Breaking the Small Business Code

Is The Idea of Need-Based Aid Flawed?

     An article in the February 21st New York Times focused on the infamous FAFSA - Free Application for Student Aid - the gateway form for getting money for college.  The story focused on how terrifying, confusing and frustrating completing the form has become.  As with just about everything associated with college, the views of the people interviewed show that change is not going to happen anytime soon.

    In my opinion - and the opinion of many others involved in helping families pay for college - the basic premise of need-based financial aid is flawed. Therefore, the system designed to measure the need and then determine how to meet that need is flawed! 

    What is that flawed premise? 

     The idea is that (a) everyone should have access to college regardless of ability to pay and (b) if you cannot afford the cost of a particular college, the "system" should fill in the gap between what you can afford and what it costs. 

      This premise sets up the need to detemine how much you should pay based on your financial situation called the Expected Family Contribution (EFC).  That means someone has to decide how to measure your ability to pay (EFC) and then set some value or percentage that you should pay before getting outside help.

     This also sets up the assumption that someone else will fill in your gap between cost of attendance (COA) and your EFC.  That "someone" starts with the government (Federal and State) and then the individual college. What has happened is the need gap is NOT being filled.  For too many families, the FAFSA has simply become a loan application!

    I have several students with ZERO EFC getting nothing but Federal loans. The get the maximum in loans, grants and work-study but still cannot get close enough to the cost to make college affordable.  Unless a college meets 100% of need for all admitted students, families will face gaps as severe as before the premise of need-based aid!

    So before we discuss changing the FAFSA, how about revisiting the ENTIRE concept of paying for college!  Your comments?

   

College Kids and Monkeys About Equal on Math

 "College Kids and Monkeys About Equal on Math" is an eye-catching title of an article posted by MSN Health today,  (PDF copy available here if it is missing from the MSN Site: LPT_PDF02142009).

Elizabeth Brannon, an assistant professor of psychology and neuroscience at Duke University is studying how human adults and infants, lemurs and monkeys think about numbers without using language. She is trying to identify which parts of the brain house "number sense" and the she is trying to determine how this math skills develop.

Among other things, she found college students and macaque have similar speed and accuracy (!) when doing a rough sort of math by summing sets of objects without actually counting them! As an engineer who speaks "math", I found it very interesting that math skills are apparently inherent to primates!

When I first saw the title I was prepared for an article on the sad state of math skills in our college students.  So while it didn't turn out to be that, it got me thinking about why students fight math when it is such a critical tool for college and life success.

I regularly have students tell me they are picking their college major based on NOT wanting anything with "math in it".  I have also lost count on the number of times one of my solid "B to B+" students ended up in a remedial math class in college - a situation which added time AND costs for getting their undergraduate degree!

I started my college planning career with college funding and scholarships, then added admissions, then majors and careers, and eventually added test prep.  But over the last 15 years it has become apparent that focusing on those 4 college-related steps with just high school juniors and seniors was not addressing the real needs of my client families.  Something was missing in their tool kits for success in college and for life!

Basic math skills are critical in the increasingly high tech economy.  Math is needed for personal financial literacy. A lot of our current economic problems can be blamed on people's inability to understand their personal cash flow. That is because virtually all the studies show our students are NOT getting what they need for math success.

I am not going to point fingers at anyone in the education "system" for failing to create math "literate" students. Blaming schools, teachers, parents, administrators, and/or the government is not the way to find solutions. Instead, I went looking for PROVEN TOOLS to make basic skills accessible and successful for more students regardless of the system.  I wanted to find something for teaching 21st century students using 21st century technology.

I am taking an engineering approach to building a SYSTEM for success in education available to anyone with internet access. I am proud to announce the launch on March 1 of a new initiative from Linda P. Taylor's Insider Secrets:  "Creating Access to Higher Scores and the Education Edge" (CAHSEE). 

CAHSEE is designed to pull together the tool kit that middle school, high school, college, and even adults need for learning success!  I want to give families access to the FUNDAMENTAL SKILLS we ALL need for a lifetime of success.  

I will soon announce the CAHSEE program for creating mastery in Math and English Language Arts (ELA).  But in the meantime, I want suggestions from readers about what other needs and especially what tools, programs, and systems you think should be included.  PLEASE send me comments, suggestions, ideas and referrals to make CAHSEE rock!

Social Media Will Haunt You!

There is a great article at EduGeek Journal on how social media can result in undesired consequences. I want students and families to be aware of the risks and the responsibilities when it comes to using social media!  My recommendation is:

Don't use Social Media if you are not prepared for the consequences!

The blog discusses a story about a student posting a hate screed against a teacher on Facebook. The suspended student encouraged other students to also post hateful speech on her Facebook wall.  The student was suspended for her actions and as expected in America, the student is suing.

