Private colleges, loans, and the economy

The college class of 2013 is in full admission swing. I spent my first week on the road travelling to high schools and colleges for my part-time job with Drew University (NJ) as its southern California admissions office. The theme I heard from students and parents was the sticker shock of a private higher education. The economic news only exacerbated students/parents anxiety as they began the college search.

Students and parents forget that many private schools will waive their application fees. If students do not apply to private schools because of their sticker price, they forego the opportunity of finding out what type of merit aid they could receive.

The economy is going through a rough patch. However, an education is a life-long investment. Proper planning, work, and reasonable pay back is a part of the process. Consider the possibilities without closing an opportunity because of its sticker price. College admission help is there with University Advisors Admission Specialists (www.universityadvisors.net).

Liam Dunfey, M.A.
University Advisor

Helpful Hints for Students with Learning Disabilities

Your College Search and Search Engines

Knowing a bit about 'Search Engine Optimization' and 'Payment for Placement' I am sometimes skeptical about the information links obtained through doing a Google Search; however, sometimes you can get exactly what you are looking for—or even cause further confusion. Your own college search process may be somewhat like a Google Search—too much information and not knowing how to decipher that information or know how to apply it to yourself.

You can obtain a plethora of information on applying to Colleges and University's simply by 'doing a Google' or 'Googling' the words "College Admissions". When I did this today, the bottom of my browser indicated over 200 pages of links (50 links to a page times 200 equals over 10,000 links for 'college admissions'. (Note: I used Firefox and IE, but today Google released its 'Open Source' Search Engine called Chrome [see http://blogs.zdnet.com/Burnette/?p=646 for a blog about it ]. I may start using it---not that I know one Search Engine from another!).

I started surfing through the listings and came across a link to a February 7, 2007 for an NPR (National Public Radio) titled, The College Admissions Game. It begins with the series overview, Navigating the College Admissions Process, [http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=7535849 ]. Below are links to other stories in the series.

Part 1: Some Top Students Look for Hidden-Gem Colleges

Part 2: Colleges Want to Cool Admissions Frenzy

Part 3: Quirky Essays a Window to Future Success?

Part 4: The Community College Path to Higher Ed

Choosing a College: Tips for Finding the Right Fit

At University Advisors we help you wade through the myriad of colleges and universities to help you drill down to find a few good fits for you and your family to consider. Think of us as a 'Google Search Engine' for your College search.

Brian E. Davis