Guest blog post by Kristi Sullivan, Certified Financial Planner As a financial planner who looks at a family’s whole money picture, I unfortunately have to tell most parents that they can’t even consider saving for college because they are so behind on retirement savings. However, if you are on track [...]
If you're a high school student or the parent of one, that title probably got your attention. Students (and parents) frequently ask me this question as they contemplate what they (their child) can get involved in that will help them (their child) stand out on college applications. The answer, which [...]
In his State of the State address in January, Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper discussed the need to incorporate more skill-based training into the state's education system to prepare students for 21st century jobs. To that end, he proposed that high schools should offer computer coding as an option to meet [...]
With January 1 behind us, most seniors have finished submitting their college applications. Now, some of them are turning their attention to the prospect of taking a gap year, an option that has long been popular in other countries but is becoming increasingly common in the U.S. Younger students may [...]
Many people have a tradition of making New Year's resolutions. Common resolutions include exercising more, eating healthier, and being more financially responsible. If you're a high school student with a goal of attending college, the following resolutions could increase your chances of being admitted to your dream school: Get better [...]
Guest blog post by Jay Murray, Certified College Planning Specialist Parents who begin their college funding process early receive much larger need-based awards than those parents who choose to wait. This is because of recent changes in the formulas colleges use to calculate need-based aid. Financial aid is a function of [...]
Many high school students take advanced classes to challenge themselves, prepare for college, and become more competitive in the college admissions process. Depending on what is available at their high school, students might take Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), or dual-enrollment classes (classes offered in partnership with a local [...]
Concession stand attendant at a pool club. Cashier at Walgreens. Sales associate at JC Penney. These were the summer jobs I had when I was in high school. Although I never worked during the school year because I was too busy with academics and extracurricular activities, it was basically a [...]
Before making a list of potential colleges for a student, I ask his or her parents to provide me with some financial information so that I can consider this in recommending schools for their child. At least a few times each year, I get a response like the following: "We [...]
The school year is almost over, which means that high school seniors will soon be graduating. If you're heading off to college in the fall, take advantage of the next few months to learn how to do some basic tasks that will help ease your transition to college life. Below [...]