The blog is a great summary of positions on both sides of the "free speech" aisle - especially when it involves the education community. The situation raises many, many issues that students, families, schools, colleges and employers are just beginning to experience with social media "publishing".

What I find most illuminating is how NO ONE can agree on what net-based Social Media represents when it comes to "speech".

• Is it private free speech like "talking over a burger" or is it "print publishing" because it can be seen and read virtually forever everywhere?
• Does a private citizen have the right to publish an "opinion" and the opinion of others for public consumption OR is it "hate" speech that needs to be punished? 
• Is it private speech or is it "first amendment" press?
• Is it private speech or public incitement? 
• Is calling for an improper act with Social Media protected speech or opinion or something to be prosecuted?
• Does the "permanent nature", easy accessibility and freedom to forward virtually everywhere impact the free speech of the author if social media is used?

Facebook, MySpace and blogs are the equivalent of publishing private magazines and newspapers. Twitter is a public miniblog unless everything you do is a direct tweet. Even if taken down by the web host, many people print hard copy of sites to prove it once contained the information.And the print copy  is forwarded via the web after being scanned!

Once something has been forwarded, it will have an almost infinite life. How many times have you received the same set of cute puppy or kitten pictures from 3 different sets of friends?  Now imagine that the information is juicy gossip or negative information! As many celebrities have discovered, virtually everything posted to the web is stored somewhere and can be retrieved and passed around the world. 

Regardless of how this case turns out, this case and a growing number of others shows me that there is a BIG danger for students and others who fail to use social media in a positive way.  There are already stories about how social media information was used for denial of admissions to a college, kept someone from getting a job or even got users suspended or fired.

I agree with Matt Crosslin who posted the article that regardless of how the "legal" world spins this, you should ALWAYS be ready to take the responsibility for the action of posting, period.  Pulling out the "First Amendment" every time someone doesn't like the consequences of their postings is a disservice to the Amendment. If you do something "stupid" or hurtful on the web, be prepared for the fallout.

I recommend the simple guideline: "Don't post it if you don't want your grandmother to see it".  I also like what my mother used to say when I spread gossip: "if you can't say something nice, don't day anything at all".

Financial Aid for Foreign Students

This week's NACAC Conference in Seattle provided lots of information that may be of interest to many potential college students.  One is getting financial aid if you are a foreign student.

When asked if there is "traditional" need-based aid programs with state and federal grants and federally supported loans like Stafford and PLUS for non-U.S. Citizens -- the short answer is NO.  However, that does NOT mean a good student cannot receive college-based merit or need-based aid. 

There are six colleges that most of us in the industry knew will (1) admit international students in a need blind fashion and (2) meet their full financial need once admitted.  These schools include Harvard, Yale, MIT, Princeton, Williams, and Middlebury. At this week's NACAC  conference in Seattle attendees learned that Berea College, Colby College and Mount Holyoke also offer aid packages through the colleges to foreign students.

So there is good news is if you are a foreign student, some private colleges may offer aid packages if admitted regardless of citizenship.  It is more likely to happen at "need-blind" colleges meaning they will look at admitting you first regardless of ability to pay.  Once admitted, they will help meet your need with whatever dollars are legally available. 

If this is something you want to explore, check with the college Admissions and Financial staff to see what their policy on college-supported aid would be.  Also ask about the required financial aid paperwork.  Most of these colleges use the Financial Aid Profile in addition to the FAFSA so you will need to make sure you comply with their policies and due dates.

Admissions After Dropping the SAT

       This blog is a follow up on the NACAC call for colleges to consider dropping admissions tests (usually short-handed to "drop the SAT").   This parallels my blog article on dropping AP classes/AP testing.  Well my favorite source of insider college information -- the Inside Higher Education eMail -- does a GREAT job interviewing Wake Forest who has gone "SAT-Optional" to see how they have done since dropping the SAT.

     The biggest issue for keeping or dropping the test is how do you measure potential for college success? As a college, you want to have the best students and the highest graduation rate.  But you also want to make sure you have the broadest range of student types and experiences are on your campus.  The push-pull between best students and broadest types is behind this recommendation to drop tests.

    There are good reasons for dropping the test and good reasons for keeping them.  The biggest reason for dropping admissions tests is the contention that testing does not accurately represent the potential of a student to do college level work -- it represents how well they "test".  The second reasons for dropping testing is the fact that minority groups do not do as well on these tests which in turn, means fewer minorities are admitted to higher ranked colleges.

     On the other side, there are good reasons for keeping the tests.  Schools who have successfully dropped the test are mostly small, liberal arts schools where testing is not a good measure of success.  Students in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) are more likely to measure more clearly.  Also, the bigger the college the more likely it is your grades will be based on class tests because there are just too many students to measure classroom performance any other way. So testing "well" may be a good indicator of success at a BIG college.

