One of the most important things in the college financial aid process is to make sure you are never on the wrong side of a deadline. Take a moment to watch this brief video so you understand the timelines for this important process—starting in the fall of your high school student’s senior year. Make sure you know what to expect; organize your data; and always check in with the college if you have questions.

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A common question we are asked as college admissions consultants is, “How do you address a disability in your college application?” Or, to step back a bit, “Should you address a disability at all?” Former MIT and Caltech admissions officer, Zaragoza Guerra, tackles this complicated question in the latest installment of our video series, Ask the College Admissions Expert.

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 Tova Tolman.

by Shannon Vasconcelos, former financial aid officer at Tufts University

How Home Equity and Other Assets Affect Financial Aid

With college costs at an all-time high, it is no wonder that parents are looking for ways to increase their financial aid eligibility. There is a lot of advice flying around the rumor mill about ways to get more financial aid—some of it true, a lot of it false, and much based in kernels of truth. Among these questionable pieces of advice is the common refrain that you ought to pay off your house in order to get more financial aid.

Starting the University of California application and wondering how to tackle those essays? We’ll discuss how to approach them in this episode. In another in our series on our team’s own college stories, Lisa Albro shares the challenges she faced as a first generation college student and then as a graduate entering the work world during a recession. Finally, we’ll update you on mandatory administrative forbearance and when you’re likely to have to restart federal loan repayments.

by Tara Piantanida-Kelly, former financial aid officer at Menlo College

This time of year, I talk to a lot of parents who are anxious about completing financial aid applications. They’ll ask “Do we really need to complete the FAFSA (and CSS Profile, if applicable)?” And my answer is always “No. But there may be some reasons you may want to complete them.”

No one is required to complete a financial aid application. But before you throw your hat up in the air in celebration of a to-do you can cross off the list, consider these hidden benefits that may change your mind about completing the form(s).

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 on-going scholarship series highlights a new scholarship each week. Check out the 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.

Do you have plans to attend a Catholic college or university? Take a moment to complete a simple online application for the opportunity to earn a scholarship.

Scholarship: The National CCAA Scholarship

by Julie Wolf, Guest Writer

“It was the worst part of high school, hands down. I’ve blocked it out.”

This is my daughter, now a junior in college, discussing the college application process, specifically the anxiety-provoking personal essay. Unfortunately, I haven’t blocked it out. As January deadlines loomed, she dug herself into a hole, with stacks of essays still unwritten. The two of us stayed home over the school holiday while the rest of the family made merry with relatives out of state. Our next student, a high school senior, already has a draft underway, hewing to the start-in-the-summer advice that my daughter largely ignored. The clarity of hindsight shows that I was too involved from the outset with his sister, offering help that she didn’t want but came to rely on, so with Student 2 I’m treading lightly. Occasionally I peek into his room and see him sitting on his bed, tapping away at his computer. I back away; I don’t ask. One night, though, my resolve broke. To my amazement, he let me read his essay; I promised not to say much.

by Lauren DiProspero, former admissions officer at Columbia University

Did you know that there are three paths pre-med students can take to medical school? Many high school students know they want to go to medical school. However, most are not really sure what that means or what their path might be to the get there.

School is officially back for most seniors, and it’s time to focus on the application process in earnest. We have timelines for both the admissions and the college finance process, including what needs to get done and when. For those students with access to Naviance, we have suggestions for how to use that through the application process.