Ed Bove's College Planning Blog

FAFSA Faux Pas

The FAFSA folks scared the wits out of everyone yesterday by sending out an email claiming that since "the federal tax filing deadline has passed" we should all go and update our FAFSAs with our 2011 tax returns.

I suspected immediately that this message had been sent out in error since the tax deadline is more than a month from now!

Not surprisingly, they sent out a followup email today apologizing for their mistake. So if you were one of the multitudes out there who were driven to panic by the original message, you can take a deep breath now and relax.

What Does It Take To Get Into College?

Below is a message from my mentor and Ducerus founder Ron Caruthers who has a brand-new, free video course on what it takes to get into college today  Here you go:

A few months ago, I talked about how it was the worst year ever in college history for admissions. (Even the Wall Street Journal said so.)

So....what DOES it take to get into college these days?

Well, frankly, I thought you'd never ask!

I've put together a killer course explaining exactly what you should and should NOT be doing right now...no matter how old or young your kid is....to get the colleges to line up and practically beg them to come. Even though everyone acts like it's a big mystery, it's really not, IF you follow the formula...just like you have to follow the formula if you want to get any financial aid.

You can go watch it now here: www.GetFreeFinancialAidForCollege.com

The course is 3 parts, and the link will take you to the first part. You will have to enter a valid email address (so I can send the extra course material and a special bonus that I don't want everyone having) but that's it. I won't be spamming you and I'm not giving your information away, so you don't have anything to worry about.

Again, go watch it now: www.GetFreeFinancialAidForCollege.com

It's about 30 minutes long and I'm going to cover the 9 biggest myths about college admissions, as well as one about AP classes that you really need to pay attention to. (OK, I actually forgot to include one of the myths, so it's really only 8, but I'll include the 9th in the next part of the series).

Please shoot me back an email and let me know what you think, too.

Ron Caruthers, Your College Planning Expert

PS. OK, I'll spill the beans. When you register for the class, you're also going to get a copy of my new booklet 'The Consumer's Guide to Getting Into (and Paying for) College'. So, go claim your copy now www.GetFreeFinancialAidForCollege.com

PPS. Be sure to forward this out to your friends if they have kids that are going to be going to college. I'm trying to reach 100,000 families with this message, so if you know someone that would benefit from this, pass it along. Thanks!

Students Trading Sex For College Money!

Can you imagine your daughter seeking out a "sugar daddy" to pay her college costs?  It seems unimaginable, but it's for real.  Students are out there trading sex for college money.  Can it get any worse than that?  How can it be prevented?

That's what college planning is all about!

Take a look at this news report from PIX Morning News in New York.  I almost fell out of my chair when I saw it:

Sextra Credit: Inside The Sugar Party

What do Hurricane Irene and the College Process Have in Common?

It's simple: They both cause people to panic and rush around like lunatics!

Here is when that revelation struck me.  I was in Home Depot this morning to pick up a quick item, and the place was jammed!  When I got inside, I saw a long line of people with carts leading to the customer service booth. I was wondering what they were waiting for.  Then I overheard one of the managers saying that they were all waiting for the delivery truck to arrive with a new shipment of generators.  He was walking up and down the line of people telling them they would get them on a first-come, first served basis, and he couldn't promise there would be enough for everyone.

I walked away shaking my head and I thought to myself: "If they needed a generator, they could have easily gotten one at any time.  Why did they wait until the day before a hurricane hits to try to get it?"

And then it dawned on me: I could be asking the same question about parents dealing with the college process.  They've had 17 years to save up for their children's college education and formulate a plan for dealing with the process.  But just like the people in line waiting for the generators, they waited too long!!!  What would have been easily attainable before, is now going to take a lot of tough work and last-minute planning.

Parents who attend our free college planning workshops often ask me: "Is it too early for me to start planning?"  My answer is: "It's never too early!"

People should be a lot more concerned about being too late!  That's when they end up in long lines hoping for a generator -- or a miracle that will help them pay for college.

 
By the way, I know it's not a very good shot, but this is a picture I took of the folks waiting in line this morning.  I hope none of you are among them when college time comes around.

Is The Stock Market Roller Coaster Ride Making You Sick?

Just when you thought it was safe to venture back into the stock market, it has recorded it's biggest losses since the Crash of 2008.  I can't tell you how many people I consulted with back then who shared horror stories about the massive hit they took in their children's college savings accounts.  And, as Yogi Berra would say, it's deja vu all over again!

Now don't get me wrong: I'm not saying there's no place for the stock market in our lives.  It can be a great place for long-term investing.  But short term, it's mercurial rises and falls can make or break your portfolio.  And if you have a student who is getting ready for college in the next year or two, can you afford to take the chance that another downturn could wipe out their college funds? 

