College Admissions Consulting Pathway to the University of California & Paying for College Out of Pocket Written by Tova Javetzon May 25th, 2016 I began my career as both a tour guide and senior interviewer at my alma mater, Barnard, where I later joined the admissions team and read and reviewed applications from students applying from the northeastern, midwestern, and western regions of the United States, as well as Canada. A few years later, while pursuing my master’s degree, I briefly left admissions to be the director of student life at the Jewish Theological Seminary. Realizing I missed working closely with students on the high school side of college counseling, I joined the admissions team at Fordham University where I recruited and reviewed applicants applying to Fordham’s liberal arts and business colleges. My most recent experience at Montclair State helped me understand what the application process looks like outside of highly selective colleges and how to help students who may not be fully prepared for college-level work. One of my favorite past experiences was managing the athletic recruitment process at Fordham as well as a number of sports at Barnard. Understanding the inner workings of both the Ivy and Patriot athletic leagues meant I was able to guide students to find the best athletic matches as part of their college search. Learn More About Tova college admissions advice, getting in, paying for college, The Community College Pathway to the University of California Last week’s episode of Getting In: A College Coach Conversation began with Beth posing a few questions about access to the University of California system: what if finances are tight, or if you aren’t a top student and the UCs seem out of reach? To understand how a California community college might be an option, Beth brought back college admissions counselor Becky Leichtling. Becky explained how the UC system has carved out a path for graduates of a community college, sharing the percentage of students graduating from a UC, including the likes of Berkley and UCLA, who began their academic journey at a community college. (Hint: a MUCH larger percentage than I expected!) The two also discussed what the counseling landscape might look like, and what that crazy acronym IGETC means exactly. Paying for College Expenses Out of Pocket After the break, Beth welcomed back regular guest, Jeanne Mahan, to talk through some of the ways you can help pay for college with your regular monthly cash. Jeanne also ran through some of the most commonly missed add-ons to the college bill you might be able to remove. Before they wrapped up, Jeanne shared the one piece of information she considers to be the unsung hero of college financing: the payment plan. Jeanne walked us through exactly how they work, and how they can end up making the tuition bill much more affordable for you. Listener Questions In the final segment, College Coach team member Erica Braley was back to present Beth with some of our listeners’ questions. Here are the highlights of what was covered this week: How many colleges should you apply to in total; is there a minimum or maximum number? Can you write your essay on what you want to major in? How should you respond to requested feedback from a college tour? How important are volunteer hours in an area you might be interested in before you apply to college? Be sure to listen in to hear the answers Beth gave to these questions. Have a question you want answered on the show? Submit them on our website. Check back soon for an upcoming series dedicated to walking rising seniors through the steps of applying to college. Related Resources Read | Posted on April 16th, 2024 Understanding Direct Admission: A Pathway to Success Read | Posted on April 10th, 2024 Acceptance by Emi Nietfeld; Why You Should Fill out the FAFSA Read | Posted on April 9th, 2024 Community Colleges with Campus Housing
