Summer is here and, for rising high school seniors, that means getting serious about the college list. The college application season heats up immediately upon the return to school in the fall, so summer is a great time to take that list of schools you’re vaguely interested in and narrow that group down to a focused list you actually intend to apply to. “How many colleges should be on that final list?” you ask. Five? Ten? Twenty? Former Reed College admissions officer, Ian Fisher, lets us know in the latest installment of the College Coach video series, Ask the College Admissions Expert. Ian answers the question, “How many colleges should I apply to?”

Congrats to all graduating seniors who successfully applied to college and are preparing to start this fall. Laura Amigone, a college success coach from Rudder Coaching, joins the podcast this week to offer advice to these students to help them make a smooth transition from high school to college. We’ll also discuss why saving is important for everyone in another of our Personal Finance 101 series.

by Sai Somboon, former admissions officer at University of Pennsylvania

As a college counselor, I’ve worked with all sorts of students: dancers, actors, athletes, computer programmers, debaters, student leaders, and much more. Sometimes the students I counsel feel overwhelmed by the process, and I encourage them to take a moment. We breathe together, collect ourselves, and restart. This simple act can replenish our bodies with air and empower us to concentrate on the awaiting tasks. I find that the practice of mindfulness—whether at the beginning, middle, or end of the process—can empower students to triumph and overcome negative feelings and move towards joy, peace, and calm.

by Robyn Stewart, former financial aid officer at College of the Holy Cross

Families that have the most success paying for college are the ones who approach the process as a family. Most people agree it is important to start talking to your children early about the importance of attending college, but what about talking about how to pay for it?

Let’s face it: looking for additional funds to cover college costs is like a part-time job, so it is wise to start as early as you can. Despite this well-intentioned plan of action, most of the families I speak with start searching for scholarships during their senior year in high school.

Consider what would happen if you started looking for scholarships when your child was six years old? How about when your child was ten? Most families aren’t thinking about college at this point, and with less competition, your chances may actually be better at securing one of these scholarships than if you wait until your child reaches high school.

There is a scholarship (or many scholarships) out there for everyone. Every student has some skill, interest, experience, or characteristic that may make them an attractive candidate for one scholarship or another. And while we often refer to scholarships as “free money,” scholarships don’t actually come for free. It takes work to thoughtfully consider your strengths and research the scholarships that might be most appropriate for you. While the effort that goes into finding and winning scholarships may be akin to a part-time job, we at College Coach want to make your job a little easier. This ongoing scholarship series highlights a new scholarship each week. Check out the opportunity below, along with the other posts in the series, and you may discover a funding resource that will make covering that college bill a little (or a lot!) easier.

Are you feeling lucky? Or, more accurately, financially literate? The Rhode Island Student Loan Authority (RISLA) helps students cover tuition and potentially reduce the need for borrowing through this scholarship opportunity based on your knowledge of financial concepts.

Scholarship: RISLA Knowledge for College Scholarship

We’re bringing back our popular series, Meet an Admissions Counselor, where we introduce students and families to a different member of the College Coach admissions team. Drop in to see what we’re reading, where we went to school, and our strategies for beginning the college essay. As you work with us to find an educational consultant who best fits your needs or the needs of your child, we will help you consider the personality and working styles that will bring out the best in you or your student. Today we introduce Sally Ganga, who works with students both remotely and in the Westport, CT area.

College interviews aren’t part of the process at many colleges in the US. But interviews are an opportunity for candidates to add a more personal component to their applications at those institutions that offer them. Find out what types of interviews are available, which students should plan to take part, what to expect, and how to prepare. We’re also answering your college admissions and finance questions in our regular Listener Q&A series.

by Jeanne Mahan, former financial aid officer at Tufts University

What do I do with my first tuition bill?

It’s July and that long-awaited tuition bill will be here any minute. Even though you’ve been preparing for it, the first tuition bill can still catch you off guard. Before making any payments, here are some things to know.

There are over 4,000 colleges and universities in the U.S. And while the media tends to focus on just a handful of schools, we at College Coach encourage students to think outside the box during their college selection process and explore a wide range of colleges. As such, we are highlighting a new college each week in our School Spotlight series. Check out the college below, along with the other posts in our series, and you may just stumble upon your dream school!

School Spotlight: Utah Valley University
Orem, Utah

by Shannon Vasconcelos, former financial aid officer at Tufts University

Parents are increasingly sacrificing their own retirements in favor of their children’s educations. As discussed in the Boston Globe, three-quarters of parents report a willingness to delay retirement in order to pay for college, and, in fact, by 2024 nearly a quarter of those over age 65 are anticipated to be either working or looking for work, almost twice as many as in 1984, the increase aided in no small part by ballooning college tuition rates.