     But the main reason most schools rely on Admissions Tests is it is a "shorthand" for how good the high school education was!  Most parents and students don't know how the "ranking" of their high school impacts their admissions. Per the article, Wake Forest Admissions are now asking more questions than they used to of high school counselors.  Without a test like the SAT or ACT, the admissions staff needs to get a better feel for the applicant's high school's rank and the "rigor of a curriculum".  This is why I am concerned about dropping AP classes which are taught at the most rigorous levels (read my blog and comment!)

     So what if you are concerned that your school or classes may not be perceived as "good enough"? Should you still take and submit your SAT and ACT scores?  What if you had no AP classes?

     In my opinion, it will depend on the size of the college and their commitment to doing a thorough job of research on you and your high school background.  That means number of applicants and number of admitted students.  The more students, the more likely it will help.  Per Wake Forest, the good news is if  an applicant attends a high school with 'a weak curriculum' and  was unable to take the kinds of college-prep courses and "if you feel the score is a good representation, then go ahead and submit. If you don’t, don’t.”

     My guess is that most students who "test well" will continue to submit scores.  Students who don't test well will gravitate towards colleges who don't require or want tests.  It will be interesting to watch what happens over the next 10 years to colleges without testing and how their graduates do in the work world.

    What's your opinion on admissions testing?

Do AP Classes Teach the Subject or to Pass the Test?

     My favorite resource for college-related news US News has ANOTHER great article -  this time on how some high schools are considering dropping the College Board's Advanced Placement (AP) classes. 

    The reason being given is it "restricts" how teachers can teach.  The issue teachers say is they want to put less emphasis on memorization and test preparation and more on "exploration" of the material.  This is another example of the conflict between testing to make sure our students have a minimum level of skills versus teaching to pass the exit or other measurement exam!

     What complicates things is the AP class is considered as being a "valuable"  indicator of the ability of the student to do college-level work compared to taking a traditional/non-AP classes.  Because AP classes are taught to a specific "rigorous" college prep level and there is a national test through the College Board (same people who do the SAT), it helps validate a student's college potential compared to other students.  This is especially valuable when the college admissions staff does not know much about the high school's reputation.

     Most high schools also add a point to the student's classroom grade (e.g., a 3.0 is a 4.0 in an AP class) in recognition of the difficulty of the classes compared to the traditional level classes.  This AP bonus can mean a higher overall GPA value for students.  The problem in dropping the AP classes is the more elite the college, the more likely other applicants are taking AP classes and that their high school GPA will be over 4.0!

    I can agree that "learning" may be different when there is less emphasis on memorization and preparation for passing the AP test. I also agree there is a need to measure the "learning outcome" so we can tell if our children are getting the education they need.  So both approaches are right and both are wrong.  We need a blend of both!

   Again, what do you think?  What should we do to measure student preparation versus teaching beyond passing a test?

   

Example of Our Problems with Education!

       There is a great article by Howard Blume today in the Los Angeles Times on the problems with the new mandatory Algebra class in California schools.  This debate is an example of what is happening in our high schools:  how to educate our students to the highest level possible while accomodating students not ready for "prime time".

     For those who don't know, it is now California state policy to REQUIRE algebra in the eighth grade.  There are now two sides pulling and pushing over this requirement.

     One side is supported by California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to create a math test for all eighth-graders that would satisfy federal officials.   The other side as represented by the California School Boards Assn. and the Assn. of California School Administrators (suing to stop the implementation) which feel the new requirement sets up unprepared students for failure while holding back others with solid math skills.

     This is a classic example of positive intentions (teach higher math) running into social issues (students arriving in 8th grade with 2nd grade skills).  My questions are:

• How did those kids hit 8th grade with 2nd grade skills? 
• What does that say about the education system that allows students to be passed along? 
• Why is money always the answer when the amount of money already being spent in cities like Washington D.C. (the most money per student) is cited in the story as dead last in math assessment?
• What does it say about educators who sue to stop the implementation rather than sit down and address these real problems?

    As a college planning advisor, these are REAL issues that I face evry day trying to find colleges for students and then helping them pay for it.  What happens when a student who can be 6 grades behind in skills like math are given a position in colleges as a "special admit" for athletic or other reasons?  What happens to the USA in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) when students enter less than prepared?

    Let's start talking NOW.  The longer we wait to address these issues, the more students will end up dropping out or taking majors that do not have math components that lets the USA fall farther behind in STEM.

Impact of High School Accreditation

     What happens when the high school loses its accreditation?

     This is more than a theoretical question.  The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS), one of the nation's major accrediting agencies, revoked the Clayton County school system's accreditation in late August after the district's leaders failed to achieve eight of nine mandates for improvement set by SACS in February 2008.  This situation is impacting thousands of students, many who are applying to college right now.

