College admissions is competitive,

Yes, there are a number of colleges that have applications on line. The California State Universities and Universities of California are all online. Most if not all of the community colleges also have online applications. Our local community college will only accept online applications.

Many of the letters of recommendations are also done online, essays also. But I have also noticed that many of the private schools give students the option of having online and paper/pencil applications. They also ask for mid-year and final reports which have been pen/paper forms.

Students must remember that they still have to have their transcripts sent to the different colleges. These requests can be made online if you have taken classes at a community college, but the high school requests are usually a form filled out at the registrar's office at the home school.

Not usually! The colleges/universities will tell you what they want. Make sure you follow through and give them everything they request. Typically "extra stuff" is discarded. My suggestion would be not to send in anything extra. Even when you are writing the essay, you have to stick to the number of words they request. Frequently the extra words are not read or even eliminated.

If you are applying to a school that requires an interview, that might be the time to have

extra things with you that you can share at the appropriate time which would probably be close to the end of the interview.

I have always asked students to do the following when they need a letter:

1) Give me two weeks

2) Write out some important facts about yourself that I can't find on your transcript

3) Why do you think you will be a good candidate for this particular school?

4) Tell me something that you have accomplished that shows hard work, determination and the ability to overcome frustration.

5)Tell me about your future goals and what have you already accomplished.

6) How do you handle frustration and problems.

I believe it is important to give the person who is writing your letter more than enough information about you then he/she would need. Also make sure that the information talks about you as a "learner" - more than just gpa, list of classes, etc. That type of information is already on your transcript. I want students to let me know why they would stand out and why they would be successful on the college campus.

If the student provides the writer with enough information about himself/herself, there is a better chance that the results will be good. Too often students will ask for a letter and not provide enough information or to whom the letter should be written too. If the request is done at the last minute, make sure a stamped,addressed envelope is provided along with information that will assist the writer in producing a good letter.

As soon as possible! Even if you start out small and do it on a regular basis, a small deposit every month could add up to something substantial by the end of the 12th grade. I would also encourage relatives to donate to the college fund rather than giving gifts at Christmas and birthdays. Grandmas and Grandpas, along with all the aunts and uncles. could be a good source of assistance.

Even if you tell your child that you are putting money into the college fund rather than paying for a birthday party every other year, that would be good for the fund and a good lesson for your child.

Like anything else, the best way to save money for college is to start as early as possible.

I also recommend to students that saving money for college might mean saying "no" to lots of things that you want or want to do. It is amazing how quickly money disappears on incidental expenses that are really not necessary.

Also start looking for scholarships and awards early in your high school career. There might be an essay contest for $50 or $100 that many students think, "Why waste my time?" The fifties can add up to a substantial amount. I have had students who have gone after the little scholarships to find that they added up to thousands of dollars by the time they graduated. Many students don't apply for the little ones. The competition is frequently not as high for the smaller prizes.

Yes! If you qualify through the FAFSA, you can get fee waivers from the counseling department at your school. The waivers are necessary for the state schools and universities. You can also submit a letter to the private schools requesting a fee waiver. If you then qualify through the FAFSA, the colleges will waive the fees.

At the high school where I was a counselor, the students would get fee waivers if they qualified for free and reduced lunches. These waivers were also good for the SAT and ACT testing.

A 529 plan is a savings program started by most colleges and institutions. Go on the web and put in 529 plan to see which colleges are participating. There are a number of college plans that exist where a parent, grandparent, etc. can open up a savings account for the student. There are some fees involved.

Work study is usually part of a financial aid package from the college or university. The job is typically on campus and can be worked around the student's schedule.

Most financial aid packages are a combination of grant money (free money - never has to be paid back), a loan (sometimes both the parents and the students need to take out a loan to pay for this part of the package), and work study.

The work study positions could be working in the athletic department to working in the bookstore. Typically students get paid minimum wage and work less than twenty hours a week.

Unless absolutely necessary, avoid the student bookstores. There are a number of websites where students can purchased both new and used textbooks. The price difference between the websites and the student bookstores are startling. Of course there will be times when the exact edition will not be available on the web, and the purchase will need to be made on the campus.

When you do buy on line, make sure you have the right edition because some of the editions are updated - but not always. It could be the exact same book but different editions because of the printing.

Another option is renting books. The community college in my hometown rents the books to the students. The disadvantage is that you have to return the books. For most students this is not an issue because they intend to sell the books back. But if it is something you decide you might want to keep, you can always check with the bookstore to see if you can purchase the book. In most cases, this is an available option.

Many schools will also have reserved copies in the campus library where students can read the books. But, this is difficult because frequently you cannot take the books out of he library. They might not always be available because other students are using them.

