Academic dishonesty is a familiar term for those who work in college judicial affairs offices. For years, campus officials have used Turnitin, an anti-plagiarism database service to make sure that college students weren’t recycling papers from other students or other sources. Now, Turnitin has branched out and being used in college admissions.

A number of colleges and universities have adopted this service as way to quickly review essays and compare them to a large database of writing on file and show potentially copied material. While it is mostly being used by graduate programs at this point some undergraduate institutions with applicants are making use of the service.  The colleges then can determine whether or not the applicant warrants a rejection based on plagiarism.

So, take our advice, write your own essays.

For more information read the recent LA Times article on the subject.

• Students enrolling at their first choice college has declined since 2006.
• Incoming first-year women use social network sites more often than men
• Students cite “better job prospects” as the number one reason to attend college
• This year’s incoming freshman class has more liberal views
• Compared to 2010 more students report that as high-school seniors they “frequently” took notes in class
• More incoming students expect that as college students they will discuss course content outside of class

For more information you can also look at the New York Times “The Choice” blog.

image credit:http://www.boston.com/lifestyle/blogs/thenextgreatgeneration/2011/09/freshman_15_the_characters_youll_meet.html

These FAFSA adjustments can be made because the financial aid administrator takes the time to more sensitively assess the family’s financial strengths and weaknesses. Financial aid officers will typically request additional and more current information about the family’s situation so that there are new numbers to work with.

While each school will have somewhat different guidelines for how the PJ process works, the family will almost always need to document in writing their request for a reassessment of the financial situation.  The family will also need to specify what has changed in their circumstances to warrant the appeal as well as send in supporting documentation that can potentially quantify the change in circumstances.  Examples of changes in circumstances could include but are not limited to:

• Sizable and unexpected medical bills
• Loss of employment
• Change in parental marital status

Note that special circumstances must be true hardships, not just overspending!  Buying a new, expensive car that depletes your savings, for example, isn’t a reason for a school to give you more financial aid.  Schools are not prone to bargaining for bargaining’s sake, but will exercise PJ if they are provided with a solid, non-emotional, and data-based appeal.  So, if your financial aid package falls short, be sure to contact the financial aid office at the college of your choice and see if they’ll review your personal circumstances more closely and exercise some professional judgement in your favor.

Andrea Aronson

College Admissions Advisor

Westfield, NJ

• Where can I go for advice?
• How do I prepare for a law school education?
• What skills will law school teach me?
• Is there a standard law school curriculum?
• Who is applying to law school?
• How can I find out more about law schools?
• What do I need to know about the application process?
• How do I pay for law school?

LSAC will take your undergraduate transcript, your LSAT scores and letters of recommendation.  They’ll send all that information out to your law schools.

If you’re an international student, you’ll pay LSAC extra to evaluate your transcript.  In my experience, I’ve learned it’s best to give LSAC at least a month to have your transcript evaluated.

Of course all this doesn’t come cheaply.  Unlike the Common App, it costs money to use LSAC:  a base fee of $75 with extra costs included each time you have materials sent to law schools on your list.  But if you’re going to law school, chances are you’ll be a lawyer and chances are, these costs will one day seem minor.

Juliet Giglio

Educational Consultant in Syracuse, New York

High school students today are very comfortable with Facebook, sometimes a little too comfortable. They are used to posting things, sometimes nice and sometimes not, on their friends’ wall. So, what happens when they post those not so nice things on a college’s Facebook wall?

Well, they get talked about.

This past week I had a discussion with one of my former colleagues from the University of Colorado Boulder who runs the social media for their admissions office. I had noticed on CU’s admissions Facebook page that a few students had written, and posted, some negative remarks about the admissions counselors. The students who posted were frustrated that they didn’t have a decision yet and chose to write some very harsh words. The admissions staff member told me how she shared their posts with the admissions counselors reading their applications and asked them to call the students personally.

A few thoughts…

1)People actually read your posts. It is not only student interns who maintain these pages but actually admissions staff in many cases. Think about the consequences that could present themselves before you post something negative.

2) Make sure you have all the correct information before going public with a statement or accusation. For instance, one of the students complaining about not having received a decision from CU by the posted deadline was actually a transfer student. The deadline posted was only applicable to freshman applicants. So, this student made accusatory statements before double checking the information.

