Ask Joe College

Attention All Facebook Savvy Seniors!

Center for College Planning — Wed, 23 May 2012 19:04:00 GMT

Want a chance to win a $10,000.00 scholarship? Until June 30th, Sallie Mae will be giving away a $10,000 scholarship for submitting photo of you showing off your new school pride! Make the photo a good one with lots of spirit and share with friends to hopefully catch the judge’s eye! Check out all of the details here and don’t forget to read the fine print.

Good luck!
Lee

Sunday School with the College Gurus!

Center for College Planning — Tue, 22 May 2012 15:37:34 GMT

Kristen D. Nevious is the Director of the Marlin Fitzwater Center for Communication at Franklin Pierce University. During today’s show, we learn about the opportunities college students have to combine their major program of study with experience in traditional and new media. During the second half of the show, we’re joined by Brian Tilton of “Bulldog Live”, a local radio talk show on WTPL 107.7FM. Brian talks about his college experience majoring in communications and his professional experience as an investigative reporter, radio producer and award-winning journalist and broadcaster.

As always, if you have any questions about financial aid, college planning or any other college and career related information, please call the Center for College Planning’s toll free number at 888.7.GRADUATE, ext. 119. And remember, you can listen to the College Gurus live on Sundays at 10:30 a.m. on WTPL 107.7FM!

Best,
Lee

Attention All Juniors!

Center for College Planning — Tue, 15 May 2012 21:35:46 GMT

Spring is finally here and senior year is just around the corner so it’s time to start planning for beyond high school. If you have questions about the college search process, financial aid, SATs and other relevant college planning information, the Center for College Planning has your answers. On Tuesday, May 22nd we will be hosting an overview of college planning for high school juniors & parents at our office in Concord from 3:30 to 5:00. If you would like to attend, feel free to register on our site .

As always, if you have any questions about financial aid, college planning or any other college and career related information, please call the Center for College Planning’s toll free number at 888.7.GRADUATE, ext. 119. And remember, you can listen to the College Gurus live on Sundays at 10:30 a.m. on WTPL 107.7FM!

See you soon!
Lee

Sunday School with the College Gurus!

Center for College Planning — Mon, 14 May 2012 13:52:00 GMT

I Am College Bound contest winner, Abby St. Pierre of Fall Mountain Regional High School, co-hosts the show and interviews Southern NH University’s (SNHU) Culinary Department Chair, Chef Desmond Keefe. Desmond shares information about his own career path and the types of courses offered as part of the culinary arts program at SNHU. He enthusiastically describes his love of teaching and the many opportunities available to students interested in a career in the food industry.

As always, if you have any questions about financial aid, college planning or any other college and career related information, please call the Center for College Planning’s toll free number at 888.7.GRADUATE, ext. 119. And remember, you can listen to the College Gurus live on Sundays at 10:30 a.m. on WTPL 107.7FM!

Best,
Lee

Tips for your college tour!

Center for College Planning — Mon, 07 May 2012 19:44:00 GMT

Happy Spring, Juniors! Hopefully you have started to investigate different options for colleges and majors and are on track with your studies. If you have developed a list of schools, the next step is stepping foot onto campus and asking some good questions .

Visiting a college campus is a crucial part of determining whether the school will be a good fit. It’s also important to visit schools while students are on campus because that will give you the “real feel” for campus culture. Attending during a sporting event or even theater production can give you a good feel for the campus. Here is an article with some other excellent tips on what to look for once you do visit a campus.

Sunday School with the College Gurus!

Center for College Planning — Mon, 07 May 2012 13:07:00 GMT

Service learning is just way college students utilize their classroom learning to solve real problems in the greater community. During this program, guests Dr. Hilton Hallock of New England College and Debby Scire of Campus Compact of New Hampshire talk about ways that students are making a difference while growing personally and professionally through service learning and service activities such as Spring Break Alternative.

Sunday School with the College Gurus!

Center for College Planning — Tue, 01 May 2012 19:21:00 GMT

College financing options can be confusing. Borrowing from PLUS Loans, private loans, using tuition payment plans and home equity are just some of the ways New Hampshire families are managing the costs after financial aid. NHHEAF Center for College Planning outreach specialist, Rich Nielsen, joins the show to detail the pros and cons of each financing mechanism and offers students great advice about borrowing responsibly and understanding options for making college more affordable.

As always, if you have any questions about financial aid, college planning or any other college and career related information, please call the Center for College Planning’s toll free number at 888.7.GRADUATE, ext. 119. And remember, you can listen to the College Gurus live on Sundays at 10:30 a.m. on WTPL 107.7FM!

Best,
Lee

Before You Step Foot on Campus...

