Entries for October 2008

Our current economy has made my how-to-pay-for-college conversations with parents a challenge. As an enrollment administrator for a selective liberal arts college, I'm used to talking with parents who are anxiety-ridden about whether their child will get into the "right" school. But the apprehension about getting into college is nothing compared with the worry—approaching despair—over how to pay for college.

Unfortunately, too many people—especially families with younger children—believe that saving for college requires a sacrifice they're unable to make. They're reading news stories that project the cost of a college education 10, 15, or 20 years from now—numbers that are so astronomical you might think they were a line item in NASA's budget. Some analysts are saying that to be able to cover the cost of college then, you need to start saving $500, $750, or even $1,000 a month per child now. Well, the families I talked with can't spare that—especially the family with triplets!

Each year, the leading experts in college admissions gather at the annual convention for the National Association for College Admission Counseling. This year's convention was held last week in Seattle, and U.S. News Senior Writer Kim Clark took a video camera along.

Here's some of the great advice she got from the experts there:

Early Decision vs. Early Action
Quick Tip: You might have a better chance of getting in if you apply early.