A few weeks ago, I checked out Pinterest for the first time. My friends were constantly posting on Facebook about these great decorating ideas or yummy desserts that I must try, so against my better judgment, I took a peek. I tried to stay away, as I spend way too much time online already, but it was useless. The site lures you in with its tempting images, and soon you find that hours have slipped away. What I did not suspect was how much I could learn from this website.

Yes, I do find myself ‘pinning’ quite a few delicious and tempting recipes (to-date I have tried over 10 new dishes and/or desserts and love them all!), but there are other nuggets of gold to be found hidden in the Pinterest site. Never would I have imagined that Pinterest could be a one-stop shop for everything related to planning for college.
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Tags: College Planning on Pinterest, College Planning Resources, Scholarships on Pinterest
Posted in College Search | Leave a Comment »

As you prepare for college this fall, one item on your summer agenda should definitely be attending freshman orientation. No doubt you have seen a variety of posts on what you should ask during your time on campus: you should ask for  information on what’s allowed in your dorm room, how and when to register for classes and what the process is for joining campus clubs.  But remember:  not all questions are suitable for asking during freshman orientation! To ensure you don’t leave the admissions team at your college (and your future peers!) with the wrong impression, here’s a list of ‘what not to ask’ during your upcoming orientation.
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Tags: College Orientation, College Questions, Freshman Orientation
Posted in Visiting Colleges | Leave a Comment »

This time of year is always exciting: seniors have graduated, decided where to go to college and are eagerly anticipating the next chapter in their lives. I remember the sheer joy of emptying out my high school locker, knowing I would never have to use it again. Of course, I just traded my locker for a very large backpack in college. Trust me when I say the summer will fly by and that you don’t need to bring everything you own with you to college. You think your room is tiny now? You have no idea what small is until you move into a college dorm. Looking back, there are a ton of things I wish I had known before I headed off to college, so I’m going to save you some trouble and share a few with you. Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: college tips, Things I wish I knew before college, what to do in college
Posted in Life at College | 2 Comments »

You’ve taken the SAT (or ACT), created a stellar admission essay and received your acceptance letters. You’ve even decided where you will spend the next four years (or more) of your life. So all of your college planning is complete, right? Wrong! Even though you’ve tackled the biggest tasks on your college-planning list, there’s still a lot more to consider before you relocate to campus in the fall. You still need to finalize housing and food plan options, and eventually you’ll need to declare a major. Another thing to consider will be Greek Life.
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Tags: Greek Life, Greek Rush, Pros and Cons of Greek Life
Posted in Life at College | 5 Comments »

Planning to pay for college can be daunting: understanding financial aid programs, finding scholarships and, most importantly, figuring out exactly how to combine financial resources and pay for everything. Where does someone start? First of all, every senior in high school (and older students, too!) should complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). This form should be completed again each year in college. Depending upon the student’s Expected Family Contribution (EFC), he/she may be offered federal, state or institutional financial aid. Not all of the aid offered will be ‘free’ money, though. Student loans and parent loans will need to be paid back. To keep student debt to a minimum, concentrate on finding free money for college in the following areas instead. Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: college financial aid, free money for college, scholarship advice
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