FINANCIAL AID 101

Financial aid is money to help pay for college!

1. Make sure your child picks the right fit (both college and major/minor!)

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, only 41% of students graduate college within 4 years. With each additional semester, tens of thousands of dollars add up. According to data from the University of Texas, those who graduate in 6 years instead of 4 spend 40% more than those who graduate in 4 years.

What causes this?

Multiple things can cause this, but a few of the most common reasons are changing majors, transferring, or taking unnecessary courses.

Why is prolonged graduation common?

Many times students choose a college that they know little about. Their entire decision may be made based on a one-time visit or virtual tour. Many students forego the time consuming process of researching important information, such as:

• The program of studies accompanying the major the student chooses.
• Prospective job or career paths possible after graduating with that major.
• Will there be a demand for...

HELPFUL HINTS

Have your child take the test early— definitely by sophomore year. They will take it with no pressure, better understand what is on the test and be better prepared later.

Register for the April, June or December test since it allows you to purchase the Test Information Release.

The other test dates do not. This is extremely valuable as many students will say “I have never learned some of the math.” or “I didn't do well on science because it was all physics and I have not had physics.” The reality however is that a student does not need Physics or high-level math to do well on the test, and getting their test back and being able to review it with a professional will help them understand this. It will also help them better prepare in the future and recognize the strategies needed more effectively.

If you do not select schools to receive your scores when you register, it is currently $16 per test date to send them later.

If you can...

First and foremost, colleges are businesses!

There are many reasons that colleges prefer to see a standardized test. One reason is that the curriculum in each high school, and certainly each state varies. When you consider the resources some students have because of their school district versus the lack in others, it is easy to conclude that the level of exposure/mastery a student in a struggling district has when earning an A may be vastly different than a student who earns an A in a district rich with resources like 3D printers, computers for every student, large designated laboratories for science classes and so forth.

Colleges are all too familiar with students who have received generous grades due to being well liked, a star athlete, a star student who is popular, who are not prepared to handle rigorous classes in college. If you have heard your son or daughter mention that the teacher is giving students more time to finish the test because some did not, or someone is able to...

Setting your child up for success this year is less about the trip to Target or Walmart and securing the box of Kleenex for the teacher and checking off the rest of the supply list! Instead, creating an environment that is conducive to learning is what you need to focus on.

1. The first question you need to ask yourself is, where is your kid going to attend class? This becomes really difficult if you are also working at home, or if you have multiple kids, but don’t make these mistakes: 

• The Kitchen: This is a hard NO. Parents think that this location will allow them to help with questions, oversee their work, and make sure that their child is staying on task, but the reality of the situation is different. Your kid will sit down at the island or kitchen table and their brain immediately thinks, “I am hungry”, “Can I have a snack?”, “What’s for dinner?”, or it could be, “Mom, what are you doing?”, “Mom, who are you...

So you have your kid registered for the One Week to Perfect essay writing class, but you have absolutely no idea when they should be done with their essays. While we aim to have at least three essays completely finished by the end of the week, some schools require a number of supplemental essays and application materials. When should you have those in? 

Short answer? As soon as possible. 
Long answer? It depends on what type of admission you're seeking. 

Parents of seniors are feeling out of the loop right now. There may be some anxiety, some frustration, and a lot of misunderstanding the admission process. I find that parents are usually all over in the understanding of best practices— especially this year. It's been years since they have applied to college; since when did everything get so difficult?

I have interviewed dozens of admission reps from schools all over, and their recommendations allow us to better help your child gain admission to their first...

The last time I walked into Target, I knew something was different. Gone were the displays touting fun in the sun and red-white-and-blue. The pool toys were on clearance, and there was not a bathing suit to be found. It's the most wonderful time of year for an educator: back to school season.

But what does that mean this year? What does back to school mean in the era of COVID-19? Should you be factoring new masks and hand sanitizer into your school supply lists, or should you be getting ready for a new round of home schooling? We've taken the most common options that schools are exploring for next year and broken down what they might mean for your kid. 

Virtual, In-Person, Hybrid, A-Day/B-Day, Option for In-Person or Virtual, etc... The options discussed have been all over the board, but why is there no consensus? Potential health risk to students, teachers, and the community, number of teachers on staff, quality of education, and cost all have a role in what administrators...

Questions: Cancellations, College, COVID, & You 

On New Years' Day, I don't think that any of us expected to be where we are. I don't think that any of us expected to become mask-wearing, social distancing experts. I don't think parents expected to become homeschooling experts. I don't think our students expected to miss out on so many high school memories. But here we are, with more questions than answers and a lot of uncertainty in front of us.

Luckily, you have me. 

In this issue, we are going to discuss what you should focus on as your child approaches their senior year and how you can ensure that your child has every possible opportunity moving forward while keeping in mind the goal of reducing their future cost of college. My goal is to inform parents so that they can feel a sense of control around the critical decisions that will affect both them and their child for the next several years.

First thing's first: We need to have a plan

Hey Everyone! 

A lot has changed since we last talked, hasn't it? It's been almost a month since we last posted, but we're happy to report that we are still open for business and helping students; it just looks a little different now. All of our meetings have been moved online for the time being, for the safety of both our students and our staff. 

We're grateful for everyone's patience and willingness to adjust their meeting methods during this time, and we're doubly grateful for our amazing tutors, who have adapted gracefully. We miss being around out students in person, but we're glad that we have the technology to continue meeting with everyone.

Subject Specific Tutoring

This is a crucial time for students; they should be gearing up for the AP tests next month, and getting ready for finals. While most schools have transitioned to online learning, and teachers are working hard to make sure that nothing is falling through the cracks or being neglected, some...

Hey everyone!

We've gotten a few worried messages over the past few days asking if we are still open, and the answer is a resounding YES! KMAC operations will be continuing as normal, even with the recent K-12 closings. Our hearts go out to those who are affected by COVID-19, and we want to support anyone who needs help, academic or otherwise, in these scary times. 

• We are open for business as usual, including one-on-one tutoring and our group ACT workshops.
• If you are uncomfortable coming into our office, we can also schedule a meeting via Zoom or Facetime. We have been doing so for years, so this is no big deal!
• We ask that if you are feeling sick, or come into contact with someone who is sick, please let us know and we will reschedule your appointment or schedule a virtual appointment.
• We will be sanitizing our tables and office after each meeting to limit the spread of germs. We also have plenty of hand sanitizer and soap!
• Just a reminder: wash your hands, cover your mouth...