freshman

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The Path to Influence

Last week, in this column, I wrote about the upcoming “road to reauthorization” for the Higher Education Act, certain provisions of which are already being considered in the U.S. House Education and the Workforce Committee, chaired by Rep. John Boehner of Ohio.
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How Parents Can Help Make College Move-In Day A Success

Moving your student to college is often filled with stress, sweat and emotion.  So being prepared is vital to making the most of this moment and leaving your student on campus both confident and secure.
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The Twelve Days of Christmas for Current College Parents

For current college parents, the twelve days of Christmas don't end with a partridge and a pear tree.In fact, the year-end holidays don't seem to end at all. Increasingly, colleges and universities are scheduling longer and longer periods of time between the last day of fall finals and the first day of spring semester.Beginning as early as mid-December, those of you who are current college parents began to have your sons and daughters come home for the holidays. And their rooms were probably still waiting to be cleaned from the mess they left at Thanksgiving.
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Don’t be a Thanksgiving Turkey: 5 Tips for College Parents this Thanksgiving

Although we serve all college parents at all stages, many of our most devout readers are parents of freshman in college and, you may be picking up your son or daughter at the airport, train station or appointed car-pooling spot as he or she returns from school for the Thanksgiving holiday.  You probably will be […]
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A College Degree and a Dollar Will Get You Four Quarters

A Texas prison inmate wrote me recently asking for a free copy of my book after reading about it in a newspaper column on the importance of soft skills in the job hunt. He justified the request with a claim that he achieved a 3.7 GPA in getting his associate's degree and "acquired a lot of academic knowledge" but was not ready for the workforce when he completes his prison term soon. I hear this comment frequently from college graduates and current students everywhere from community college to the Ivies, and none of them are in jail.
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Topics of Discussion with College Admissions Representatives

   You may not get a ton of time with a college admissions rep, but an inquisitive approach is your best chance to find out if a school’s characteristics will be a good fit for you and your college career. Below is a list of topics that can get you asking the right questions. Should you need this in question format, we suggest the following lists:
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Why College Is Worth the Investment

We fundamentally believe in the value of higher education to advance the quality of the lives of the students, families and communities where they eventually serve. 
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Infographic – How Parents Feel About Their Children’s Transition to College

We have a continuing theme regarding the first year experience of college students that we are exploring. Most families we speak with share with us the anxiety about this transition.   The reality is that families of new college students recognize that the transition to college is a BIG deal.   The transition is a major life event for both students and the family. Our last post reported research by UCLA - that about 25% of freshmen students do not progress successfully to become sophomores. 
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The First Year is a Big Deal

Parents of new college students recognize that the transition to college is a BIG deal.   The transition is a major life event for both students and the family. In fact, according to the research by UCLA - about 25% of freshmen students do not progress successfully to become sophomores.  Despite the efforts of so many people to select, enroll and pay for that freshmen year, many students do not overcome the obstacles they face in their new environment.  
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Twitter & College Parents

Twitter isn't for everyone, but it sure can benefit parents to stay in touch with campus life and resources to help your college student.

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A Guide To Living For Empty Nesters

By the time we reach a little beyond middle age in our lives, chances are all of our kids have grown up and gotten out of the house, and this means that the feeling of having an empty nest may settle in and make you emotional. It is incredibly emotional to watch your children who […]
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In favor of a “College Buyers’ Guide” by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

  pic by flickr user nesster (cc license) The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) continues its push for sunshine/transparency for financial organizations’ relationships with institutions of higher education. In a blog post last week, the CFPB discussed how many of these arrangements work:1. Direct payments for using school logos: We found several agreements where a financial institution offers a licensing fee in order to use a school’s logo to market its financial products. (In 2008, Congress restricted this practice for student loans, but not for other financial products.) For example, we found an agreement which provides $25 million to a university for use of the school’s logo, among other benefits.2. Bonuses for recruiting students: Other agreements provide bonus payments based on whether students sign up for a financial institution’s student checking account marketed on campus. For example, one agreement paid a university an upfront payment of $400,000 and an additional bonus of upwards of $200,000 each year if enough new students signed up for the accounts.3. Discounted prices in exchange for marketing access: Some colleges receive discounted – or even completely free – services in exchange for allowing a provider to market financial products to students. For example, we found many agreements where a financial institution charges a university to transfer loan and scholarship funds to students.However, some school officials have told us that these charges may be heavily discounted, since these agreements provide the financial institution with unique access to market to students receiving financial aid. This gives the financial institution a foot in the door to generate significant revenue in fees from students, making it worthwhile to provide discounted services to schools.  The CFPB went on to praise the voluntary disclosure of such agreements as a commitment to transparency and informed consumer choice. College Parents of America praises these efforts as commonsense, consumer-friendly steps that these institutions can take. Thankfully, college financial transparency has increased significantly since the days of on-campus Frisbees, T-shirts and candy in exchange for college credit card applications.   Transparency in college isn’t yet perfect, however.  
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College Tip Student Health: – Insurance, Waivers & More

College Parents of America has been an active contributor to the topic of student health. There are many topics to consider. We try to make it simple and easy for college parents with three college student health tips for parents.
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The Top Active Duty, Veterans, and Family Education Benefits

Finding Education Dollars for Military Families