Education Without Loans, Scholarships or Mooching Off My Parents, written by a college student, Zac Bissonnette. Go ahead. read the book. [It probably won't tell you much you don't already know or haven't thought of, but if it makes you feel you've left no stone unturned...] Better yet, like Zac, write a book of your own, and let those who pour over its pages pay your way through college.

E-mail The College Whisperer at info@TheCollegeWhisperer.com.

The views and opinions expressed in this blog are solely those of The College Whisperer.
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Comments? Questions for The College Whisperer?
Write us at info@TheCollegeWhisperer.com

The road to college begins at College Connection.

E.L. of Searingtown, NY writes:

HELP! I am about to take the SAT and the ACT for the second time this fall, and need guidance and advice to raise my score, significantly. Have gone the test-prep class route before, with limited success. Can you recommend an individual tutor to assist on both substance and technique?

The College Whisperer responds:

No question, you need a competitive edge when applying to colleges these days. The same holds true when preparing for the SAT, ACT and SAT Subject Tests.

College Connection can help you gain that edge in matching students with colleges that "fit" their needs and capabilities, in developing that all-important college essay, in the tedious and too often overwhelming application process, in scoring money for college through scholarships and financial aid, and, yes, in finding the perfect tutor for giving you the competitive edge on those critical standardized tests.

Topping College Connection's preferred list of test prep tutors is Philip Becker of Philip's Edge Tutors. Philip doesn't just claim results -- significantly higher scores on your SAT, SATII and ACT -- he has the demonstrated results to prove them!

Don't let that "800 pound gorilla in the room" keep you from honing in on that perfect 800 score.

For the competitive edge in college planning and admissions, contact College Connection. For the competitive edge in test-taking, contact Philip's Edge Tutors!
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To be considered for College Connection's preferred tutor list, e-mail your resume and contact information for three (3) recent students to info@CollegeConnect.info.

E-mail The College Whisperer at info@TheCollegeWhisperer.com.

The views and opinions expressed in this blog are solely those of The College Whisperer.
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Comments? Questions for The College Whisperer?
Write us at info@TheCollegeWhisperer.com

The road to college begins at College Connection.

No. Not a typo. Get complete, customized, personal college planning -- from college matching, admission strategies and essay development to scholarship and financial aid sourcing -- all for the incredibly low, all-inclusive price of $999.

Yes, you read that correctly. Now through Labor Day, September 6th, College Connection is offering the Good Old-Fashioned Advice at a Good Old-Fashioned Price package, a bargain at the regular everyday price of $2000, for only $999.

Move over, Ron Popeil. there has never been a better price, at a more crucial time, for comprehensive, individualized college planning, guidance and support.

This one won't last, folks, so you'll have to pick up the phone and call College Connection today at 516-345-8766 or simply complete the Student Profile at Let's Get Started, being sure, either way, to mention Promo Code 999 as the referral.

Here's what you will get:

       ·         A comprehensive college plan customized to student’s needs and goals

       ·         Individualized consultations with a personal college counselor (includes in-person, telephone and online)

       ·         Unlimited e-mail access to your personal college counselor

       ·         Unlimited telephone access to your personal college counselor

       ·         Review of academic records, standardized scores, and extracurriculars

       ·        Synthesis of college/student matching profile

       ·        Essay Brainstorming session

       ·        Editing of Common Application essays

       ·        Editing of the activities résumé

       ·        Editing of supplemental essays

       ·        Review and enhancement of applications

       ·        Assistance with submission of Applications

       ·        Advice and action plan on scholarship, grant and financial aid sourcing

       ·        Assistance with completion and filing of College Profile and/or FAFSA

       ·       Recommendations and practice for college interviews

       ·       Help with making final choice when decision letters are received

But wait, there's more... Sign up for this special offer within the next ten minutes (okay, okay, you have until September 6th, but "within the next ten minutes" seems to work on all those overnight infomercials ;-), and you will receive, absolutely FREE, unlimited access to College Connection's College Cafe, a compendium of essential links and resources. Included are critical college planning tools, links to college matching and scholarship sourcing websites, and pertinent excerpts from such popular books as How To Pay For College Without Going Broke, Winning the Heart of the College Admissions Dean, and the always soothing Chicken Soup for the College Soul.

No Ginsu knives. No 9' x 12' rugs. No "buy one college planning package, get the second free" (unless you've got twins ;-). Just the best darn college counseling, at an unheard of price. Heck, even the ShamWow guy would be impressed!

Now, The College Whisperer is no Billy Mays, mind you, but I know a great deal when one comes my way. Operators may not be standing by (these days, we have voicemail), but snooze and you loose on the chance to get the college guidance you need, at a price you can afford.