Textbooks have become very expensive. It is not unusual to pay over $100 for one book.

AVOID THEM!!!! Students only need one credit card. I would suggest getting a credit card with a low limit on it. With your parents, figure out what you are going to be using your credit card for. Is it going to be for school expenses such as books or socializing???

I would limit the use of credit cards for necessary expenses. But now, you have to figure out what is necessary. I have had many discussions with students about the fact that getting steaks in your hair is not a necessity and does not affect your learning. Going out for pizza is not a necessity. The list is endless.

Attending a university with the appropriate "focus" or inappropriate "focus" can greatly affect the monthly balance on your credit card. I have noticed that many students still want to have all the "goodies" that they have had during high school and attend a university away from home. For most families this is a very difficult proposition.

If finishing college is the goal, the behavior in regards to spending and studying have to be evaluated.

The essay should not be a repeat of anything that is already in the rest of the application. You don't want to bore the reader with information that is already there. Plus you are wasting a valuable opportunity to be creative and really say something about yourself that the rest of the application does not address.

Usually the college will give you some guidance with the essay, presenting you with some questions or a quote to inspire you. Think about the essay, write down some ideas, talk to your parents, teachers and friends about the topic, and sleep on it before you start. Give yourself some time to organize and be creative. Make sure you have some one read the essay before it is turned in. You might miss some errors.

Another thing you might try is reading the essay out loud to yourself and then to friends or family. See how they react to what you have written. Ask for honest critique of what you have presented. Then go back and build on the information they gave you.

A great college essay gives the college an opportunity to see who you really are. Pick a meaningful experience and take the reader through your process of self-discovery. I assisted a student who wrote about her father. A man that she adored but discovered that he was a cocaine addict. She took the reader through the stages of loving, hating, being disappointed, ashamed and finally acceptance, understanding and again loving while "Dad" was going through treatment. She allowed herself to be vulnerable which made the essay dynamite. Another student talked about the struggles of having learning disabilities and the pain that he experienced during his educational career.

You might think, "I don't have anything like that." All of us have experiences that have impacted our lives. Sit down with your folks and talk about your family and your "growing-up" years. I'm sure you will find something.

Make sure when you write your essay that you don't just ramble on and on. Follow the five-paragraph or a modified version of that format. You will need a catchy introduction where you pull in your reader, supportive examples, and then a wonderful conclusion where you pull everything together and leave the reader with a smile, a tear, or a wow.

The essay really gives you an opportunity to be creative. Allow yourself time and don't throw it together right at the end. With all the competition trying to get into the good schools, your essay could make the difference.

Make sure that your essay is grammatically. A poorly written paper with grammar errors is a real "killer". The readers expect the applicant to have a good foundation in writing.

I believe it is always advisable to have someone re-read and "proof" your writing for you.

Don't frequently use personal pronouns such as "I" or "you" in your essays. This tends to make the essay boring. Try to use an active voice and respond in a way to catch the attention of your reader. Use examples, write in a format that is descriptive, is logical, and flows.

Frequently students will write their essays as if it is a history of events in their lives. Pick a couple of incidents, activities, etc. and "tell" how these were meaningful in your life. How did these events help you develop as a student and person. When students merely present a historical list of events, the reader does not get a sense of what type of person he/she is. Don't tell the reader information that can be read on the transcript or on another part of the application.

Try to allow your personality to shine through your essay. What about you is so interesting and wonderful that the reader would say, "I think I would like to know this person. He/she will add something pretty interesting to our school."

A major in the arts can be beneficial in a number of career areas: advertising, community recreation, and school programs with music and drama departments are a few possibilities.

A masters degree can also be obtained which would make the junior college and college level teaching positions available to the individual. The performing art world provides jobs and careers in not only performing but also as support services for the performers. Frequently, people will work in any aspect of the performing/art industry in order to obtain access to the "opportunity."

I have also found that people with an art background can go into different aspects of interior design and decorating because the individual has the flair or "eye" for beauty.

Stay within your means!!! So many times I have heard parents and students say that they deserve to go to the college of their choice because the student has worked so hard. If we all got what we deserved, the world would be a great place to live for everyone. But the reality after graduation is that the bill comes due. If a family is not able to afford the first choice for all four years, maybe the student should look at attending a two-year program and then transferring. From what I have seen over the last fifteen years (with both my children included), not everyone gets done in the past traditional thinking of graduation in four years. Students should still apply to their top choices and then with the family make the decision that is not only right for the student but also the family.

I have seen students take out huge loans so they can immediately go "away" and come out with pretty hefty payments. I have some younger colleagues who after ten years are still paying off student loans.

Try to save the student loans for the last two years and graduate school.