With the skyrocketing cost of higher education, how can you possibly take the chance of losing any of the hard-earned money you've put aside for college?  Shouldn't you be looking for safer, more reliable vehicles as the time draws close?  I'd certainly say so.

IRS Will Accept Returns During Government Shutdown, Will Not Extend Filing Deadline

The IRS has announced that it will continue to accept tax returns despite the possible federal government shutdown. Taxpayers are still required to file their 1040 forms by the April 18th deadline. If the government shuts down after midnight tonight, the IRS will suspend the processing of paper returns, but will continue to accept electronically filed returns.

E-File will remain open for both individual and business returns. The IRS has urged individuals to file electronically, because most of these returns are processed automatically and should not be delayed.  Because of limited IRS staffing in the event of a shutdown, paper returns will be accepted, but will not be processed. Taxpayers who file paper returns will experience a delay in receiving their refunds. Limited telephone customer service functions will remain available during any shutdown.

 Tax Payments

Tax deposits and payments will continue to be processed, both for electronic and paper tax returns. Taxpayers should continue to make these payments as normal if the government shuts down.

 Audits

The IRS will suspend audits during the shutdown, so examination appointments will have to be rescheduled.

 Reason for the Shutdown

The shutdown may occur because Congress has not reached an agreement on a continuing appropriations bill to fund the government. Government funding officially runs out at midnight on April 8th. It is difficult to predict how long any shutdown may last. In the past, shutdowns commonly extended from a few days to a week. However, the 1995 shutdown lasted 21 days, the longest government shutdown on record—so far.

A Sign of the Times

A lot of people read the comics section of the newspaper for a momentary escape of the often grim, unsettling news of the day.  For a brief moment they can have a quick chuckle before heading back to the serious challenges of modern life.  But in some instance, the comics take an all-too telling view of the tough realities of life.

Take the example above.  This was a recent entry in the long-running "Hi and Lois" comic strip.  Here we see the couple passing by an SUV, whose owner is obviously selling it to help pay for sending three kids to college.  (And as you may know, I personally have three children in college at this time.  So I can relate to the number.)

And what is the punch-line to this usually light-hearted comic strip?  "I wonder if they're selling their house too."  Hmmm.  No belly laugh there.  Just a serious, very real reminder of what awaits those who are not prepared -- or preparing -- for the heavy financial burden of sending their kids to college.

This comic didn't make me laugh.  And if you have a college-bound student, I bet you're not laughing either.

Show Me The Money!

Remember that line from the film "Jerry Maguire"?  In the movie, that was the bottom line for a football star who was seeking a new contract.  "Show me the money."  Everything else was superfluous.

That line popped into my head when I read a news story about the Obama administration's plan to overhaul the country's educational system.  In part, the proposal calls for the adoption of standards to ensure that students are ready for college.

I read that and thought it to be a wonderful goal.  Then the line from the movie popped into my head.

It's all well and good to make sure our students are prepared for college.  But if families can't afford to send them to college, what good is it?

Show me the money!

Most families have not saved a fraction of the amount necessary to pay for the spiraling college costs for their children.  And any time government official talk about dealing with college costs, all they seem to do is propose new loan programs.  Wonderful.  That's what we want: to be deep in debt until we're old and gray.

Show me the money!

Here's an excerpt from an Associated Press article:

(AP) ATLANTA — President Barack Obama is promising parents and their kids that with his administration's help they will have better teachers in improved schools so U.S. students can make up for academic ground lost against youngsters in other countries.

A plan to overhaul the 2002 education law championed by President George W. Bush was unveiled by the Obama administration Saturday in hopes of replacing a system that in the last decade has tagged more than a third of schools as failing and created a hodgepodge of sometimes weak academic standards among states.

"Unless we take action — unless we step up — there are countless children who will never realize their full talent and potential," Obama said during a video address on Saturday. "I don't accept that future for them. And I don't accept that future for the United States of America."

In the proposed dismantling of the No Child Left Behind law, education officials would move away from punishing schools that don't meet benchmarks and focus on rewarding schools for progress, particularly with poor and minority students. Obama intends to send a rewrite to Congress on Monday of the law.

The proposed changes call for states to adopt standards that ensure students are ready for college or a career rather than grade-level proficiency — the focus of the current law.

Comparing the Value of College Planning Services And Fees

I came across an interesting New York Times article about the growing field of "independent college counselors."  To make a long story short, the article discussed how these advisors coach families on how to get their children into the college of their choice.  And in turn, families are paying anywhere from $14,000 to $40,000 for this advice.

