I'm back from my Midwest College Tour! If you're looking to add some Midwestern charm to your college list

or need ideas on how to de-stress during the process, I highly recommend checking out the schools below. They offer

something for everyone, whether you're seeking large universities or intimate liberal arts colleges. Feel free to reach out

with any questions—I’d be happy to share insights, photos, or more details.

Colleges I Visited:

• Drake University – A welcoming, urban campus in Des Moines with strong pre-professional programs.

• Iowa State University – A research powerhouse with a vibrant campus, “Iowa Nice”, and renowned engineering and agriculture programs.

• Grinnell College – A highly selective liberal arts college with a commitment to social justice and individualized learning.

• University of Iowa – Known for its world-class writing program and robust student life in a quintessential college town.

• Cornell College – Unique block schedule where students focus on one course at a time, perfect for deep, immersive learning.

• Luther College – A close-knit liberal arts community with strong music and environmental science programs.

• St. Olaf College – A beautiful campus with an emphasis on global perspective and a strong tradition in music and the liberal arts.

• Carleton College – Renowned for its academic rigor and quirky, collaborative campus culture.

• Macalester College – A global liberal arts college in St. Paul with a focus on civic engagement and internationalism.

• University of Minnesota – A large, research-driven institution with endless opportunities in the heart of the Twin Cities

*Pro Tip:

While on college tours, it’s a great idea to take a phtotograph of the bulletin boards. You can review the pictures later to remember what sort of activities are thriving on campus.

Are you confused by your financial aid award letter? Is this a grant or a loan in disguise? There’s a fabulous tool called the Offer Letter Decoder. Just upload your offer letter, and the Decoder will explain some of the acronyms and abbreviations. Follow this link.

“Amanda, I don’t feel comfortable uploading my award letter!” That’s fine. I’m an email or phone call away.

If you are applying to any of the UC schools, look at the advice provided by the good folks in the UC system. Nine campuses. One application. Here is the latest: https://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/

UC uses slightly different language when referring to their essay questions. They call them Personal Insight Questions (PIQs), and you must respond to 4/8 prompts. Also, be aware that the UC application deadline for the fall semester is much earlier than other schools across the country. This year, your application must be submitted by December 2.

Steps & Strategies for Applying for Financial Aid

My job as an Independent Educational Consultant is to find colleges that are the “right fit” for my students and their parents. Many variables are involved in this process and one factor that doesn’t get discussed enough is money. Finding the best match includes helping families concerned with college costs.

After drafting a list of potential colleges, visit schools’ websites and run some numbers on their net price calculators. (A net price calculator is an online tool that the U.S. government requires of any higher educational institution that offers federal aid; it can provide a rough estimate on costs.)

Once you have an approximation of what your freshman could expect to pay, look at  https://studentaid.gov/ and familiarize yourself with the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). This online form must be filed to receive grants, federal loans, and work-study. The FAFSA will generate an expected family contribution (EFC) called the Student Aid Index (SAI). The difference between the cost of college and the SAI number determines the student's eligibility for need-based financial aid.

Additionally, over 600 institutions require the College Scholarship Service (CSS) data, making this College Board site another one to review: https://cssprofile.collegeboard.org/. The CSS Profile is an online application used to award non-federal institutional aid. (To check if any of the schools you are interested in require the CSS profile, follow this link: https://profile.collegeboard.org/profile/ppi/participatingInstitutions.aspx.)

Your personal strategy will depend on many factors. Let’s customize a plan for you…

…and if you are at the end of your journey and you have an offer in hand, Appeal, Appeal, Appeal!

As Mark Salisbury from TuitionFit hilariously states, “colleges get awfully prickly when someone asks if they will “negotiate” a better price.  That’s when the financial aid staff will college-splain to you that they don’t negotiate, but they will be glad to consider your appeal.”

Check out: Jessica Dickler’s Amid the many problems with the new FAFSA, ‘every student’ should appeal for more financial aid. https://www.cnbc.com/2024/02/14/amid-fafsa-issues-its-a-good-time-to-lobby-for-more-financial-aid.html

An article recently came to my attention entitled, Advised to Death, which delves into the flaws of the college admissions process and the potential detrimental effect that process has on our students' emotional well-being. In my opinion, the article is at times inaccurate, negative and snarky. The author, Sanibel Chai, describes a scenario in which she posted a flyer offering admissions counseling for $300 an hour, catering primarily to affluent students, and proceeds to portray her student/clients as victims of their own privilege. As a college admissions counselor myself, this article left me feeling defensive, and I'd like to explain why. 

First, Chai criticizes other, (far more) experienced admissions counselors, implying they are part of the problem. Her writing raises concerns about her own entitlement, given her location, high fees, and lack of credentials. Furthermore, it seems likely that Chai fabricated some of her stories, exemplified by the claim that one of her student /clients applied to MIT Early Decision. In fact, MIT only accepts applications for Early Action or Regular Admission. This misinformation demonstrates a lack of knowledge of MIT in particular, where stringent requirements unrelated to legacy or wealth are strictly adhered to by Admissions. Even coaches trying to recruit athletes for their D3 teams have a challenging time because MIT Admissions takes its gatekeeping seriously. 

Instead of offering solutions to the perceived issues in the admissions application process, Chai chooses to disparage admissions officers, students, and educational institutions wholesale. She disregards any opportunity to highlight empathetic admissions counselors who genuinely aim to guide students and provide viable options. Additionally, she overlooks positive national developments, such as steps taken by state university systems to offer open-access admissions or private colleges to offer direct admissions -- which may change the entire admissions landscape and have a positive impact on lowering students' stress levels and increasing enrollment. 

In conclusion, it is disheartening to encounter stories like Chai's, which contribute to the negative atmosphere surrounding college admissions and tarnish the reputation of Independent Educational Consultants (IECs), to whom she is largely referring. I believe our focus should be on fostering a more constructive, supportive and representative community within the field of college admissions -- for students, parents, counselors, and consultants. 

I want to share a bit about my acorn wearing a mortarboard logo and it’s significance. There is a poem called Tall Oaks from Little Acorns Grow that is sometimes attributed to a 7-year old David Everett, born in 1770 in Princeton, Massachusetts. Other sources report that David wrote and recited this poem as a school declamation in 1791. Regardless, it is a beautiful poem that speaks to the hidden potential in every child. My daughter and I discussed this idea as my logo because I firmly believe in supporting every student to meet their potential. This is exactly the help I hope to provide.

Tall Oaks from Little Acorns Grow

by David Everett

Y OU'D SCARCE EXPECT one of my age
To speak in public on the stage,
And if I chance to fall below
Demosthenes or Cicero,
Don't view me with a critic's eye,
But pass my imperfections by.
Large streams from little fountains flow,
Tall oaks from little acorns grow;
And though now I am small and young,
Of judgment weak and feeble tongue,
Yet all great, learned men, like me
Once learned to read their ABC.
But why may not Columbia's soil
Rear men as great as Britain's Isle,
Exceed what Greece and Rome have done
Or any land beneath the sun?
Mayn't Massachusetts boast as great
As any other sister state?
Or where's the town, go far or near,
That does not find a rival here?
Or where's the boy but three feet high
Who's made improvement more than I?
These thoughts inspire my youthful mind
To be the greatest of mankind:
Great, not like Caesar, stained with blood,
But only great as I am good.

David Everett graduated from Dartmouth College in 1795.

(This rendition of Everett’s poem can be found here.)