college Archives - College Initiative Helping families to successfully navigate the college admissions process Mon, 16 Mar 2026 15:34:03 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 https://collegeinitiative.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/cropped-logoSQUARE-02-e1683223180849-32x32.png college Archives - College Initiative 32 32 Why You Should Go to a College Fair and What You Should Do While You’re There https://collegeinitiative.net/2018/09/21/college-fair/ Fri, 21 Sep 2018 19:23:23 +0000 http://collegeinitiative.net/?p=828 I have a confession:  Until last winter, I was anti-college fair.  There were a number of reasons for that.  The major one was that we were able to visit all the schools on Kids #1 and #2’s college lists at some point prior to college application time.  We were not as fortunate for Kid #3...

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]]> FAFSA vs. the CSS Profile Financial Aid Forms https://collegeinitiative.net/2018/09/16/fafsa-vs-css-profile/ Mon, 17 Sep 2018 01:30:46 +0000 http://collegeinitiative.net/?p=819 The FAFSA and CSS Profile open up on October 1st.  If you have a student planning to attend college next year, now is the time to get familiar with these financial aid forms. Before completing the forms, you will need to compile some of your financial information (okay, just about all of it!), as well...

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]]> Does College Ranking Matter? https://collegeinitiative.net/2018/09/01/does-college-ranking-matter/ https://collegeinitiative.net/2018/09/01/does-college-ranking-matter/#comments Sat, 01 Sep 2018 19:59:12 +0000 http://collegeinitiative.net/?p=796 We are inundated with college ranking lists these days, from US News and World Report, which is probably the most popular, to Niche.  And no two lists are quite the same.  Is one better than another?  What should you consider as you look at the rankings?  A better question might actually be, “Does college ranking...

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]]> https://collegeinitiative.net/2018/09/01/does-college-ranking-matter/feed/ 1 College Preparation Timeline https://collegeinitiative.net/2018/08/23/collegepreparationtimeline/ Thu, 23 Aug 2018 20:56:16 +0000 http://collegeinitiative.net/?p=770   It’s that back-to-school time of year.  For many parents of high schoolers and their teens, that means that it’s time to get serious about focusing on the college preparation timeline.  Trust me, it’s much easier to start early than it is to tune in to the admissions game at the end of a student’s...

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]]> Your Guide to Types of Higher Education https://collegeinitiative.net/2018/08/20/your-guide-to-types-of-higher-education/ Mon, 20 Aug 2018 20:31:39 +0000 http://collegeinitiative.net/?p=763 There are a variety of types of higher education after high school  in the United States.  You may wonder what the differences are.  Here’s a breakdown of some post-high school educational choices: Universities Often, the terms “university” and “college” are used interchangeably when referring to higher education.  Students in the US will usually say that...

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]]> The Practice Goodbyes https://collegeinitiative.net/2018/08/10/the-practice-goodbyes/ Fri, 10 Aug 2018 21:36:00 +0000 http://collegeinitiative.net/?p=734 In fact, all of the other goodbyes I've said to him so far have been just practice goodbyes, in anticipation of the goodbye in the college dorm.

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]]> Major Controversy https://collegeinitiative.net/2018/07/27/major-controversy/ Fri, 27 Jul 2018 21:49:56 +0000 http://collegeinitiative.net/?p=284 Frequently, as a student decides what to major in, there is controversy.  Should a student pick a so-called “practical” major even if it’s not of interest or should they pick a major in a subject that they really love?  In other words, should a student major in accounting just because they are good at math,...

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]]> 7 Important Factors in the College Application Process https://collegeinitiative.net/2018/05/29/college-application-process/ Tue, 29 May 2018 14:23:02 +0000 http://collegeinitiative.net/?p=340 If you thought that applying to college was just a matter of your student sending in their test scores and GPA, and maybe a teacher letter of recommendation, and then sitting back and waiting for the college to give them an answer, think again.   Sure, that’s the case at some schools, particularly large state universities. ...

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]]> The Anticipation Begins https://collegeinitiative.net/2018/04/19/anticipation/ Thu, 19 Apr 2018 19:38:15 +0000 http://collegeinitiative.net/?p=542 While I usually focus on the practical parts of the college admissions process, just for today, I’m going to change it up. Along with all of the organization and research about topics ranging from college tours to financial aid, I have been reminded that this college  journey is also an emotional parenting journey. At the...

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]]> A Word About Scholarships https://collegeinitiative.net/2018/04/05/a-word-about-scholarships/ Thu, 05 Apr 2018 00:15:43 +0000 http://collegeinitiative.net/?p=506 So, your student is getting serious about their college list and you’re looking at your college savings and wondering how you’re going to be able to afford this?  It’s time for a word about scholarships –  from automatic scholarships to athletic ones. It’s likely that one of your very next thoughts after you see the...

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