Are you wondering if you can apply for college financial aid on your own, without your parents’ financial information? Take 90 seconds to watch Bright Horizons College Coach Finance Educator Shannon Vasconcelos in the latest installment of our video series, We Can Explain, as she breaks down what it takes to be considered an independent student by a college financial aid office. And while you’re there, don’t forget to subscribe to the Bright Horizons College Coach YouTube Channel to keep up-to-date on all the latest college planning tips from our college admissions and finance experts.

What happens when a college requires the CSS Profile form for NonCustodial Parents to apply for financial aid, but the student’s noncustodial parent refuses to complete the form? Read what college finance expert Robyn Stewart has to say if you aren’t able to meet a school’s NonCustodial Profile requirement on the College Coach Insider Blog at blog.getintocollege.com.

In our School Spotlight this week, we take a closer look at Seattle U. If you are passionate about diversity, and law school is part of your post-undergrad plans, take a close look at Seattle U. Sixty four percent of the school’s 4,300 undergrad come from outside Washington state, over a third of the undergrad population are students of color, and seniors who successfully complete the SU’s Law Scholars program will be offered a place in the university’s law school! To learn more about Seattle U, check out our blog post on the College Coach Insider Blog at blog.getintocollege.com.

The last date to register for the December 5th S.A.T. is November 24th. The deadline to register for the December 12th A.C.T. is November 20th. For most colleges, these are the last exams that can be taken for scores to be used in regular decision applications for students applying with test scores.

There is a scholarship (or many scholarships) out there for everyone.  In this week’s Scholarship Spotlight, we look at the Student Excellence Scholarship.  If you are a Wisconsin high school senior planning to go to college next year, read all about this $10,000 competitive scholarship, including how to apply before the November 17 deadline, on the College Coach Insider Blog at blog.getintocollege.com.

With nearly 2,000,000 students graduating from college each year, the job search can be extremely competitive. To give them an edge in the job search, proactive college students use their college’s career services center throughout their time in college. But how do you know if a college has a good career services center? In her guest post on the Edmit blog, Barbara Van Dyk, Senior Advising Specialist at Bright Horizons, gives you the questions to ask to make sure that a college’s career services center has the tools and resources you need to help you land the job of your dreams. Read all about it at edmit.me/blog.

Myths surrounding getting into and paying for college abound, and this year is no different. In fact, the current challenges created by COVID have only increased the misinformation being shared. On the latest episode of Getting In: A College Coach Conversation, we’ll counter the biggest admissions and college finance myths we’re hearing with the real story. As early deadlines near, we have advice on evaluating when your application is ready to submit. To listen to the show, say, “Alexa, play Getting In: A College Coach Conversation.”

If you are applying for financial aid, the new 2021-2022 Free Application for Federal Student Aid form is now available. Visit studentaid.gov.

Is the thought of applying for financial aid scarier than a Stephen King story? It doesn’t have to be. Take 3 minutes to watch Bright Horizons College Coach Finance Educator Shannon Vasconcelos in the latest installment of our video series, We Can Explain, as she breaks down the financial aid application process in 10 easy steps. And don’t forget to subscribe to the Bright Horizons College Coach YouTube Channel to keep up-to-date on all the latest college planning tips from our college admissions and finance experts.

In our School Spotlight this week, we take a closer look at Cornell College. Yes, I said “college”, not “university”.  If studying in an artsy, diverse, and vibrant liberal arts community of about 1000 all-undergraduates excites you, listen up. Cornell College, located in Mount Vernon, IA offers a unique “one-at-a-time” academic schedule where students focus on just one academic course for 3 ½ weeks before moving on to a different subject. To learn more about Cornell College, check out our blog post on the College Coach Insider Blog at blog.getintocollege.com.