You are not a carbon copy of your friends and your college list should not be a copy, either!
Your friend has their academic stats and strengths — and you have your own. Your cousin loved their extracurriculars and you enjoy completely different activities. Your father’s co–worker’s son is a country campus mouse and you are a city campus mouse. All these comparisons to say that you CANNOT and SHOULD NOT apply to certain colleges just because other people do.
How would you react to a parent exclaiming, “My daughter wants to change her college choice based on what her friends think of it!”
1) Who cares what her friends think? They have only 17 years’ experience in the world as she does and don’t know any more about anything than she does. But one thing she does know more than they do is about herself.
2) No matter her choice, those “friends” will be dispersed throughout the country. They won’t be holding her hands to all her classes and—
3) They won’t be paying her bills. How lucky for her that best fit and less debt coincide!
4) She doesn’t have to wait until she’s immersed her new life as a college freshman to mute and unfriend those critics; no time like the present!
5) Only SHE can live her life. She should not select a school based on what others think.
You need to find colleges that are best fits for you.
EVERY STUDENT’S COLLEGE SEARCH IS NOT ALIKE… But you’ll find your way with our “Talking College Search” online course. Get UNLIMITED 24/7 access to all the lessons in the webinar course that will help you put together a list of colleges that will accept you and won’t be a surprise to your bank account. Learn all aspects of the application process. It’s like having your own consultant to see anytime you want on your computer or smart phone.
INDSIGHT IS NOW: Gain knowledge to get through your college application process with less pain! ALL LESSONS INCLUDED in our “Talking College Search” online course plus a downloadable Workbook!
Learn how to find the schools that match you academically AND financially. When the acceptance letters come in, you should not be surprised that a college is unaffordable; you should not wish you applied to other schools that want you so much they’d make it ea$ier for you to choose them.
You CAN find out what your odds are BEFORE sending in applications.
At a cost less than one college application fee*, you can have unlimited access to 6 Topic Sections, 18 Lessons, 3 Hours and 1 Bonus Workbook covering the entire college application process. Learn what your school counselor may not have time to tell you. Watch at YOUR convenience! ENROLL NOW: https://goodapples.teachable.com
*(didn’t know there were application fees? You really need to start with this course!)
Did you know there are two types of “Summer Melt”? Why and how to avoid.
Very disturbing to watch happen…
The term “Summer Melting” is when a student is admitted to a college, accepts the offer but doesn’t show up. It is always disheartening to hear, especially when it’s avoidable.
Did you know there are two types of “Summer Melt”? “Melting” is used to label these different scenarios:
FIRST DEFINITION – MELTING DUE TO LOW SELF-CONFIDENCE OR SURVIVOR’S REMORSE: First-generation students (first to attend college in their family), low–income students and students who do not encounter many college grads in their lives experience this type of melt the most. The feelings often have no basis except in their own anxiety. There are feelings of guilt, pessimism and/or defeat before even getting into “battle”. They worry about being the “only one” of whomever they are. They let doubtful remarks made by insecure, jealous people get under their skin. After–all, the people who are more typical to be in that college must know better, yes? NO!
The insecure will look for a last-minute reason not to attend college. They think not going will avoid pain. But what about the pain of not attempting to accomplish a goal? It’s a dream that they-themselves defer!
Can that Melting be Stopped: yes, it can be overcome, either by the student recognizing what they are doing to themselves and/or by sharing their fears with a trusted adult and getting help to work through it. They should seek out alumni and older students who share their background. TALK TO PEOPLE; DON’T KEEP IT INSIDE! It is so important that they face their hesitation BEFORE heading to college so that they walk onto campus confident, ready to face anything and feeling that they belong.
The college wouldn’t offer them a seat if it did not want them to come; it’s time-consuming for hard-working admissions officials to sort through applications and it’s expensive to lose and may not be able to replace a student who suddenly doesn’t show up. These melting students must not let IMPOSTER SYNDROME get them.