Yes, you read that right: $14,000 to $40,000!

Unless I missed something, I didn't see anything in the story that said the counselors were offering any type of advice on how to pay for college, how to qualify for financial aid, how to position them to get the most aid or anything of the sort.  They were paying tens of thousands of dollars just to be coached on how to get into school!!!

Please indulge me for a moment here while I blow my own horn.  Among my college planning services, I assist students in selecting schools, choosing majors, doing applications and critiquing essays.  Then I advise parents on ways to lower their expected contribution; show them how to qualify for the most aid; help them determine which schools will provide the most aid; do the financial aid paperwork for them; guide them on how to negotiate for better aid packages; and then work with them to put a plan in place to how to pay their portion of the college costs without sacrificing their futures.

AND I DO ALL THAT FOR A FRACTION OF THE FEES MENTIONED ABOVE!

This is a quote from one of the counselors mentioned in the article when asked about her fee:

“I’m at the top of my field. Do people economize when theyhave a brain tumor and are looking for a neurosurgeon? If you want to go with someone cheaper, or chance it, don’t hire me.”

I couldn't have said it better myself!  I will never apologize for my fees.  The people who hire me will be the first to tell you they've gotten back many times over what they paid me, in addition to having the peace of mind of someone guiding them through this perplexing process.

Others would rather save a buck and, sadly, have no idea how much they may have actually lost in the process.

In case you'd like to read it, here is the link to The Times story.

Binge Drinking Poses Great Risk To College Students

When we talk about college planning, we tend to focus on financial aid forms, payment strategies, SATs, college selection and the like.  However, true college planning has a far greater scope than those things.  It also involves helping you prepare your children for the change in lifestyle they will surely face when they go away to school.

Suddenly, they are thrust into adult situations with lots of peer pressure and no more parental supervision.  And very often, this can yield disastrous results, especially when drinking is involved.  Now you may be thinking: "Hey, I had a few adult beverages when I was in college and I'm none the worse for wear."  That may well be true, but it's a different world today.

When I was in college years ago, the drinking age was only 18, so all the drinking was out in the open.  We even had a campus pub that we all went to on Thursday nights to listen to live music and have a drink.  Did some trouble result from time to time?  Sure.  But not like today.

Today - with the legal drinking age being 21 - most drinking on college campuses happens behind closed doors.  And for whatever reason, it seems to happen in binge. which can have very serious health and social consequences.  How often do we read about alcohol-related deaths and accidents involving under-age drinkers?  All too often I'm afraid.

Just as we took great pains to teach our children to look both ways before crossing the street, we need to take even greater pains to prepare them for the temptations of drugs and alcohol when they're away at school.  It's a must!

Here is a related article that was published today by the Reuters news agency:

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Extreme binge-drinking may be putting college students at significant risk of accidents and injuries, a new study suggests.

Researchers found that among more than 2,000 college students with drinking problems, those who admitted to "extreme" drinking -- eight or more drinks in day for men, five or more for women -- were more likely than their peers to have suffered a recent alcohol-related injury.

For each extreme-drinking day a man had in the past month, his risk of a drinking-related injury -- from a fall or "fender bender," for instance -- increased by 19 percent.

That same risk climbed by 10 percent for women, according to findings published online by the journal Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research.

The fact that heavy drinking often leads to accidents and injuries is no secret, but the findings show that the risks continue to "grow rapidly" the more students drink, according to Dr. Marlon P. Mundt and colleagues at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

The researchers also found that students with a "sensation-seeking" personality -- as measured by a standard questionnaire -- were at elevated risk of drinking-related injuries.

"College administrators, parents, and clinicians need to focus their intervention efforts on these students -- 'frequent extreme heavy drinkers' -- who score high on sensation-seeking disposition," Mundt said in a news release from the journal.

"These are the students at high risk for injury," the researcher added. "Quantities alone, or frequency of consumption alone, do not show the whole picture. A drinking pattern of frequent extreme intoxication is key, as it escalates injury rates rapidly."

The findings are based on interviews with 2,090 students at five U.S. universities who had screened positive for risky drinking at their college health clinic. Risky drinking included habits such as drinking on three or more days of the week, and having more than 15 drinks in a week for men, or 12 or more per week for women.

Even within this group, the researchers found, extreme binge-drinking was linked to a substantially higher risk of recent injury.

The findings do not mean, however, that extreme drinkers are the only students at risk, Mundt and his colleagues stress. Lower levels of drinking, they write, should not be seen as "safeguard" against injuries.

SOURCE: Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research, online May 26, September issue 2009.