WiseChoice

WiseChoice Help

GENERAL QUESTIONS

PRIVACY AND SECURITY QUESTIONS

ACCOUNT SETUP AND BILLING QUESTIONS

PRICING QUESTIONS

GENERAL QUESTIONS

What is WiseChoice?


	WiseChoice is an online service for students and families that takes the guesswork out of college planning. By learning about each student's personal preferences, academics and financial resources, our service creates a simple, personalized path to college by: Offering step-by-step, custom guidance throughout the application process Using a compatibility assessment to show how well students and colleges match up Providing calendars, to-do lists and text alert reminders Estimating the real costs of college-before applying-based on your family's financial situation Itemizing expenses and suggesting funding options for a custom payment plan

How does WiseChoice differ from other planning sites, including the free ones?


	WiseChoice matches students to colleges based on a thorough compatibility assessment that considers many unique factors. Other sites have no way of understanding what each student needs or wants out of the college experience. The free sites have some data, but they simply "filter" their information to show a handful of obvious choices. In addition, no other site matches WiseChoice's comprehensive mix of alerts, custom recommendations and financial planning information. For example, families don't know how much financial assistance they will receive until after their student has applied and been accepted to college. With WiseChoice, you get an estimate of your financial aid and what you can expect to pay out-of-pocket before applying to specific colleges. WiseChoice also gives families the inside scoop with real-life information from actual students on each college campus. We've gathered feedback from more than 60,000 students!

How does WiseChoice "match" students to a list of colleges?


	WiseChoice uses a series of detailed questionnaires to gather information about the different facets of each student's life-including personality, academic record, financial situation, personal preferences and learning style-to generate a personalized compatibility assessment with colleges that best fit these criteria.

Who should use WiseChoice-and when?


	Any family and student looking for a college within the United States can-and should-use WiseChoice. We recommend that families start using the service when their student is a sophomore or junior in high school. However, others can use and benefit from WiseChoice, including: Students already in their senior year of high school Students attending community college who want to transfer to a four-year college Adult students who graduated from high school years ago and are now interested in attending college College students thinking of transferring to another campus

Can WiseChoice help find a graduate school/program?


	Currently, WiseChoice is only focused on finding best-fit colleges for undergraduate students.

How much time will WiseChoice take?


	The duration of the WiseChoice experience depends on when your family starts and your specific needs. You can proceed at a leisurely pace if you decide to start early (e.g., as a sophomore or junior in high school). We can also help students in a time crunch (e.g., in the fall of their senior year) make faster progress.

What types of colleges and universities are in the WiseChoice system?


	We have high standards at WiseChoice. Every college in our system must be: Accredited Residential (i.e., it provides some type of housing for students) Four-year (i.e., two-thirds or more of awarded degrees must be bachelor's or higher) Currently attended by at least 600 undergraduate students Located in the 50 United States or the District of Columbia Using these criteria, the colleges in the WiseChoice system enroll 99 percent of all full-time undergraduates in the United States.

Is WiseChoice connected to a particular college or university system(s)?


	No, WiseChoice is completely independent from any campus or financial institution, which enables us to remain unbiased and objective. Because we charge a fee for our services, we do not even accept advertising on our site.

I think I can only afford to go to college part-time-will WiseChoice still be of value to me?


	Yes, if you are planning to attend a four-year, accredited college.

Can WiseChoice help students get loans for college?


	WiseChoice will show the true cost of a college even before you apply, estimate what types of financial aid your family may receive, show payment options, help to develop a budget and provide ideas for minimizing debt. However, WiseChoice is not a financial or lending institution and will not try to sell you a loan.

Can students share their WiseChoice service with a sibling or best friend?


	Each WiseChoice user has a unique profile-complete with a personalized list of recommended colleges and specific tasks to complete. So it's not possible to share this service across multiple users.

What if I don't like any of my WiseChoice matches?


	The colleges we recommend are based on the information we receive. If any colleges on your list are unfamiliar to you, we encourage you first to look closer and read up on the matches. If you still aren't convinced, you can review and update some information in the "About The Student" section-this will adjust the matches. Students can also add their own college picks to the list and apply wherever they wish.

Can I still apply to a college WiseChoice doesn't recommend?


	WiseChoice presents options and recommendations, but you are free to apply wherever you wish. We will still help you through the entire application process, even if it's not to a college we recommend.

PRIVACY AND SECURITY QUESTIONS

Does WiseChoice sell customer information?


	All personal information stays only with WiseChoice and the people who work on our behalf. WiseChoice will never sell personal information to third parties. For more details, read our Privacy Policy.

How do I know my information is secure in WiseChoice's system?


	We make the security of your information a top priority and back our commitment with physical, electronic and administrative safeguards. Read our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use for full details.

What types of information can students and families see?


	Parents/guardians have access to most of the same WiseChoice content and features as the child/student does. Parents will not have access to the personality questionnaires in the "About The Student" section since these require student responses to make the best college matches. However, parents will see the resulting personality assessments after the student has filled out the questionnaires. WiseChoice also gives users a few privacy choices. The student can decide whether to share essay drafts and completed applications with parents/guardians. And we let parents/guardians decide whether the student can see the family's financial information.

ACCOUNT SETUP AND BILLING QUESTIONS

I lost/forgot my WiseChoice login information-what should I do?


	Just click the "Forgot Password" link on the WiseChoice log-in page and fill out the form. We'll reset your password and send an e-mail to the account you used when you registered.

I received an error message on the WiseChoice website (or the link I clicked didn't work)-what do I do now?


	Please let us know so we can correct the problem right away. Just click the "Contact" link on the site and fill out the form describing the problem and where on the site it happened.

PRICING QUESTIONS

Is this a free website?


	No, WiseChoice is not a free website, although we provide access to several of our key features and tools so you can "test drive" our site before deciding to upgrade to a paying membership.

How much does WiseChoice cost?


	There is no set fee for WiseChoice; our users name their own price. Until now, some students have had an unfair edge in the college application process because they had means or access to resources that others did not. To alleviate any disadvantage, WiseChoice asks our users to determine the value of our service and pay what they want, and what they can. Many of the WiseChoice key features are free to all, so users can sample the site before making a decision about payment.

Why do you charge for the site?


	WiseChoice is a user-supported site. That is, we do not accept advertising or have partnership agreements with schools, loan providers or anyone else involved in the admissions or financial aid process. This assures that our site and information can remain independent and unbiased. It also allows us to continue to develop and expand the site with additional tools and features.

What if I'm not satisfied after I pay - can I get my money back?


	Yes, WiseChoice has a money-back, satisfaction guarantee. If you are not satisfied with WiseChoice, for any reason, simply contact Customer Service with 30 days after payment and we will refund your money in full. For complete details, please refer to our Terms of Use.

Do I have to pay every year, or just once?


	Members pay for WiseChoice just once, and have access to the full site until the student graduates from college.

What does "pay what you want" really mean?


	Exactly that-each user decides independently what he or she will pay for our service. We believe that all students and their families should have access to the best resources and tools for finding the college that's right for them. We believe that our service is so valuable that people will realize the benefit and pay accordingly. There are no strings attached. If a student or family cannot afford to pay for WiseChoice, they can choose to pay nothing and accept our service as a gift.