CMH College Consulting

Planning for college in a poor economy is difficult at best. With nationwide layoffs and one of the largest unemployment rates in decades, saving for college isn't exactly at the top of one's list of things to do with their paycheck. However, aside from putting away money you don't have, there are steps that parents and students can take to ease the total cost of education. As students navigate the high school process, pay particular attention to what courses your student takes. AP courses offer the opportunity to earn college credits while in high school. It is not uncommon for students who did well in AP classes to earn credit for 1-2 semesters of college. Particularly ambitious students may be able to finish most of their general electives while still in high school. This leads to early graduation, which results in a large savings in college tuition. With public school tuition around $15,000 and private schools as much as $50,000, this results in a huge amount of ...

A recent article in US News discusses the changes to the SAT. http://www.usnews.com/articles/education/2008/06/24/kids-can-pick-which-sat-scores-a-college-sees.html I like the new change to the College Board SAT. Allowing students to chose which scores to send will be a great advantage for all students, particularly the determined test-taker. It is very stereo-typical to assume that upper-middle class kids have tons of free time on their hand, as they don't need to work and that they can all afford test prep. Many college-bound students not only understand the importance of a job for experience, but they also take pride in knowing that they are helping to pay for some of their personal expenses, college expenses, and even support of their family. I have seen students take the SAT as many as 8 times! These students were not sitting home in their middle upper class home with a private tutor. They were involved in numerous sports, activities, volunteer work and yes, they too held a ...

For those of you who are already registering for your fall college classes, the AP results from the May testing session are now available by phone. You need your AP registration number to request the results by phone; make sure you have a credit card to pay the $8 fee. If you don't have your number, you can call the college board and they will give it to you, then transfer you to the results by phone. If you don't need the results immediately, they should be arriving by mail within the next two weeks.

The 2009 Common Application is now available on-line. Remember, this is for Seniors graduating in June of 2009. It's never to early to start! Go to www.commonapp.org and start early!

It's that time of year...summer vacation! Time to kick back, relax at the beach, go to the mall... Sounds great, right? Unfortunately, all that down time doesn't look great on a college application. So, what's a kid to do? With summer upon us, now is the time to think about doing some of those things you didn't have time to do during the school year. Check out your local colleges and take a class that really interests you, perhaps an art class, or a science class. Not pleased with your test scores? Look into taking a test prep course; you have more time to focus during the summer. Not into more classwork? Get a job! Studies show that student who hold regular part-time jobs do better in school. They tend to be more organized, as well as responsible. At the very least, you can begin saving some money for college. How about some community service activities? Organize your friends and start a neighborhood clean-up or even a babysitting services. Check out your loc...

A recent article in the Chronicle of Higher Education highlights a lawsuit filed against Facebook by a Catholic School for wrongfully profiling a Dean. As a High School Administrator, I see daily the dangers of this site and the frustration felt toward those that abuse it. While the majority of people use this site for communication with friends, there are those students who use this site to harass and bully their peers. The effects on the victim often range from embarrassment to anger and physical retribution. Aside from the personal effects, students need to be aware that what they post can be seen by others. Those "others" can, and have been college admissions counselors. There are cases where students posts have been so inappropriate and concerning, that acceptances have actually been revoked. The Internet is, without a doubt, completely intertwined in our daily lives. As with all things, in life, they need to use prudence and caution. Students need to understand tha...

After years of fighting for equal rights, woman have finally gained an equal footing in the halls of higher education. With the largest class of students applying to college, females now outnumber males. But wait...Now that women outnmumber men in college, some colleges are looking at ways to "level" the playing field. Some universities are actually considering overlooking low GPA's for males, as long as they have high test scores. This comes as a blow to women, who for years have lagged behind in testing, but made up for low scores by producing high GPA's. So what's a girl to do? Fortunately, a good college consultant can tell you that being accepted to the school that "fits" you is the most important thing in selecting a college. While a few schools may be concerned about gender balance, there are hundreds of other schools that won't even consider this issue. Students need to do there homework and look for that school that is looking for them...