The college market is more competitive than ever. You need to be as well. Reach out to College Connection TODAY (we can't call you), and be on the road to college admission success tomorrow!
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Check out all of College Connection's fare (or create your own) at Nuts and Bolts. Call us at 516-345-8766.

E-mail The College Whisperer at info@TheCollegeWhisperer.com.

The views and opinions expressed in this blog are solely those of The College Whisperer.
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Comments? Questions for The College Whisperer?
Write us at info@TheCollegeWhisperer.com

The road to college begins at College Connection. [We can help with those college applications!]

M.T. of Little Neck, NY writes:

I am about to enter my senior year of high school, and will soon be preparing my college applications (YIKES!). I'd like to visit a few colleges this fall, but want to know if such campus tours are really worthwhile. Any thoughts?

The College Whisperer responds:

Lots of thoughts, M.T. [Right about now, I'm thinking "lunch." ;~)].

Yes, campus tours, particularly at colleges that top your wish list, are worthwhile. Visits to campus will give you -- and your parents -- a first-hand look at the places you will consider spending the next four years. The grounds. The classrooms. The research facilities. The library. The dorms. The dining halls. The student union.

Sit in on a lecture. Stay overnight at a dorm. Eat the food (Pepto sold separately). Get a feel for college life.

When visiting campus, you will have the opportunity to take a guided tour, to meet with admissions and financial aid officers, and, most important, to ask questions. The stuff you just cannot get from a viewbook or website.

Ideally, you'd want to plan a campus visit to every college you intend to apply to. Practically, given limitations of both time and money, this is not realistic.

Choose the top college prospects, keeping in mind distance and travel expense (you may not be able to visit the University of Hawaii this go 'round), and plan your trip.

Make it a family event, keeping in mind that you will want your parents to share the experience, especially if they are bearing the cost. Plan to go when school is in session, and check out the college's website for tour information and, where applicable, registration. [It is always advisable to register, when possible, for campus tours. (A) Your space will be reserved. (B) It let's college officials know that you have a serious interest in the school.]

Of course, given the constraints, economic, spacial, and otherwise, doubtful you will get to every college campus (unlike Phish or The Jonas Brothers).

That said, the next best thing to being there (well, almost), is a virtual campus visit.

Check out campustours.com and ecampustours.com (because campustours.com was already taken ;-), as well as the ever-popular youniversitytv.com.

You'll at least get a taste of what college and campus life is like, if not the full flavor. And virtually (pun intended) every school offers an online tour of one sort or another, on one of the e-tour sites, its own website, or both.

Even if you can't visit any or all of the schools you will be applying to this fall, do plan to visit colleges to which you have been accepted in the spring, before you make your final decision. This is a big step (and likely, a big expense), so you will want to walk the walk on campus before you commit.

Meanwhile, in the midst of the applications, the standardized tests, and the angst that goes with it all, here's a College Connection perennial favorite, the tour of the college library. This one always brings a smile to The College Whisperer's face. Hope you like it, too!


E-mail The College Whisperer at info@TheCollegeWhisperer.com.

The views and opinions expressed in this blog are solely those of The College Whisperer.
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Comments? Questions for The College Whisperer?
Write us at info@TheCollegeWhisperer.com

The road to college begins at College Connection. [We can help with those college applications!]

Fresh off a three-continent, two-galaxy whirlwind tour of cyberspace, The College Whisperer re-enters the stratosphere, ready to make his only Long Island appearance (so far) on Monday, September 20, 2010, from 7 PM to 8:30 PM.

The College Whisperer brings his know-how and savvy (sorry, no entourage) to what some consider to be the center of the universe (or so local residents would have you believe ;-), West Hempstead, New York, offering a FREE College Planning Workshop for parents of college-bound high school students.

Learn about the admissions process and applying to college. Get the low down on what those college essays ("personal statements," to those familiar with the lingo) are really all about. Develop a college timeline and admissions strategy. And let's not forget about paying for college. The College Whisperer has some insight on that, as well.

A lively, interactive discussion will ensue, and questions will be entertained (no song and dance, however).

The College Planning Workshop (did I mention that it's FREE?) will be held at the West Hempstead Public Library, 500 Hempstead Avenue, West Hempstead, NY, and is open to all.

Registration, which is ongoing, is required. Call the West Hempstead Public Library at 516-481-6591.

Can't make it to the FREE College Planning Workshop on September 20th? Have a group of 10 or more and a place to assemble (local library, community center, house of worship, Elks Club, Moose Lodge)? The College Whisperer can bring his words of collegiate wisdom to you. For more information on hosting a FREE College Planning Workshop in your community, call College Connection at 516-345-8766.

