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: The College of Idaho 
Caldwell, ID

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.

For students who love to bowl, this opportunity is right up your alley! The Billy Welu Scholarship recognizes a student athlete who excels at the sport of bowling. Named after the late, two-time PBA Hall of Famer and sports commentator, recipients of this award are evaluated on their bowling skills and academic track record.

Scholarship: Billy Welu Scholarship

The University of California leaders had already been toying with the idea of going test optional when COVID caused them to hit the fast-forward button.

COVID-19 has disrupted many things in our world this year, including many high school students’ summer plans. We’ll be talking through how to adjust your activities with social distancing and cancellations in mind. For all those juniors who took the PSAT this past fall, we have information on how those scores will relate to scholarships available to students. Finally, if all the changes in admissions this year has you looking for assistance beyond our podcast, we have thoughts about how to evaluate your options.

by Kara Courtois, former admissions officer at Barnard College

“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” —Dr. Seuss

This is the summer of reading—or at least, it could be your best literary summer yet. With the change in many summer plans due to COVID-19, my fellow college admissions counselors and I are regularly encouraging students to focus on what is in your control. Enter—READING!

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: University of Missouri
Columbia, MO

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.

In partnership with the Keep Texas Beautiful campaign, this scholarship rewards high school students who have personally tackled the problem of littering with some serious green (for college).  Student leaders will be asked to explain their efforts to curb littering in their local communities and how they have worked to build sustainable solutions for future generations of Texans.

Scholarship: Don’t Mess with Texas Scholarship

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

Question: If I’ve had credit issues in my past, will I still be able to get a loan to pay for my child’s college education?

College Coach’s college finance experts get asked this question frequently and there is no simple answer. Unfortunately the true answer is that it depends. Credit issues can certainly impact your ability to borrow and to earn a competitive interest rate on an education loan. This doesn’t mean that you should rule out using student loans as part of your paying for college strategy.

Find a Co-Borrower

Many education loans for parents are available with a co-borrower. If you have a friend or family member who is willing to back your loan, you may be able to get a loan even with poor credit.

News articles, parents, and college themselves can often focus on the importance of earning As in high school classes. But the reality is that many, many of the students applying to college every year are earning Bs and Cs. We’ll discuss considerations and college pathways for those students, who are far more common than those earning straight As. In Office Hours, we’re answering your college admissions questions.

by Jan Combs, former financial aid officer at Harvard Graduate School of Education

Spending extra time at home with the kids? Use the current crisis to teach kids valuable money lessons!

During this unique time, many have children home from school for the foreseeable future. Whether they are preschoolers, middle schoolers, or in high school or college, now is a great time to speak with your children about money and impart valuable financial lessons. Times of economic uncertainty can provide teachable moments to children and adults alike, and what better time to learn than now? No matter their age, your children can grasp age-appropriate money milestones that will serve them well moving forward.