Once they’re on campus, do not stew in your juices alone; find people who help and don’t hinder. They should join groups on campus or in town that can be a safe space, where they can comfortably “be themselves”. Or, take initiative and start a group or activity! Build self-confidence and leadership skills that can make them successful in their future career while helping themselves and others in school.
SUGGESTION: repeat it and believe this: “Yes! I DO belong here!”
SECOND DEFINITION – MELTING DUE TO LACK OF FINANCIAL PLANNING: Quite a few students accept a college offer but realize just before move-in day that they cannot afford the cost to attend college. This type of melt not only affects first-generation and low–income students; students ready to pay part of the costs often melt, too.
These students usually don’t understand their acceptance package’s financial aid report. Or they become really set on attending because the college is “perfect”, no other school comes close to being as dreamy and they think it will all work out, because it’s the dream school. Or, they are just bad at math. Unfortunately, if the gap is too big, the student will not be able to attend that school.
Can that Melting be Stopped: depends on when they realize they can’t pay, and how big the gap is. The closer to Move-In Day that it happens, the more difficult it’ll be to figure out how to fill the gap. Scholarship deadlines have likely passed. If they work, they should check if there’s an employer scholarship fund. Beware loans beyond the government student and government ParentPlus loans; private bank loans add up and require parents to put their credit in peril. It’s not worth losing the family home, either! Best bet is to contact the college to ask for more grants and arrange a payment plan. HOWEVER, these strategies will only work if amount owed can be realistically met. Melt alert!
SUGGESTION: Plan ahead, keep eyes open. The students who almost melt but manage to make it to school as freshmen will have to go through this precarious ordeal again in sophomore year if they don’t prepare. Strategy for the next year must begin the night of freshmen move-in day, at the latest.
WHAT CAN YOUNGER HIGH SCHOOLERS GAIN BY LEARNING ABOUT THESE SCENARIOS: Students and parents need more guidance in the college application and financial aid process but often they don’t receive it in a timely fashion. They must select a list of schools wisely, taking into account the family budget and the schools’ budget. A famous school name or rumor of generous financial aid does not mean that all students qualify for that financial aid.
Every summer, students are unnecessarily devastated upon finding out that they can’t go to college. It can happen to anyone who doesn’t have good advisors. It can end in heartbreak. Our “Talking College Search” course includes real-life scenarios, including one about a student who almost didn’t get to go to college. Learn how to make realistic decisions for education that will have lasting impact on your future. Get lifetime access to this three hour online course with bonus workbook for less than the cost of an application fee!
Learn all aspects of the college admissions process with the “Talking College Search” online web course.
College admissions time! But how do you figure out how to apply to college? Drag your tired self to information sessions after a long day at school and work?
Pay to meet with high priced consultants to the stars who don’t know their clients and try to turn the students into something they’re not and could never be?
The time and energy and money can be spent much better by learning how to apply to college through our “Talking College Search” ONLINE course.
On-demand, unlimited access to 6 Topic Sections, 18 Lessons and with real-life experiences as examples:
how to create a list of colleges,
how to approach the essays,
how to find the schools more likely to accept you,
how to find the schools that are the best deals,
how to interpret acceptance and financial aid reward letters.
Take this Course to:
AVOID SURPRISES: learn how to take control and be prepared for the outcomes.
AVOID AGGRAVATION: learn about pitfalls so all goes smoothly!
KEEP FOCUSED: learn about all the deadlines, the forms, and the steps to take.
KEEP IT REAL: learn your advantages and your limits. That includes financial limits.
AVOID DISAPPOINTMENT: the end goal is to get into the college that is the best fit.
Bonus Workbook is included and contains worksheets, reference charts and definitions!
Buy for less than the price of one college application (you did know that there are application fees? If not… then you really need this course.
Still Looking for a College? It May Not Be Too Late
The National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) released the list of colleges and universities nacacnet.org/openings that are STILL accepting applications two weeks earlier than usual.
There were more than 770 schools on the list with open seats in 2020!
