College Admission Help

College Admission Help: Juniors Watch and Wonder - Just What Should I Plan On?

When it comes to college planning, this year takes the cake for trying to hit a moving target. Seniors who followed their counselors’ advice were organized enough to develop a Plan B, just in case something went wrong with Plan A. Then along came the money meltdown, and suddenly no one knew what to do, especially when students already enrolled in college had to come home in the middle of the year—that’s how much the concept of affordable changed in four short months.

Seniors and their families deserve a salute for weathering the storm and developing Plans C-R, but the question now arises—what exactly should this year’s juniors prepare for? On the one hand, the example provided by the Class of 2009 shows the juniors the importance of being nimble, creative, and a frequent flyer on www.finaid.org to seek out private scholarships no one else applies for, since these scholarships require essays. On the other hand, it’s understandable if the Class of 2010 takes a step back from watching the seniors chase the academic and financial tornado known as college admission and says “Hey, maybe dog grooming school isn’t such a bad idea.”

You would think this year’s tumult would be enough to get college counselors to change their advice to next year’s seniors—but it isn’t. At this time last year, students were advised to put together a list of 6-8 colleges they would like to apply to—2 of the colleges were to be in-state colleges, and at least 2 should have been schools they could afford, meaning they could pay for the tuition with minimal financial aid that did not include any loans. The rest were up to the student, provided these colleges met their needs and interests; as long as some colleges on the list were affordable, the sky was the limit.

What happened to students who developed that list this year? Let’s review:

-The September financial crisis sent students in a panic. Convinced private colleges wouldn’t have enough financial aid, students applied to public colleges in record numbers.

-By late October, it was clear that states weren’t in great financial shape either, which meant public colleges might have limited financial aid as well. This led some students to apply to the private colleges they’d given up on, especially after many private schools announced new financial aid plans that eliminated student loans.

-January brought a dramatic increase in community college enrollment and a significant number of students who took a semester off, hoping to work for a semester and return to college in the fall.

-February found us with public colleges planning on offering more aid, thanks to President Obama’s stimulus package, and private colleges offering even more aid, knowing they have to compete with public schools on price or close.

In sum, where do we stand? It’s a little early to tell, but students who created the magic list last spring will most likely discover their two affordable schools are still the most affordable, and a dream private college may actually offer more aid now than it would have before the crunch. If they followed their counselor’s advice and paid attention, their options are still wide open…

…and that’s why my counsel to juniors still stands—build the list, keep an ear to the ground, and stay in touch with your counselor. Each application year is different, and no one wants another year like this one, but if the wacky Wall Street winds begin to blow again, the lesson of this year’s noble seniors is one to emulate—stay the course.



College Admission Help: Juniors Watch and Wonder - Just What Should I Plan On?