April 2014 Newsletter: College Meal Plans, FAFSA Confusion & More
It’s April!
A not-so-tough, but important, next decision will be the sifting through the options for college meal plans. This month’s Senior Scoop describes a general overview of common meal plans. First-year freshman may be required to obtain a meal plan, so make sure to find out options through the college’s website because every institution structures their plans differently.
How many of you ran into difficulty when filling out the FAFSA? You’re not alone! According to this month’s Featured Find article from Time Magazine, around 45% of high school seniors either stop completing the form or do not bother trying at all. We (as well as the writers as Time) suspect that this relates to the detailed complexity of the form. If you are one of the guilty 45% that stopped part way through, or dread the thought when you will have to face it down the road, give us a call to help coach you through the process.
I’ll be hosting a special workshop event at Woodside High School on Wednesday, April 23rd from 6:30pm to 7:30pm. During the workshop, I’ll reveal important aspects of paying for college, including how to:
- Calculate your Expected Family Contribution (EFC).
- Figure out your Cost of Attendance (CoA).
- Understand your financial aid eligibility.
- Compare state versus UC costs.
At the workshop, I’ll also focus on the tough question – “How will you pay for the amount your family does have to pay?” If you can’t make the live workshop, sign up for one of our webinars.
Reserve a seat at a workshop or webinar or give me a call when you are ready to take your next step on the path to creating a clear college funding plan.
Beatrice Schultz, CFP®
Westface College Planning
College Funding Specialist
650-587-1559
College Smart Radio: Tackling the Runaway Costs of College
Curious what College Smart Radio covers? Tune in this Saturday, April 5th where we’ll find out how the Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) works with guest Margo Colalancia, Director of Student Exchanges at WICHE.
Listen in to the College Smart Radio podcast where we defined how to exemplify the essential qualities of an “angular” student when applying for college with College Bound Mentor Lisa Bleich.
Featured Find: Student Loan Forms are Still a Nightmare
“Promised fixes to the all-important FAFSA have not materialized years later, leaving students to navigate a maze of paperwork. About 45% of high school seniors don’t complete the form, according to the Education Department.
Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren went to Charlestown High School in Boston recently with one message for students gathered in the gymnasium to hear her speak. It was about getting ahead-but not simply by studying hard or avoiding trouble. If they planned to go to college, the senator was there to tell the students, it was essential that they fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid.”
Upcoming “Tackling the Runaway Costs of College” Webinars
Our next upcoming workshops are:
- Tackling the Runaway Costs of College – Webinar:
Monday, April 14th 2014, from 7pm to 8pm
- College Financial Planning Workshop:
Wednesday, April 23rd 2014 from 6:30pm to 7:30pm
Woodside High School
199 Churchill Ave, Woodside, CA
- Tackling the Runaway Costs of College – Webinar:
Wednesday, May 14th 2014, from 7pm to 8pm
Senior Scoop – A Buffet of Meal Plans for Hungry College Students
Seniors: Forget the sky-high costs of tuition and books. What about food? It’s not only an ongoing necessity of human life, it often puts a substantial strain on your wallet.
“Crunching” the Numbers
As tuition rises, the cost of food follows the same path. For the average single male or female, the monthly cost of food towers at around $300. For starving college students (literally) with part-time jobs, that’s a pretty hefty chunk of change for a single living expense.
Continue reading Senior Scoop here.
Advice & Insight
Connect With Us For The Latest News
Are you following Westface College Planning online? If not, here are just a few things you missed:
Find out who made the list of 50 smartest colleges in the U.S. on our Facebook page.
For-profit schools are being targeted and forced to assess students preparedness. See why this is occurring on my LinkedIn Page.
Our Twitter page links to what’s known as a “Gap Year” program essentially paying for students to take a break.
Learn what a “Social Entrepeneaurship” is and why it may overshadow internships on our Google+ page.
Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ or connect with me on LinkedIn so you don’t miss any additional updates!
Click here to reserve a spot on our mailing list. You’ll receive our monthly newsletter updating you about imperative college finance information directly to your e-mail.
If you are a typical parent with college bound students, you’re probably overwhelmed by all the research necessary to help your sons and daughters make the right choices and prevent overpaying for their education.
You are not alone!
Get the facts. Educate yourself to potentially save tens of thousands of dollars on a single college education. Parents of more than one child heading to college in the next few years, can save even more.
At Westface College Planning we work with families to help you plan for and navigate the “paying for college” process. We teach you how to minimize your out-of-pocket expenses, maximize financial aid eligibility, understand the best way to navigate through the college selection process and prioritize your sources of college funds to protect your life savings!
Sign up for a free workshop or webinar or call to schedule a complimentary college funding consultation today.
More information at westfacecollegeplanning.com.
Ready for your own success story?
If you’re a typical parent with college-bound students, you’re probably overwhelmed. You want to help your sons and daughters make the right choices and prevent overpaying for their education. You’re not alone! We’re here to help. Schedule your free consultation today – click below to get started!
Catch our free, on-demand webinar:
How to Survive Paying for College
Join Beatrice Schultz, CFP® for our on-demand webinar, where she provides parents with the exact steps that often greatly lower the cost of college, even if there’s little time to prepare.