Pearl Saves a Mom 270K
Good morning! Three quick announcements today.
1. 10am EST: live on our Facebook page: Student loan forgiveness magician Pearl Lockwood walks you through how she saved a mom $270,000.
2. College Application Edge Bootcamp: Early Action registration is open for one more day. Save 500 bucks and get your FAFSA and other financial aid applications taken care of -- a 3,500 value -- if you sign up by deadline.
3. SAT and ACT "Crusher" classes start right after the New Year. Keep an eye out for a promotional announcement after January 1.
Okie dokie, I'm headed over to College Coffee Talk now, hope you can stop by.
-Andy "Showtime" Lockwood
"Secret" Bad Counselor Advice?
I was speaking with a mom of one of our students who got into an elite (6% acceptance rate) college this month. She reminded me of a forgotten discussion over the past summer.
The topic: to submit or not to submit?
As in, should we go test-optional or submit our ACT?
The guidance counselor at his private high school was firm. Definitely submit it, you're in the 25-75% range.
"What do you think," the mom asked me in August.
I looked everything over, including the factors that guidance counselors frequently miss (but admissions officers don't):
Grades, scores, rigor, extracurriculars, race, ethnicity, how you're applying (ED, EA, etc.), parents' finances and another half dozen or so components of the application.
"Not so fast," I said. I understood the counselor's advice, but it didn't sit right. I chose my words carefully.
"Your counselor's an idiot. Do NOT send your scores. The rest of his application is strong. It would be incredibly stupid to give the admissions committ...
College Bootcamp Early Discount
If you're the parent of a high school class of 2026 grad, I have a very, very nice Festivus gift to share:
A discounted, and heavily bonused Early Action Registration ticket to our summer College Application Edge Bootcamp!
Plain and simple, this group coaching program is designed to help your child answer the question,
Why Should We Admit YOU, Compared to Your 50,000 Competitors?
When you sign up now, before January 1, you'll 1. save 500 bucks and 2. receive a big bonus: we'll do your FAFSA, CSS Profile and all other financial aid forms (value: $3,500).
But I think there's a bigger, more important reason to take me up on this offer:
Peace of mind. Because we, not you, will take over the deadline reminders, accountability and organization of the whole college application kit and kaboodle.
You won't have to scream and threaten your kiddo all summer!
Unlike other summer bootcamps, this one lasts more than a week or two. It runs June-September, and includes
*Heavy essay ed...
Deferred? Don't Do This
Good morning!
We're hitting the airwaves this morning -- 10:00am EST -- for College Coffee Talk, our live show about college admissions and financial aid news that you can use!
Here's what's on tap for today:
Deferred? How to Screw Up Your Letter of Continued Interest
Grab a cup of joe and we'll see you at 10am EST (recorded if you can't make it)
- Andy Lockwood
Negotiating Your Scholarship
"Print Scholarships" On Demand Workshop
I'll be quicker than a presidential pardon because there's not much time before I go on the air.
One of the big topics I'm planning to cover is what to do if your college "lowballs" your merit aid or need-based aid offer. I'll share some case studies that, frankly, might be pretty hard to swallow.
But I swear it's not fake news. Each example I describe in today's mini-webinar come straight outta Glen Head, New York, a/k/a Lockwood College Prep world headquarters (and the college negotiation capitol of the world).
Here are some additional value bombs that I will drop on today's workshop:
- How to legally "hide" your money from the financial aid office
- The dark truth about the 529 plan
- How to negotiate your so-called "final" scholarship or financial aid award
- Special "loopholes" and "landmines" for business owners
- How much income (Adjusted Gross Income) is too much to qualify for aid?
- How to get 56.1% off tuition no matter how much ...
The New Rules of Financial Aid
It's weird the way colleges decide how to award scholarships and other aid:
There's no "magic" income number.
Sure, there are a handful of exceptions, mostly from elite private colleges who claim to give full tuition to families earning 150K, 180K and even 200K.
But you have to GET INTO these elite, rarified air colleges to be in the running for the cashola.
What about the other 98% of colleges?
If you were nerdy enough (ahem) to read through the financial aid rules and regulations, websites and handbooks for college aid information, looking for an income "ceiling" or cut off number, your search would be fruitless. Because there are 70+ other factors that go into the Double Secret Formula in addition to Adjusted Gross Income.
In our 22+ years of advising, we've had a handful clients earning more than 300K qualify for substantial amounts of need-based aid.
We've also seen those with 50K in income get zilch.
I can 'splain all that to you tomorrow afternoon. I'm running a short ...
How to "Print" Scholarships On Demand
Shari was thrilled for her daughter: she got into her Dream School last week! Her hard work in high school paid off!
A few days later, the financial aid award came. Not good.
"They expect us to pay HOW MUCH!?" she silently screamed, so her husband wouldn't hear her. "How am I going to tell Scott?".
I made up the names but not the scenario. Too many families get through the college acceptance process, only to THEN -- months later -- turn their attention to how they're going to PAY for college.
Sadly, thousands of families open up their college award notices, only to be slapped in the face by the (lack of) offer.
Even sadder, this unsavory result was easily avoidable.
Thursday afternoon, I'm running a short online workshop so that you don't find yourself in this pickle next year, wondering "Where's the beef" after your son or daughter manages to get into the college they've been lusting after. Here's a short list of what I'll be covering:
- How to legally "hide" your money ...
The Reason Why She Didn't Get In?
Good morning!
We're hitting the airwaves this morning -- 10:00am EST -- for College Coffee Talk, our live show about college admissions and financial aid news that you can use!
Today's show is a doozy, here's the description:
Why didn't she get into her top choice college?
Today on College Coffee Talk, college consultants Pearl and Andy Lockwood take you behind the scenes of their college advising practice. You'll be a virtual fly on the wall during some of their most difficult conversations with clients.
Here's where to join us:
Grab a cup of joe and we'll see you at 10am EST (recorded if you can't make it)
- Andy Lockwood
How to Get Into a Top College Today
New Workshop: The College Application Edge System
Is college admissions a giant Black Box, with no rhyme or reason to who gets in and who doesn't?
It may seem that way, but that's probably because you don't know all the factors that go into the mix.
Or who your child is ACTUALLY competing with (hint, it's not the kids at her high school).
Tonight I'm running a workshop called The College Application Edge System.
It's free and designed to give you the Fast Pass and Easy Button, all rolled up in one, to getting a ticket to an Ivy or highly selective college. Here's some of what will be covered:
- The "60-40 Formula" that admissions officers use to evaluate candidates
- Extracurricular activities that impress
- How to score tens of thousands in fat, juicy scholarships even if you think you have no shot at getting any type of financial assistance
That's a few nuggets, there will be more, tonight. Here's where to sign up:
- Andy "Sundays Wit...
Deferred. Deferred. Admitted!
New Workshop: The College Application Edge System
A client blew off our phone call this morning, but I couldn't be happier.
Savannah (not her real name), applied to several big, "rah-rah" colleges this fall. She's a great, straight A student and boasts seriously impressive extracurriculars.
Here's why Savannah (still not her real name)'s mom started to panic. The first two colleges to respond sent the following decisions:
Deferred.
Deferred.
I'll spare you the "Inside Baseball", but Savannah's mom was practically hyperventilating for the last two weeks.
Email. "What's happening?" Text. "What's wrong with her application?" Email. "What colleges will she get into? We need a plan!"
I admit that I wasn't feeling too confident after the second deferral. But I needed to heed my own advice: "It's too early to panic. Deferral doesn't mean denied. She's a great candidate at all of these schools."
That was Thursday. We set up a Zoom for 9am this morning. But then, last ...