My second bit of advice for parents is to try to be supportive of your child's career choice or major. If it is something that is not within what you think is "reasonable or appropriate", encourage him/her to take some general education classes to explore. General education is a requirement for all degrees and will give the student an opportunity to explore. So many times I've heard, "Well, my parents wanted me to be..."

We all want the best for our children, but they have to live with their life choices. Try to be open to see their points of view and listen to what they are saying.

Colleges are not required to keep parents informed of their child's academic progress. Once students attend a university, college, or even a community college, parents do not have the right to access information about their student. Students may select to give their parents access to this information by giving them the codes needed to access transcripts and any other information.

I know that in many cases parents are not happy with this because many are financially supporting their children, but the institutions are governed by right to privacy laws that protects the students from anyone having access without their permission.

Parents need to be encouraging and realistic. By encouraging, parents should be open to talk about all options, visit the campuses with your child, help provide access to information, take them to college fairs, talk about career possibilities, etc. This should be open conversations while the student is exploring without "judgment." Frequently, junior college might be an option that a student is considering because he/she might not feel ready to jump into a university, but don't necessarily believe that their parents see the junior college system as an option. All options should be considered. Being realistic is also important. Students need to know how much financial help parents are capable of providing. I've had students who have worked for three years thinking that they were going to going to a particular school only to find out during their senior year that the family's financial situation would not allow such an expense. I believe that parents need to be honest in terms of how much money is there and what are their expectations as parents. Is the student going to need to work? Is there a particular institution that the parents would not support? This is a good opportunity for lots of discussions between parents and their children.

The first thing you need to know is what are the requirements of the school you wish to attend. The majority of the state schools prefer that you have a completed associates degree before you make the transfer. I always recommend that students complete their associates degree; that way you have one degree completed. If for some reason you don't complete your bachelors, you will have your A.A. or A.S. When you apply for a job, people are not interested in how many years you have been in college. They want to know what have you accomplished. It's always nice to put down that you have been awarded your degree.

Also, find out if the college you want to attend will accept all of your classes to complete the general education requirements. There are some state colleges that will accept a transfer agreement stating that the general education classes that you have taken at the junior college will also fulfill the ones at the school you are transferring to.

Find out what requirements are necessary for your major. Universities and colleges typically will not let you take upper division courses in your major until you have completed the lower division requirements. Some colleges will actually require that you apply not only to the school but also to the major department.

Make sure you send transcripts from all the community colleges you have attended. Even if you have taken only one class at a community college and the rest at another school, each community college needs to send an official transcript.

Again, I would recommend visiting to see if the new campus is a good fit for you.

No they are not. Some of the services are better and some not so. But each college has to have services for students with disabilities. Students have to seek out the services. It is not like high school where students are identified, and then the system makes sure that the services are provided. In the college setting, the student has to be his/her own advocate. Most students should have an active IEP or 504 Plan that started way before entrance into a college/university program.

I did find that the Missouri State University in Springfield was excellent. My own son has learning disabilities and had an IED (Individual Education Plan) since he was in elementary school. The school administration was very helpful in assisting him in getting what was needed. BUT, I worked very closely with the learning disability lab and staff (of course with my son's permission).

It is not difficult to get longer time and testing in a quieter environment or modifications made for students who have visual or hearing disabilities. But again, the student has to either be his/her own advocate or have someone who will advocate for him/her.

If there is a direct question asking whether there is a disability or not, the answer is yes.

If not and there is an opportunity to talk about it, I would do so. I have always believed that being honest about one's learning needs is very important. If the institution can make accommodations to assist the student in being successful, I believe the student should take full advantage of what is available. The college wants all of its students to be successful, which means that the staff needs to know what assistance students will need.

If you qualified as a disabled student with a current IEP or 504 Plan, then you would also qualify for college resources. Make sure that your IEP, 504 Plan, and psychological testing that diagnosed your disability is current. Out-of-date testing does not work.

If you have as ADD diagnosis, make sure that diagnosis is current from either the school district or through a medical doctor or psychiatrist. Then make sure that there are accommodations being made at the high school. If you have never had accommodations made at the school, it is much harder to then request accommodations on the college level.

Yes, you can. BUT, you have to have been provided accommodations before you take the SAT. There has to be a history and a diagnosis of a learning disability. Any accommodation, such as longer time, has to be in place as a regular activity during the school year and not one that materializes because of the SAT.

Not necessarily, but the staff should have resources available to assist its members to help the incoming students. But again, it is important for the student to know what he/she needs. Students with disabilities need to be pro-active. He/she needs to know what is needed for him/her to be successful. By the time college education is the issue, the student and parents should have a good idea as to the type of accommodations that need to be provided.