3) Don’t brag about another offer from a college. One student on the Facebook page actually complained that they hadn’t received a decision from CU yet but they had from another college. And a scholarship. So, this begs the question-why would CU want to save a spot, or scholarship money, for this student if they know they already have a good alternative? Clearly, this student wants to go to CU or they wouldn’t be repeatedly asking for a decision.

4) If you have a real issue, call the admissions office. Facebook is a great forum for discussion, quick questions, sharing pictures, updates, etc. However, if you have a real issue or problem I recommend taking it right to the source instead of posting it in a public format. Sometimes the answer may be too long for a wall post. Just call the admissions office directly.

5) Once you “like” a page or post on a college’s wall remember that the college may then choose to look at your profile. If you have pictures or posts you don’t want those admissions counselors to see consider cleaning up your profile.

As you are visiting college campuses this spring consider the efforts the colleges you are looking at make to help students get ready for life after college. If you are looking for one that excels in this area, look no further than the school I am proud to call my alma mater, Colgate University.

Most colleges you look at will have active career services offices to help students think about the transition from college to the “real world.” They will help students with their resumes, interviews, cover letters and much more. However, I think a lot of colleges could learn from Colgate University’s “Real World Conference” program. It was a program that I had the opportunity to attend as an undergraduate and sincerely appreciated.

This is an annual program hosted for Colgate Seniors in January at end of the winter break before the start of their final semester. Each year the campus brings back over a hundred alumni who work in varied careers to network with their students. Students can attend panel discussions to hear from alumni who work in areas such as: law, medicine, retail, environment, non-profits, marketing, government, healthcare, social media, education, finance, and social services. This year’s conference also included sessions such as: alumni mock interviews, personal finance, assessing graduate school options, and “your job application from start to finish.” The conference also hosts informal gatherings over coffee, at sporting events, and during an “etiquette” reception for alumni and students to interact.

Sometimes, this conference can lead to opportunities for jobs for students and sometimes it is purely informational. Regardless of the outcome, it is a wonderful service by the college and the students are lucky to have such a program. In addition, you can take advantage of this program even once you graduate from Colgate. Alumni who are not in attendance at the conference are invited to view sessions through live webinars.

We all know the difficulties that college students face in these economic times in regards to their search for a job. Every little bit helps and every effort made by a college on the student’s behalf is a good investment.

What you should look at:

• How much of the award is in grants versus loans?
• What is the ratio of grant aid to self-help aid?  Grant aid is aid that you do not have to repay.  Self-help aid would include loans, your expected family contribution from your own assets, and work-study.
• What are the terms of the loans in the package?  Are they subsidized (i.e. the government picks up interest payments until after you graduate)?  Unsubsidized? From private lending sources that are still to be determined by you?
• Has all your need been met or is there a gap?  If you have been “gapped,” how big is the unmet need?
• If your child has received a scholarship, is it just for one year, or is it renewable each year?

Like it or not, colleges will use their limited financial aid resources as a tool to entice those students that they want the most to enroll.  So, more “desirable” students will receive more favorable aid packages than other admitted students.  The “most wanted” students may have their full need met while others are gapped.  They also may have a better ratio of grants to loans to work-study with a much greater percentage of non-repayable grants in the mix than other students receiving aid.  That means that aid packages will vary tremendously from student to student just as they will from school to school.

One other important thing to know is that once any federal money is awarded in an aid package, the student cannot receive any more money beyond the calculated need.  So, for example, if your child receives outside scholarship money, and full need has been met by a financial aid award from a school, the amount of that outside scholarship will be deducted from the school’s original aid package.  The student is only allowed to receive enough aid to meet their calculated need irrespective of the sources of that aid.

Understanding what each financial aid award is offering can be a challenge, but it’s important to look closely and compare and contrast so that you can make the best possible decision when it comes to school choice and financing your child’s future.

Andrea Aronson

College Admissions Counselor

Westfield, NJ

Q:  When a student fills out the FAFSA, and his/her parents are divorced, who are considered the parents?

A:  The custodial parent and any step-parent.  The non-custodial parent is not considered financially responsible for the student by the federal government, and no information is collected from the non-custodial parent regardless of that parent’s involvement in the child’s life.

Q:  When a student fills out CSS PROFILE, and his/her parents are divorced, who are considered the parents?

A:  The custodial and non-custodial parent, primarily.  Step-parent information may be collected, as well and weighed in the equation.  CSS PROFILE desires a fuller picture of the student’s financial situation and that includes fully understanding the financial status of the non-custodial parent.

Why is it different?  Because it is.