Center for College Planning — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 19:27:00 GMT

Hopefully this finds you well and all buttoned up with your college plans (Remember, National Candidate Reply Date is May 1st!)! It’s an exciting time of year with prom, wrapping up senior year and getting ready to move onto college. While there are important things to consider regarding loans and financing, here are some additional tips you can use when getting ready to leave the nest:

Get on campus and attend new student day! Being able to get back on campus and really evaluate all the schools services is a great help. Knowing where buildings are located, where you can go with questions and utilizing other resources is a great first step to a successful college career. Most schools offer accepted student days throughout the spring where you can learn about resources, sit with financial aid to ask questions and just spend more time on campus.

Buy those textbooks used! Buying new textbooks can be very costly and often a waste if you haven’t exhausted the used options first. There are many ways to save on textbooks such as renting or buying used and many resources to compare the different costs of used textbooks such as this site.

Investigate different ways to save! There are plenty of other creative ways to save while in school. Whether it be investigating the benefits of student discounts or going to the movies on a college campus, here is a great list of penny pinching ideas.

As always, if you have any questions about financial aid, college planning or any other college and career related information, please call the Center for College Planning’s toll free number at 888.7.GRADUATE, ext. 119. And remember, you can listen to the College Gurus live on Sundays at 10:30 a.m. on WTPL 107.7FM!

Best,
Lee

Sunday School with the College Gurus!

Center for College Planning — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 19:16:59 GMT

The Community College System of New Hampshire is a public system of higher education consisting of seven independent colleges, plus local academic centers. The System is led by a Board of Trustees, a Chancellor, and the College Presidents. During this program, we talk with the Commissioner of CCSNH, Ross Gittell, and Manchester Community College student, Tia Brien, about the many fine programs and benefits CCSNH campuses offer students. Our guests also share information about dual enrollment programs like eStart, Running Start, and Project Lead The Way. More information about the campuses can be found at www.ccsnh.edu.

As always, if you have any questions about financial aid, college planning or any other college and career related information, please call the Center for College Planning’s toll free number at 888.7.GRADUATE, ext. 119. And remember, you can listen to the College Gurus live on Sundays at 10:30 a.m. on WTPL 107.7FM!

Best,
Lee

Scholarship Opportunity!

Center for College Planning — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 13:54:38 GMT

Available for a few more days, the Citizens TruFit Scholarship looks to award 40 different scholarships to students who have become leaders in their community or demonstrated a passion for community service. This opportunity is available until the 30th of April so there is still time to get your applications in, winners will be contacted on or about June 15th.

Seniors - If you still have questions about college funding and financial aid, we are happy to meet with families for one hour appointments throughout the summer. Keep in mind that National Candidate Reply date is May 1st for your deposit but once you’ve decided on a school, if you still have questions, come and sit down with one of our counselors or check out resources on our website. To set up an appointment feel free to call 1.888.7.Graduate ext. 119.

Good luck!
Lee

Searching for Free Money for College? Apply Today!

Center for College Planning — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 13:45:00 GMT

As financial aid award packages are coming in or have already arrived, hopefully you are searching and applying for as many scholarships opportunities as possible to help defray those college costs.

The Community Service Committee of the Greater Manchester/Nashua Board of Realtors is pleased to announce their scholarship opportunities for the 2012-2013 academic year. It is their intention to award two $1,000 scholarships by May 30, 2012. To be eligible, you must reside within certain towns as highlighted on their website, and be enrolled as a full-time student for the 2012-2013 academic year. View their entire criteria, how they choose the recipients and download the application here. Applications are due by 4 p.m. on April 27, 2012.

Best of luck,
Val

Making Sense of the Financial Aid Package

Center for College Planning — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 20:01:36 GMT

Have you (as a student or a parent) recently received financial aid packages and are not really sure what they include or how to read them? You’re not alone! As this article highlights, there is a lot of information contained in a very short space, and plenty to think about before committing to a particular college. What’s free? What’s not? Bottom line: how much is each college going to cost per year (and be sure to multiply that number by the number of years you or your student plans to attend as college is a multi-year investment)?

Feeling lost? The counselors at the Center for College Planning are here to help! We offer free, 60 minute, one-on-one counseling appointments in our Concord office to answer your questions and help you decipher those offers of aid. Call 888.7.GRADUATE, ext. 119 to schedule your appointment before May 1.

Best of luck as you make your college decision,
Val

Sunday School with the College Gurus!

Center for College Planning — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 11:38:00 GMT

High school dropouts are three times more likely than college grads to be unemployed. High school dropouts are eight times more likely to be in jail or prison than high school graduates. More than 12 million students are projected to drop out of high school over the next decade costing the nation three trillion dollars.

So, our friends at City Year (and all of us interested in supporting education beyond high school) have our work cut out for us! Ted Wing, Recruitment Director for City Year New Hampshire joins us for a great conversation about how City Year corps members are transforming the educational experience for at-risk students. Learn how City Year corps members have given a second chance to many New Hampshire school children. Research further or get involved at www.cityyear.org.

