<p>My tips center on these topics. Start a spreadsheet for the many passwords and user names you will accumulate - College Board, ACT, FAFSA, and each individual college as well. keep a hard copy somewhere safe and a computer copy.</p>
<p>Start a filing system. I’m low tech on this one. One sturdy folder for each college of interest and one folder for financial aid docs. One folder for testing and one for common application/essays. I file all mail and relevent paperwork continually. I look forward to the day that I reclaim the corner of my dining room that generally houses all of these piles!</p>
<p>Set up an e-mail account that the student will use only for college information and apps. They will have to remember to check it, but it was nice to have everything going to one place and if its not their “personal” e-mail they will probably agree that you can check it too. Try to keep the e-mail name innocuous. One admin told a group that the e-mail address for one of the applicants had been “<a href="mailto:TheDeadWalkAtNight@wherever.com”>TheDeadWalkAtNight@wherever.com</a>“. Also avoid e-mail addresses like “<a href="mailto:ILoveHarvard@wherever.com”>ILoveHarvard@wherever.com</a>” (unless you want to make one up for each school).</p>
<p>Sometimes when teens start making lists of possible schools, they don’t want to consider the financial aspect. They’ll say that they’ll “worry about that later,” or “I’ll find someway to pay for it.”</p>
<p>The trouble with that approach is that so much time and effort gets put into creating such lists that once finances are considered, the teen doesn’t want to discard some/most/all of the schools on his list due to unaffordability. </p>
<p>It’s ok to apply to a couple unaffordable schools just to see what happens, but the majority of the list should consist of schools that are affordable by likely aid, merit, family money, or reasonable loans.</p>
<p>And speaking of loans…let your child know now if you won’t take out parent loans, and/or you won’t co-sign any loans.</p>
<p>A recent chat with my neighbor prompted this tip to parents… </p>
<p>Room and Board costs a **LOT **more than when we all went to school. </p>
<p>So…</p>
<p>Don’t just look at tuition costs and mentally add a few thousand for room, board, books, etc. Room and board can cost from about $6k-15k+ at various schools. Books, fees, and misc costs can add a few more thousand dollars.</p>
<p>So, be sure to look at each college website’s Cost of Attendance page. Hopefully, you’ll find the tuition (& non-resident rate if applicable), fees, room, board, and misc costs. </p>
<p>Before going to the COA page, sit down, and maybe have a stiff drink nearby. jk</p>
<p>Make sure that your child has at least one **true safety ** school on his/her list. This is a school that</p>
<p>Your child will be likely to gain admission</p>
<p>Would be happy to attend if it were the only school they were admitted to (I know it sounds harsh, but this could be the hardest school for them to find)</p>
<p>Is a financially feasible option for your family</p>
<p>Reminders from the Merit scholarship thread (that may have gotten lost when the thread derailed)</p>
<p>If Merit Money is important to your family, find out how outside scholarships affect merit or need based financial aid.</p>
<p>Find out if the school will stack scholarships (again find out how this will affect need based financial aid)</p>
<p>You must read the “fine print” associated with merit money and not be afraid to ask follow up questions</p>
<p>Is it automatically renewable for the next 4 years</p>
<p>Is it renewable for the same amount of money?</p>
<p>Is scholarship adjusted to take into consideration tuition increases (about 5% per year)</p>
<p>Is there a gpa requirement needed to keep getting the money?</p>
<p>When does the gpa requirement start (by the end of fall term or the end of spring term)?</p>
<p>Is there a phase in to the gpa requirement?</p>
<p>What happens if son/daughter does does not meet gpa requirement, does money leave immediately or is there a grace period?</p>
<p>If you/your child loses scholarship and brings grades back up is money reinstated?</p>
<p>Ask the financial aid office what percent of students lose their merit money in the first year.</p>
<p>And the most important question… worse case scenario if you/your child were to lose the scholarship would you still be able to swing the cost of attending?</p>