Both the federal government and CSS PROFILE have established their own individual definition for who is financially responsible for the student, and the definitions are not the same.  So, when a divorce is part of the picture, the financial aid process can get very complicated.  Because divorces cannot always be easily navigated, CSS PROFILE does allow students to request a waiver for the non-custodial parent information if the parent is not involved in the student’s life, pays no child support, or is unable to be found.

Either way, when dealing with a divorce and financial aid, students and their parents and step-parents should pay particularly close attention to the requirements of each aid application.  Misunderstanding what is needed and thus potentially delaying the process may mean that the student misses out on the amount of aid for which he is qualified.

Andrea Aronson

College Admissions Advisor

Westfield, NJ

Consider a Community College
Community College is a fantastic option, and often an underrated one, especially for students who may not have any idea about their career interests or what major they want to pursue. Community colleges often cost less and they offer quality classes that take students through the general education requirements they need to transfer into a four-year university. Another plus? Transferring from a community college often gives you options to attend universities you could not have been accepted to right out of high school. In my hometown, one of our community colleges offers a direct track into UC Berkeley, one of the best universities in the world, and one of the most selective.

Be Selective and Extend Your Reach
Sending out college applications is not only time consuming, but they can also be incredibly expensive. Being selective about where you send your applications could save you from spending years at a college you may not like in the slightest.  Having a “back-up” school is not necessarily the best option, especially with rising tuitions costs. Finding undergraduate college scholarships is a task in itself, a worthwhile one if you’re attending a school you really like. Only apply to colleges you know you will enjoy attending. Another thing to remember is that admissions departments are not just looking for the highest SAT/ACT scores, the best GPAs, and the most extracurriculars; something about you may set your apart, something you may not consider exceptional. Apply to schools you would love to go to, even if they feel out of your reach.

Do Your Research
Two of the most important factors to consider before even applying to a school are the programs offered and the colleges’ locations.  Even if you do not know what major you would like to pursue, research the colleges’ best majors and departments; make sure you see at least a few that initially spark your interest.  If you do not like cold and windy weather, you probably should not apply to schools in Chicago. If you are like me, and know that being landlocked just is not for you, applying to schools on the east or west coast might be your best option. Tour as many campuses as you can. It may seem trivial at first, but remember that college life is not just about going to class and studying. You are going to spend two, four, or maybe more years at your school; you have to love where you are.

People write books on how to apply to colleges, which I definitely suggest reading, but these initial considerations will help you narrow your selection. Don’t get overwhelmed and take the time to reflect on what will be best for you. College is going to be the best time of your life, make sure you make the best of it.

Angela Ballard is a Business Development Associate at FindTheBest where you can compare anything from the best student credit cards to the best ski resorts.

• Adjusted gross income
• Income tax paid
• Exemptions
• Yearly earnings
• Money in Cash, Savings, Checking
• Value of investments
• Pension, IRA, etc. payments and deductions
• Child support paid or received

Although all of this data and more is requested, the formula that the FAFSA uses to calculate your EFC weighs earnings most heavily.  Why?  While the federal government wants you to sacrifice and pay your fair share to send your child to college, it doesn’t want you to go broke!  By weighing your recent income more heavily than your savings, investments or pension dollars, the government feels it is leaving you with a cushion for your future.

While some people may be tempted to manipulate their income so that the two years of information that they put into the FAFSA shows a much lower earning level than their true average earnings, be mindful that this kind of tactic often serves to little advantage. This move may provide a family with a lower EFC (Expected Family Contribution) for federal funds (money from the government), but it will generally not have much effect when applying for institutional funds (money allocated by the school) .  That is because institutional awards are often based on CSS PROFILE information, which is far more detailed and uses a different methodology.

Also, remember that federal grant aid is reserved for the most needy.  That means that even though the earnings that you note on the FAFSA may be low, if your other financial data does not show you to be particularly needy, your EFC may still turn out to be quite high (and thus your financial need low) making the machinations required to change your income level not worth the effort.

In the EFC calculation, student assets and earnings overall are weighted more heavily than those of the parents.  This fits with the idea that it is the student who is most directly benefiting from the college education, so it is the student who should provide the greatest relative contribution to fund it.

For more information about what information you’ll need to complete the FAFSA, visit www.fafsa.ed.gov to download a PDF of the FAFSA or get a list from the website’s Help section.

Andrea Aronson

College Admissions Consultant, Westfield, NJ