Val

Brush Up on Your SAT Skills in Your Pajamas!

Center for College Planning — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 21:04:35 GMT

It’s that time of year for college-bound juniors to get ready for taking the SAT’s in May and June. There are a number of resources available to help you start and none of them cost a thing! Use this action plan to get started:

    • Review your PSAT Score Report & My College Quick Start to see where you need to focus your efforts.
    • Register and sign up for your SAT/ACT exams
    • Check out our “Know the Score” Presentation on our NHHEAF YouTube Channel
        o Attend our “Know the Score” library workshop April 16th 3:30-5 (No PJs please!)
    • If you want to brush up even more, look at options for SAT/ACT prep
        o Sign up for our Summer SAT/ACT Prep course by calling the NHHEAF CCP (No PJs please)
        o Sign up for the VLACS SAT Prep course (PJs are perfect!)

If the SAT/ACT option isn’t for you, check out this website, it lists all of the schools that are standardized test optional.

Now is a great time to start your planning so don’t be afraid to ask for help! Call the Center for College Planning at 888.7.GRADUATE, ext. 119 with your questions today!

Best,
Lee

Sunday School with the College Gurus!

Center for College Planning — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 18:48:53 GMT

Beyond the admission process, college admission professionals provide a key link between K-12 schools and higher education. Expert college admission professionals from two wonderful public higher education campuses join us this week on Sunday School with the College Gurus. Peg Richmond is the Director of Admission at Keene State College. Gene Fahey is the Senior Associate Director of Admission at Plymouth State University. During this edition, we talk about a range of topics – everything from the latest programs and exciting changes at Keene State and Plymouth State, but also talk about the importance of public higher education to New Hampshire students and the state’s economy. We talk about how both campuses are working to improve affordability, quality and access. Visit Plymouth State University online at http://www.plymouth.edu and Keene State College at http://www.keene.edu.

Val

Hey smartphone users, check these out!

Center for College Planning — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 20:27:33 GMT

While you may not be able to use your smartphones while in class, there are still plenty of useful ways to utilize your smartphone to succeed in school. Whether you own an Android or iPhone you will find many useful apps that can help manage course work, prepare for standardized tests and keep you on track with your college bound plans. Apple fan boys and girls can check out this list of great apps for the iPhone & iPad while Android users can peruse these options.

Sunday School with the College Gurus

Center for College Planning — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 19:44:38 GMT

Facebook. Twitter. LinkedIn. Texting. Apps. Social media expert and corporate communications manager at The NHHEAF Network Organizations, Erin Hathaway, shares her best advice for using various social media platforms for communicating and organizing during the college process.

Val

Sunday School with the College Gurus

Center for College Planning — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 19:01:38 GMT

The New Hampshire Scholars Initiative is an effort by area business and school volunteers to encourage and motivate all high school students to complete a defined, rigorous academic course of study that prepares them for successful transition to college or university coursework or vocational and technical training necessary to enter today's competitive job market. Director Scott Power joins us to discuss the details of the program and the benefits for New Hampshire high school students. Learn more at www.nhscholars.org.

If you have any questions about financial aid, college planning or any other college and career related information, please call the Center for College Planning’s toll free number at 888.7.GRADUATE, ext. 119. And remember, you can listen to the College Gurus live on Sundays at 10:30 a.m. on WTPL 107.7FM!

Val

Sunday School with the College Gurus

Center for College Planning — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 17:14:56 GMT

During this edition of The College Gurus, we’ll talk with two expert financial aid professionals and members of the New Hampshire Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NHASFAA). Mac Broderick joins us from St. Anselm College in Manchester, NH and Crystal Finefrock from Plymouth State University in Plymouth, New Hampshire. Both Crystal and Mac talk about the important role of financial aid administrators and discuss how public and private campuses award financial aid to low- and middle-income families. Learn more at www.nhasfaa.org.

If you have any questions about financial aid, college planning or any other college and career related information, please call the Center for College Planning’s toll free number at 888.7.GRADUATE, ext. 119. And remember, you can listen to the College Gurus live on Sundays at 10:30 a.m. on WTPL 107.7FM!

Val

NHHEAF has YouTube videos!

Center for College Planning — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 16:36:00 GMT

You most likely know that the Center for College Planning through NHHEAF travels to high schools within the state of New Hampshire to deliver presentations on various college planning and financial aid topics. What you may not know is that we have recorded many of these same presentations and put them on YouTube so that you can access the information any time you would like.

Visit the NHHEAF Channel on YouTube to find presentations including: Filing the 2012-2013 FAFSA, The Write Stuff (College Essay Writing Info), The College Overview for Juniors, Credit-Worthy: Credit for Your Future and Searching for Scholarships. We are in the process of recording and uploading even more videos about the college and financial aid processes, so check back to find other ones that might help you in your process. Make sure to share with your friends!

Tuned into YouTube,
Val