Interested in Performing or Visual Arts? Find A College Fair Near You!

NACAC, the National Association of College Admissions Counseling noted, the Performing and Visual Arts (PVA) College Fairs are designed for students interested in pursuing undergraduate and graduate study in the areas of music, dance, theater, visual arts, graphic design, and other related disciplines. Held each fall and spring, attendees learn about educational opportunities, admission and financial aid, portfolio days, audition and entrance requirements, and much more by meeting with representatives from colleges, universities, conservatories, festivals and other educational institutions with specialized programs in the visual and performing arts.

For schedule and to register online click link – http://www.gotomypvafair.com/Registration/EventSelectForState?stateName=All Click here to see College Fair Schedule

Hyphenated and Slash Careers Lead to More Releases

Kate A. Kane wrote the article “Are You Hyphen-ated Enough?” back in 1996 but, I think this is still pertinent in 2020.  Bio-Informatic. Forensic-Auditor. Enviro-Psychologist. Students interested in a career may have interest in several majors. Can you combine your interest to have your dream job?  If you want your career to take off, make yourself a one-person, cross-functional team.” She wrote, “The job of the future is all about hyphenates — smart people who combine education, interests, and skills to become virtual one-person cross-functional teams. The world is no longer divided into specialists who know everything about something and generalists who know something about everything. Gaining an edge in the future depends on the ability to hone the hyphen — to creatively bundle (and re-bundle) skills and knowledge.”
Read more about Slash Careers – click here.

How Do I Appeal My Financial Award?

Congratulations, you were admitted to your college of your dreams! Next you receive a letter of notification from the financial aid/scholarships office. If you did not receive the award you expected, you may need to make an appeal. Follow these steps to appeal for more funds:
1. Begin by contacting the aid office and ask them what procedure you should follow to appeal for more financial assistance. Visit the office in person if time is on your side.

2. A “financial appeal” is when you attempt to demonstrate that with your current level of income and assets, you can’t afford to pay the total cost of attendance for the first year. Ask the aid counselor to recalculate the initial Expected Family Contribution (EFC). Be sure to share any new information as well as all supporting documents including income verification, an update on asset holdings, a list of unusually high expenses, a description of special circumstances, etc. This new data could bring your EFC more in line with what you can afford. See more ways to appeal your financial award.

Find The Right College Fit

Even before you begin your college search, you need to think about what would make a college the right fit, the perfect match for you. Start by answering a few questions: Why would you continue an education?  Do you want to fulfill your dreams?  Have fun?  Meet new people and exercise your mind?  What about learning more about what you love to do and learning how to get paid doing it?   To do this, you need to understand your strengths, weaknesses, and interests. Think about your potential to succeed by reviewing your grade point average, standardized test scores and coursework, while verifying what the admissions requirements are to specific colleges.

 

 

 

 

 

The Importance of Vocabulary in College Test Prep

ScreenHunter_1479 Feb. 16 17.59A large vocabulary is essential for achieving high scores on ACT/SAT and other college tests. These tests have a vocabulary section, and various reading sections – all of which require vocabulary. The more words one knows, the easier it is to excel in these various areas.

Since the reading sections of these tests require time to read and analyze, the more words you know the faster you can read and grasp the issue. Therefore, you will not have to pause, and you will spend less time on these areas – time that you can then spend on other areas of the tests.

Finally, for the essay section of these tests, the larger your vocabulary the more impressive your essays will be! In addition, as Professor Charles Says, “Every word is an idea!” So, the larger your vocabulary, the more ideas you can include in the essays.

More important than any tests, “Education is a wealth which you can never lose.” These are words you will have for the rest of your life.

Check out links for free test prep: number2.com, ineedapencil, collegeboard.com, act.org, sparknotes test prep, grock it, and khanacacdemy.com.

 

Hi-Tech Gadgets!

Have you been thinking about what you want or need to make high school or life at college easier? Here are a few ideas of hi-tech gadgets that will make others jealous.

An iPad, a desktop or a laptop? Without a doubt, most students will choose one of these options. You may need to think about what computer capabilities you will need to get the job done.  Do you need special programs?  Be sure your computer needs meet the appropriateness of your choice of studies. How much memory is important to you? Does your school require a laptop? Will you need a docking station in your dorm room? What size monitor do you need? Read more about hi-tech gadgets by clicking here.

Need-based versus Merit-Based Financial Aid

It is important to understand how to get the most money from the colleges a student is applying to, as aid can be need-based or merit-based.

Need-Based Aid is based on the family’s financial need. A family can figure this amount to be the Cost of Attendance (COA) form the Expected Family Contribution (EFC).

Points to understand about Need-Based Aid:

Information from the Free Application for Federal School Aid (FAFSA) is needed. Other colleges may require completion of the CSS Financial Profile; Grants do not need to be repaid; Loans will need to be paid with interest; Other types of Need-Based Aid include Work-Study Programs, Perkins Loan and Subsidize Stafford Loan, and the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (FSEOG). Learn more about Merit-Based financial aid.