Get College Going - March 2024 News | New England B2B Networking

March Madness
Are your brackets ready?
Squares are purchased, initials marked, and the Boards are ready. Yes, all eyes turn to the NCAA Tournament and college hoops. This year, the tournament comes to our backyard as Boston plays host to the East Regional Finals at the TD [Boston] Garden at the end of the month.

March is a busy month across the higher education landscape.

Graduating classes are gearing up for finals, marching, and the next stages of their lives
10th and 11th-grade students are watching and enjoying the feeling that they will soon take their next step. Planning should be well underway.
Transfers: those who need a new look, a restart, or time to move to finish the degree, the application process, admission and financial aid should be in full swing.
Parents should calculate their ability to contribute to the student's education costs and, if need start the hard conversation - What's Plan B.

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The FAFSA dilemma is not over… Sorry .. Word today (3.4.2024) is that records are slowing be sent to college and universities but the vast majority will not be forwarded until Mid-March. This continues the delay preventing colleges and universities from releasing financial aid award letters.

In the meantime, students and families must focus on what they can control-maintaining their mental well-being. Families of 12th-grade students bound for college in September should use this valuable time to prepare for pending decision time.

Watch and follow up on all information on your student’s colleges, universities, and other accredited post-secondary schools’ portal.
Analyze your financing strategies, including running Net Price estimates for public and private institutions.
Begin comparing cost, merit scholarship received, and personal resources (including 529 college savings funds and disposable monthly income) to project financing gaps at each school. Spreadsheet available at www.getcollegegoing.com/resources
Invest at least one hour daily hunting for non-college, independent, community, and philanthropic scholarships. Make it a family affair!
Evaluate your credit standing to ensure that, if needed, you can serve as a co-signer on a last-resort private college loan.
We'll keep watching and if your receiving our newsletter you'll be the first to know. Share the newsletter with your friends.

DID YOU HEAR

Colleges are now moving to eliminate Dean Lists – in the face of rising mental health issues on campus, two high-pressure institutions. Schools like Cornell, Penn, and others are moving away from the Lists. I’m not sure how I feel. When you work hard, you want to be recognized. Make sure your students check with the advisors.

Discover Exits the Student Loan Industry – It’s all about profitability. If you’re a Discover customer, Nelnet is taking over loan servicing tasks, but who will own the loans is still in the air. Watch your accounts – print your last private student loan statement. Watch your records.

New employer-employee education benefit programs to help workers manage education loan payments. Changes in the January 2024 Secure Act 2.0 permit employers to shift financial resources to help with monthly student loan payments and add college advising benefits to EAP. Check with your HR Department or Financial Planner for more guidance and direction.

Standardized test scores will return to college admission requirements for 2025-2026; plan accordingly and watch for testing dates. We recommend that every student take the SAT or ACT at least once. Find the baseline and decide next steps..

Are You Saying YES to the College

May 1, National Deposit Day* will be here soon. Here are five criteria that I ask all students and families to consider when choosing the final choice. A match is when all five checkboxes line up - That's fitt!!

The school will:

✅Advance my academic learning and skills to the next level
✅Meet my personal needs
✅Provide me with a socially safe community to learn and live.
✅Be affordable, with limited educational debt
✅Prepare me for a job and Career on the way out.

* Many schools are moving the date due to concerns with the FAFSA. Check with your specific school.

Call For Speakers
College planning isn't sexy, but next to investing in your retirement, purchasing education in high school is now the third most expensive consumer purchase. Right behind buying one's first home and car.
Could you schedule an education and enrichment program at your organization, office, association gather or meeting?
Your clients, employees, and members will thank you.

We provide student- and family-specific 1-1 comprehensive planning and funding advice for parents and counseling for students. We'll share insights and expertise to help make wise academic, personal, and financing decisions. Learn more at www.getcollegegoing.com The office is always open.

The DIY online portal resource for parents of HS and college-age students, as well as recent graduates. A library of reference information, videos, downloadable resource tools for before, during and after college needs. Built and supported by college planning experts, who are parents too!

Learn more and sign up for your monthly subscription at www.pivotalcollegeyears.com

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