      There is a great summation of the situation at US News & World Report posted on 9-19-2008. (click logo for link to article).

     Supposedly, college-bound students will not be directly impacted by the revocation.  Per the US News reporting, Georgia does not require in-state applicants to its state universities to graduate from accredited high school.  Several colleges, including Harvard, said its admissions process doesn't really look at lack of accreditation.  The reason given is they admit students from other than "traditional" high schools including home school and foreign students.

     So what does this mean for students at marginal high schools? The impact on college admissions becomes how the college will evaluate the applicant GPAs.  The use of "neutral" or equally administered admissions tests like SAT,  SAT IIs, ACT, and AP tests may become more important when the value of the grades becomes questionable.  The more elite the college, the important testing may become to prove the level of education received.

    The same US News article had a great quote from Forest Park High School Parent Teacher Student Association President Theresa Brown-Manuel. She feels strongly that parents should ask: "What can I do as a parent and as a member of the PTSA to help solve this problem? Well, I can do a lot."      Parents and students need to be involved with their high schools to INSIST that they be given the best education possible.  Look at testing scores.  Look at what percent of students go on to colleges.  If they are not good enough, work to make them better!

College Housing is Unpredictable

      There is a great article in the Boston Globe (Boston.com) on the impact of the turmoil in college admissions and its domino affect on dorms and class size.  This article focuses on how Brown had to scramble to find dorm space for incoming freshman when more students accepted admissions offers than they planned.

     There are great descriptions of how Brown was forced to convert lounge areas and kitchens were converted into dorm space.  Because it is Brown's policy to only put two students in a room, some lucky students featured in the article had huge living spaces, some with kitchens!

     Believe me, this isn't the only college where overcrowding from more students than expected is happening.  Students at other colleges are being housed 3 to a room in 2-person rooms, being housed in local hotels, and many at schools without guaranteed housing are on waiting lists and sleeping on friend's floors.

    Technically, this really ISN'T news.  Something like this happens every year at just about every college at some level or another.  But what makes this so noteworthy is it is happening to such a wide extent and in larger than ever numbers! So how what has changed?

      First, the "echo boom" or the bulge made up of children of the baby boom are entering college and will through 2012 through 2015 depending on whose numbers you use.  Second, colleges know students are applying to more colleges than ever to ensure they get into a college.  Colleges felt they had to admit more students than previous years to make sure the number they needed actually enrolled. And finally, because the echo boom will be followed by the "echo bust", the colleges do not want to build new facilities to house more students who won't be coming in 3 to 7 years from now.

      What do you do if you have a High School senior, spring admit or maybe a freshman being housed in one of these "creative" locations? 

      If you have a senior, make sure you look at the housing options and guarantees at the colleges on your list if living on-campus is important to you.  If you have a spring admit (senior who was admitted to the spring semester), make sure you have your housing deposit in on time.  Discuss your options NOW with the college housing staff to know what housing will be guaranteed for your student.   If your student is being housed off-campus or in "unusual" spaces, be patient.  Students drop out beginning almost immediately all the way through the end of the semester. 

    Is your student facing housing challenges?  Let me know and I'll see if we can get you some suggestions and solutions!

Wall Street Meltdown Affecting Student Jobs

There is a great blog by Alison Go at the U.S. News blog site about the impact of the failure of Lehmann Brothers on student jobs.  Not only are college seniors and graduate students with offers being impacted, alumni from the elite Ivies like Yale are calling career centers for help.

     What I found the most interesting is a quote in the blog that was taken from the Michigan Daily by Al Cotrone, director of career development at the Business School:

"With fewer positions available and more veteran bankers looking for jobs, every student who's interested in banking will need to take a real serious look at the career they want and the life they want and the risks they take with that choice," said Michigan's business school career development director. "

    

 

             THE MAJOR YOU CHOOSE CAN IMPACT YOUR JOB PROSPECTS!

     Why is this such a big deal to me?  It's because over and over again I hear counselors tell students to pick majors in topics that interest them.  I like to call it the "follow your bliss" mantra from the 1960's.  Do something you love and success will follow.

     I agree with a Yes, BUT!  There is no guarantee that you will be able to find a JOB in what it is you like to do.  You may LOVE and be very good at English Romance Literature but I don't know about very many jobs in that field. 

    So the answer is BALANCE, RESEARCH and FLEXIBILITY.  It's okay to major in something you like but DO THE RESEARCH to understand the potential for jobs.  Have a balanced approach about picking a major you like with an education that lets you get a job.  And should you not be able to find a job in your major because the market has changed like it has just done, you need to be FLEXIBLE and learn new skills or maybe even look into a major or job you don't like as well!

    College is a great place for an education.  The problem is the real world will want to hire you to do something.  The question is whether or not your major in which you have an education can get you a job that allows you to live the life you want!