About the authors: For over 25 years, Cynthia S. Meyers, CFP®, MBA, has assisted people with their Lifetime Financial Planning–helping to build and preserve wealth in every area of life. Jenny Hood, CFP® has been a paraplanner with Cynthia S. Meyers for five years and enjoys being a part of the financial planning process. They…
Author: Jill Yoshikawa, Ed M, Partner of Creative Marbles Consultancy
Jill Yoshikawa, EdM, Harvard ’99, a seasoned, 25 year educator and consultant, is meticulous in helping clients navigate all aspects of the educational experience, no matter the level of complexity. She combines educational theory with experience to advise families, schools and educators. A UCSD and Harvard graduate, as well as a former high school teacher, Jill works tirelessly to help her clients succeed.
Only 4% the Class of 2012 SAT Takers Scored 2100+
Ok. Ok. Mention the SAT to any senior and their parents, then take a step back. The anxiety of a 3 hour and 45 minute test, on top of the concerns about being accepted to a college or not, with the effort of 16-17 years worth of homework and driving all over the state for…
More About: To Seek Early Admissions or Not, That is the Question
Admissions rates may be higher for early applicants; however, look closer at the applicants and their qualifications for admissions. The applicants may be more competitive on test scores, grades, leadership activities and classes, thus a greater fit for the university and therefore more “admissible.” Also, beware of applying Early Decision as a strategy for hedging…
B.A. in Common Sense
“Common sense can be uncommon.”–Art Baird Every parent knows with certainty their kid is smart. As Montaigne said, “Everyman has within himself the entire human condition.” Yet, what does smart mean? How smart is smart? Is our current generation of budding adults–actually legally an adult–but mere months away from teenager-dome, lacking common sense? Have we,…
Financial Aid Myths: Fact & Fiction
Soccer field sidelines are filled with parents sharing their college expense stories and sometimes “nightmares” that can create misinformation circulating through the community. Depending on the listening parent’s effort to validate or debunk the information gleaned can determine how useful the shared experience will be in guiding their own children. Here’s a few common myths:
Interest: Another Cost of Borrowing Student Loans
The information above is from the Federal Student Aid website. What it means is described below: Interest accrues daily on any student loan. The interest is added to the principal on a quarterly basis, then the next quarter’s interest is calculated based on the new total principal. Students can make payments on the interest and…
Myth: “Liberal Arts College Means I Can’t Study Science or Math”
False. A “liberal arts” college has several meanings. One, liberal arts can refer to the breadth–i.e. wide range–of classes for graduation requirements the college would like students to complete. Often, there is a “core” set of academic courses that includes English, Math, Science, Social Studies/History and Foreign Language (the specifics may vary depending on the…
Huh? A School Profile? What’s that Got to Do with My College Application?
The school profile comes through the counseling office and is sent as part of the counselor’s recommendation to private universities, as part of a senior’s college application. Often, its included alongside the Secondary School Report, as part of the Common Application. Why does this matter?
MAAAAIL CALL: ‘Tis the Season for College Brochures
This time of year glossy, thick papered brochures in big 8.5″ x 11″ envelopes, with personalized letters from colleges in far off places–like North Dakota and Ohio–as well as more known places, like Los Angeles or Seattle, begin arriving by the mailbox full to high school seniors all over the country; not to overlook the…
What?!? Colleges Possibly Going Bankrupt?
The changes to higher education and its price in California are partially in response to the recent state funding cuts. Students (and their families) are being asked to shoulder more of the costs of their education–in the form of increased tuition and fees, parking costs, per campus student activity fees etc. At the same time,…
Making the Most of Back to School Nights
Making the most of Back to School Night is a tricky proposition–especially for middle and high school parents, who may only spend 10-15 minutes in each of their student’s 6 classrooms–not much time after the teacher completes her/his presentation and 20 other parents are asking questions. Plus, Back to School Night is usually 2-3 weeks…
Guest Post: Budgeting for the College Years
By: Lisa Dalton, California parent of a senior at the University of Oregon, and sophomore at Washington State University _________________________ With two kids in college, both at out of state universities, friends and neighbors ask all the time, “How do you do it?” The answer is planning, financial education, and sometimes hard choices.
College: Path to Adulthood?
“We treat our kids like adults when they’re children, and we infantilize them when they’re 18 years old.” –Jean Twenge (The Atlantic, July/August 2011) We routinely hear parents share concerns as their grown children are preparing to leave for college that laundry and food and budgeting–basics of managing life–won’t be done, nor learned. (Rarely, do…
Math May Not Be as Solid As You Think
Math problems may have one answer–yet not only one solution.
Student Debt = Future Income Spent Today
Know the terms (i.e. repayment, interest rates) and possible consequences of taking student loans for college–essentially bringing future income into the present. (FYI: colleges are not obligated to disclose the terms of the loan BEFORE accepting them as part of a student aid package. Students MUST ASK. Also, students are not forced to accept student…