Don't miss out on this opportunity to meet The College Whisperer. [Okay. Okay. I'll sign your autograph book. Goodness, you are a persistent little fella, aren't you...]

E-mail The College Whisperer at info@TheCollegeWhisperer.com.

The views and opinions expressed in this blog are solely those of The College Whisperer.
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Comments? Questions for The College Whisperer?
Write us at info@TheCollegeWhisperer.com

The road to college begins at College Connection.

For high school students looking for leadership training and college scholarship opportunities, the Posse Foundation offers those with "extraordinary academic and leadership potential" a means to become Posse Scholars.

No, the horse is not included, nor will there be any outlaws to round up and bring to justice. There will, however, be the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to join a diverse, enthusiastic, and engaged group of students (the Posse, in case you were wondering), who, through campus initiatives, serve as catalysts for "increased individual and community involvement."

Students are nominated by high schools and community organizations, and, through Posse's association with partner colleges (38 in all), join multicultural teams of 10 (a nice size for a posse), a full-tuition, four-year scholarship in pocket (holster sold separately).

There may not be a camp out at the Ponderosa for this posse (The College Whisperer is no doubt dating himself, as these days, high schoolers hear "Ponderosa" and think "steakhouse"), but "have gumption, will travel" could well be the credo for the Posse Scholars of tomorrow.

For more info on Posse Scholarships, check out www.possefoundation.org/ or visit the guidance office in your high school.

Let's ride!

E-mail The College Whisperer at info@TheCollegeWhisperer.com.

The views and opinions expressed in this blog are solely those of The College Whisperer.
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Write us at info@TheCollegeWhisperer.com

The road to college begins at College Connection.

The New York Higher Education Loan Program (NYHELPs) touts itself, on ads seen on buses and heard on radio, as "bridging the gap" in college financing.

After exhausting federal grants and loans, scholarships from colleges, and State programs, such as the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) [itself an extremely limited resource, particularly for the financially hard-squeezed middle class, being quietly phased out in NY (TAP, that is. Not the middle class. Then again, with property taxes what they are, the middle class may also be headed toward extinction)], NYHELPs offers students what it calls "low cost" student loans.

The low down on the "low cost?" Interest rates start at 7.55% for an "immediate repayment" loan, and go up to 8.75% for "full deferment."

Not exactly the "low cost" most students have in mind, considering that home mortgage rates are hovering near 4.25%, undergraduate Stafford (subsidized) loans for 2010-11 are a fixed 4.5%, going down to 3.4% in 2011-12 [unsubsidized Stafford loans hold the rate at 6.80%], and the PLUS loan rate is 7.9%. Private loans vary, but interest rates can be considerably less than what NYHELP offers.

Granted, the 2% and 3% student loans of yesteryear are long gone, but geez, if New York's Higher Education Services Corporation (HESC), a public agency utilizing public tax dollars, wants to offer students a hand up to "bridge the gap," then beat the rates offered by Stafford and the private lenders, with truly low cost gap loans.

As it stands, NYHELPs' version of "low cost" loans to "bridge the gap" is the financial equivalent of the the MTA's efforts to close the gap between station and platform. Too many students, with already insurmountable debt, falling through the cracks. HESC's idea of "bridging the gap" with relatively high interest loans to pay for that college dream is no better than the MTA's exorbitant tolls on New York's bridges as a means of paying for the MTA's mismanagement of taxpayers' money.

Here's a thought, New York. ZERO interest loans conditioned upon attending a college (public or private) in New York, provided that the student continues to reside in New York for at least five consecutive years post graduation, with loan forgiveness for students who commit to a minimum of five years of post-college public service (or enter into a public service career, such as teaching).

We can do better to help our children on the education front, and making college truly affordable, in an economy that is stagnant and an environment where colleges still believe they can charge whatever they like (and they do), must be our top priority.
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Don't let college dreams turn into financial nightmares! Start you search for grants and scholarships at Fastweb.com. Already registered at Fastweb and committed to the search? Search on! Register at scholarshipexperts.com and meritaid.com. [Tip of the scholarship search iceberg, but you have to start somewhere!] Looking for low-cost student loans beyond those offered by the feds or state? Check out SimpleTuition.com.

Be sure to consult with your independent college planning counselor for creative ways to fund your college education. College Connection can help you mine those hidden scholarships and unlock the secrets of paying for college.

E-mail The College Whisperer at info@TheCollegeWhisperer.com.

The views and opinions expressed in this blog are solely those of The College Whisperer.
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Comments? Questions for The College Whisperer?
Write us at info@TheCollegeWhisperer.com

The road to college begins at College Connection.