Summer is a great time to visit colleges

Summer-Best Time To Plan and Visit Colleges 

by Howard Freedman

Copyright 2024 Financial Aid Consulting. All rights reserved. No portion of this article may be reproduced mechanically, electronically, by photocopying, or by any other means without expressed written permission of the author. Howard can be reached at finaidguy@gmail.com or 781-341-0234

Where has the time gone? This is the ongoing question we ask when doing fun things takes priority over tasks of greater importance. This especially holds when there is more pressure and stress to choose the best and most affordable colleges during your junior and senior years when most of the high school education has elapsed.

Having served many students and families through the years, I recognized several common characteristics that overwhelmed most of them. In particular, students and parents are traveling two different paths. The student is focused on getting into college, while the parent is focused on paying for it. Sadly, both parties set themselves up for disappointment, guilt, or both when the student’s acceptance is negated by a family’s inability to pay for it. The results would have been different if they had made the time to talk earlier and get onto the same track. The other characteristic focuses on poor time management. This is when available time, especially during summer vacations, is wasted when college-bound students don’t effectively plan.

The average student has about 12 to 13 weeks during the summer. This is not to suggest that you spend every waking moment at the library or college to do research. It suggests that there must be a balance between relaxation and spending time more wisely. Working to save money for college, doing volunteer work, meeting new people, and developing financial plans and strategies for visiting colleges are some of the many ways to make the best use of your available hours to help increase your value to attend the best colleges you can afford.

Schedule meetings with your guidance counselors before and after your summer vacation. This enables you to learn about the colleges and financial aid given to the graduating seniors for the last two years. Get some of their names for networking and their perspective of the college. Schedule time to contact admission and financial aid officers to learn about their selection process and how they award both merit and need-based financial aid.

Understand the steps in this process and the timetables to accomplish them. Update your resume to report volunteer and paid work, leadership roles, and summer courses at some colleges. Understand the different types of tests and which ones will help you to get additional scholarships. Be sure to simplify the steps so your parents can better understand the strategies and individual roles.

Map out a travel plan to visit colleges en route to family vacation spots. Colleges may be in partial sessions, but they will help you determine which ones to visit during school vacations. Realize that you can learn a lot by just walking around and talking to people who may be able to help you later.

Make appointments to meet admissions and financial aid staff to start a dialogue and understand their policies and what it takes to get in. Be sure to write specific questions with respect to their time. Before your visit, develop a spreadsheet showing how much each college awards in aid, types of aid, on-campus job opportunities, and student indebtedness after graduation. Most of this information can be obtained on the College Board (www. collegeboard.com) Web site. An economic review of finances and projected sources of income- Check out the current employment trends and where job growth will be in the long term. The U.S. Dept. of Labor’s Occupational Outlook Handbook will provide a wealth of information to take advantage of an education that will lead to an in-demand profession.

Enjoy college tours without feeling the stress

Read as much as possible about alumni and their accomplishments. Learn about their success strategies and network with them whenever possible. Check with the college’s alumni office and find alumni within your community or those who are easily accessible. Research colleges that offer virtual tours to save you on travel costs and take you beyond descriptions alone. It will also help you screen out those you would like to visit.

Prepare yourself to be a more desirable candidate for college. College’s use “enrollment management” to seek and select the best candidates. They then offer generous financial aid packages based on the student’s merit. The value of using your time wisely will help you acquire the needed attributes you seek while you can develop them in high school. Though you may have good grades, being a well-rounded student can be more valuable.

Learn as much as you can to be better prepared for college. Learn to improve your reading proficiency, language, and test-taking skills. Many of these skills will help you with your interviews and how to package yourself with a more impressive resume.

Ask questions, but formulate your own opinions. Network with upbeat people so that you build positive self-esteem and confidence to stand above the crowd.

Need analysis is important when quantifying how much it will cost to attend a college. Though it is unlikely that you or your family can pay for everything, it is better to address the financial issue upfront than set yourself up for disappointment. Remember that your focus should be on the average net cost of an education after financial aid, then the retail price. Some students may be better off attending two-year colleges and transferring than starting at a more expensive school.

Never say never to any college until you research the facts and contact the college.

Stay focused on your results and the best way to get there when available. It is OK if you are not sure about your interests or colleges of choice. Other options will help you pay your bills for college. Taking a gap year off and joining AmeriCorps or other organizations that offer scholarships that help you pay for college, the military that can help to build your experiences and pay for college, or considering a trade school or earning a part-time degree are options that will help you to grow and provide you with future employment.

Using part of your summers to better yourself is not a waste of time or a punishment. It is the best opportunity to discover your opportunities and gain a better sense of accomplishment your summer was the most opportune time to invest in yourself and your future.