STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES ARE FEELING THE PRESSURE THIS YEAR

As I am working part time this fall at one of the public high school in Los Angeles, I am getting to see first hand the issues that counselors, parents, and students all face,  I realize that the one thing that is so precious is TIME.  Counselors facing over 3,000 students just dont have the time to give a student what they really need as they struggle through the process, which is share time.  Counselors are starting work at 8 am in the morning, and leaving the school as late as 9 pm, not to mention attending School Board Meetings that sometimes go into the wee hours of the morning near by.

Therefore, it is important for families to be putting together a game plan.  Right now as students struggle through the application process, parents should be addressing financial aid.  Even though financial aid (FAFSA) does not open up till January 1, 2011,  parents should be putting the preparing all the necessary paperwork.  Mistakes are costly, and while many students have hopes and desires,  it is the financial aid that sometimes closes out those dreams.

Additionally, due to budget cut backs in California, the UCs, CSUs, etc are cutting spances which will put more pressure on the community colleges.  It will also force California students to look outside the box and look at schools all over the country.

Colleges and Universities are arriving in California to deal with this crisis as they all see it as an opportunity to bring a new bred into their schools, and by the same token student should look to the schools in the west such as USC, Stanford, University of the Pacific,  UCs, and CSU to bring more diversity to the nation.

Some schools like University of Indiana (Bloomington) are giving free money away to any student who applies by Novemeber 1, 2010, and there are coutless scholarships available.  If you are considering Brown,  Financial aid is dealt with on a need basis, as is Stanford.  If your family makes less than $60,000 per year, and you get in, count on being able to go because these schools will fund your way.

This is a stressful period that we are in.  If you or your family is suffering with the stress of college admissions, consider hiring an independent college admissions consultant.....  they are worth every penny to be the buffer of stress and help your students achieve!

Here at the College Admissions Consultant, we help students find the schools that suite them, not just name schools.  We help them create the essays that will grab an admissions officers eye, and get that acceptance.Consider us if you are applying to college.  Email us at thecollegeadmissionsconsultant@yahoo.com or call us and leave a message at (310) 452-4925