So what kinds of colleges and universities are on the list? Both public and private schools can be found, religious and secular, even schools with Division I athletics programs! The search filter makes it easy to find schools by state, and even by country. Interested in Aruba, Australia, Canada, France, Ireland or Japan? Or perhaps you may be interested in one of the 12 universities in the United Kingdom? American schools on the list go from Alfred University in New York to Xavier University in Ohio.
Are you a high school junior or sophomore and are afraid that you’d have to make a last–minute choice like this? Good Apples NYC’s “Talking College Search” online course https://goodapples.teachable.com guides you to find a list of colleges that are the best fit for you. For less than the price of one application fee, take this course to help you figure out which schools on the list that still have openings.
(Best to take the course before high school senior year in order to avoid the panic of finding a school after May 1)!
“Without our knowing, our daughter said yes to her ‘Dream’ college that will charge us $50k a year after scholarships. Meanwhile she had a full-ride offer to another school!”
Well, maybe you’ll yell first. Next, sit down together. The school of her dreams gave her grants and scholarships and brought down the cost for the parents to $50,000 a year. Another college offered enough grants and scholarships that cover the entire cost of tuition, room and board. There would be no cost to the parents, no loans after graduation.
This is certainly an example of a family not communicating. Or maybe both student and parents were pie-in-the-sky when applying, and, upon seeing the acceptance and financial aid reward letters, only the parents came back down to the ground. Hard.
This is why taking our “Talking College Search” online course before making a college list would’ve saved this logistical headache of having to back out. This course helps get into a realistic mindset. Learn from 6 Topic Sections, 18 Lessons, 3 Hours — all for less than the price of one application fee. Enroll now!
True Story: It was 5:50am. It was still dark. The mom came into living room to watch the morning news. Tripped over the accordion file full of mid-west, west, and deep south college junk mail (college mail brochures categorized by region/state, put into separate accordion files and have never thrown out since sophomore year). The mom flailed around like a surfer in order not to fall, and wrenched her upper and lower back, knee, hip. Didn’t fall, broke no furniture nor herself, but oy, was she sore.
“I’m okay,” she said out loud, and realized that no one else was awake. She sighed and limped into the kitchen.
High schoolers start to receive college mail and emails as early as sophomore year if they take practice PSATs then. Did you keep them all or throw them away? Seniors/Parents: it’s December and the time to purge the college paraphernalia looms…
Down the stretch to meet final College Application Deadlines? The final submission dates loom. Make sure the college applications are complete. Take our “Dotting the I’s and Crossing the T’s” Mini-Course! This is for anyone who doesn’t have time to take our full-length “Talking College Search” course but still wants to make sure the process is complete. Also includes the 45-minute Bonus Lesson, “Acceptance & Rejection”, which lays out the options and next steps in plain talk after the letters come in. You’ll have 24/7 access to this course, so you can watch it anytime ( but do not wait for the last hour!)
This mini-course is for anyone who has a day remaining but still wants to make sure the process is good-and-done!
The final deadline looms. Make sure the college applications are complete. Before hitting “send”, take our “Dotting the I’s and Crossing the T’s” Mini-Course. This is from our full-length “Talking College Search” course and is for anyone who has a day remaining but still wants to make sure the process is good and done. Also includes the 45-minute Bonus Lesson, “Acceptance & Rejection”, which lays out the options and next steps in plain talk after the letters come in.
All high seniors and parents have gotten their FAFSA PIN numbers and have drafted their Financial Aid forms, right? HS seniors should try to send their forms out ASAP, using parents’ tax forms from usually a year before last year. With your parents’ permission, FAFSA, being a government service (the website ends in “. gov”), can connect to the IRS and download the data from your 1040. This makes the form even easier to complete. Some people may need to manually type in the numbers themselves; usually they have complicated investments and businesses. They might want to ask a financial advisor for some advice as to what is supposed to be added into the form. But bottom line: the earlier you file, the earlier you get in the line for financial aid.
Get an overview of the financial aid process with our “Just the Money, Honey” course! Learn about pitfalls and how to ask the right questions of your advisors: https://goodapples.teachable.com/p/justhemoneyhoney
