I didn’t catch  all of the post-election press conferences last week (kind of busy dotting i’s and crossing t’s on college applications and early action CSS Profiles right now). But from everything I did see (and read) it’s abundantly clear that it makes no difference whether Washington leans to the Left or to the Right,  Higher Ed […]

This is a message for all the bright and talented students (and the frantic parents who love them) who are lying awake at night worried about a C+ in 9th grade Biology honors  or a less than stellar SAT outing or some other perceived ‘blemish’ that will keep them from getting into a competitive college. While roughly […]

Between the middle of September and the end of October, admissions officers from schools across the country are out and about, traveling to their local regions and visiting with high school students at college fairs.  Chances are pretty good that your high school is already (and will continue) playing host to a bunch of colleges […]

It’s ‘College Week’ at NBC6, and last week I was asked to comment on camera about student debt.  Which I did… reluctantly… because I’d much rather talk about how families can minimize or outright eliminate student debt.  Which if mismanaged, can be onerous and life altering (and not in a good way). The report aired […]

Your Neighbor Is NOT a College Expert!…Unless, of course, I am your neighbor… I kid… sort of.   For those of you who are long-term subscribers, you might remember this story.  It was about my client ‘Lisa’ (not her real name).  She called me one Fall morning frantic about her child’s school list (too many […]

Kudos to the State Legislature! Last week Florida’s lawmakers righted a pretty big wrong by a) cutting the cost of the Florida Prepaid College Plan by a whopping 50% (from about $54,000 to $27,000) and b) agreeing to issue upwards of $50 million in refunds to families who grossly overpaid for the popular state 529 […]

Now that school is back in full swing, you’ve probably begun (or will soon begin) receiving a fair share of college-related literature. This is true whether your child is just beginning 11th, 10th or even 9th grade.  And while all the college ‘noise’ can seem a nuisance in these early grades, it’s worth paying attention […]

Big day last Friday!  First, we’ve got the start of Florida’s annual ‘Back-to-School’ tax holiday!  If you’re in town, and you don’t mind crowds, you can buy school related supplies tax free… which can save you about $14.00 on a $200.00 purchase. Which is nice.   But it’s not going to help you pay the […]

“It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent, but rather the one most adaptable to change.” Leon C. Megginson As many of my readers know, I’m both a former high school history teacher and mid-level executive at a Fortune 500 telecom company. It may seem an odd pairing to some, […]

As many of you know, during July Jill and I hit the road for a week or so to visit colleges that are on our radar as interesting options for my students (high quality and personalized educations at institutions with demonstrated commitments to affordability). This year we’re barnstorming through North Carolina (with one quick detour […]