Whether applying to schools or starting a job search, people usually remember to present themselves professionally in person. But I cannot stress the importance of managing your online presence as well!

Social media has become a part of many of our lives, a way to stay in touch with friends, find people with similar hobbies, and hear the latest news. But it’s also become a way for schools and companies to research possible candidates. While some schools have a policy of not checking personal websites or profiles unless invited, a report by the National Association for College Admission Counseling finds that 26% of colleges are using search engines to research potential students and 21% are using social networking sites!

Have you asked yourself how your online presence would affect your application? Are your photos and comments appropriate? Or do you list your interests as “partying ‘till I pass out, all day every day?”

To make sure your account(s) are ready for their close-up, I highly recommend managing your privacy settings! When possible make your account private and restrict access to photo albums, wall posts, and pictures tagged of you. Facebook is very customizable, letting you specify what friends are allowed to view what!

Even after personalizing your security settings, I recommend erring on the side of caution. Perhaps only your best friend has access to view that scandalous picture, but if you uploaded that photo, then it exists somewhere besides your computer… who knows where it’ll turn up?

And don’t assume you’re in the clear once the application process is over! Many people have been suspended or fired due to their social media activity — everything from angry tweets about admission officers, to calling in sick while your status says you’re really at a concert, sharing company secrets, or photos of you participating in illegal activity. In fact, according to a recent study by Proofpoint, 8% of US companies have fired an employee over social media!

So use common sense in your online activities and remember that Internet does NOT equal anonymous!

Two letters of recommendation are usually required for your college application. Request recommendations from people who know your strengths. Teachers and counselors are usually the best choices. An employer or community leader can be another option if he or she knows you well and can emphasize your good qualities and achievements.

Ask for recommendations early so there is enough time to get them in comfortably before the deadline. It’s considerate on your part. It’s also smart—waiting until the last minute may not allow the recommender enough time to do you justice and will cause you both unnecessary stress. Here are some other tips for requesting recommendations:

• Give your recommender a deadline, allowing at least two weeks to complete the letter.
• Provide the recommender with a stamped envelope addressed to the school.
• Provide a list of your activities and awards to facilitate the writing process.
• Send thank you notes to your recommenders.
• Let recommenders know your application results.

Financial aid award letters tell you exactly how much financial support the school is able to provide for the upcoming year. The most common sources of aid are:

Grants: Money that does not have to be repaid.

• Federal Pell Grant
• Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)
• ACG
• National SMART Grant
• TEACH Grant
• Institutional grants
• State-sponsored grants

Work-Study: Money earned by working.

• On-campus (work for the school)
• Off-campus (private nonprofit organization or a public agency)

Scholarships: Money that does not have to be repaid.

Any scholarships you informed the school about, as well as those the school has to offer, will be included on your award letter.

Student loans: Money borrowed that must be repaid.

• Federal Stafford Loan (subsidized)
• Federal Stafford Loan (unsubsidized)
• Federal Parent PLUS Loan
• Federal Graduate PLUS Loan
• Federal Perkins Loan
• State loan programs
• Private loan programs
• Other loan programs

Items to Consider

• Read your award letter carefully to be sure you understand all terms and conditions so you can decide if you want to accept any, or all, of the aid offered.
• Look for instructions for your next steps. You may need to complete additional paperwork such as loan applications.
• See if grants or scholarships are available for more than one year. If so, what conditions apply? If not, are any options listed for the following years?
• Remember, unless otherwise stated, this letter applies only to the upcoming school year.

Report Changes

After filing the FAFSA, any changes in financial or family circumstances must be reported to the school. Additional outside sources of financial aid, parental unemployment or illness, or change in enrollment or family status could affect the award. Even name and address changes must be reported.

Accepting the Award

Once you've chosen your school, you should inform the school in writing how much of the award you plan to accept. If you don't respond by the date indicated, your award could be in jeopardy.

If you think you need help paying for your college education, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is your starting point for applying to most student financial assistance programs, including federal, state, and campus-based aid.

Beginning January 2, high school students headed to college in the following fall can submit their FAFSA for financial awards and low-cost loans. With $144 billion available, early applicants have the best chances of getting the most money for college.

If you are dreading the FAFSA, take a deep breath and relax. Completing the FAFSA is free. It takes a little time, but it is not as difficult as you may think. If you follow these basic steps, you could complete your FAFSA on the web in as little as an hour or two.

Step 1: Get a Social Security number (SSN). If you submit the FAFSA without a SSN, your application will not be processed. To apply for a SSN, visit Social Security Online, www.ssa.gov.

Step 2: Request a PIN. With a PIN you can apply for and “sign” the FAFSA online, check the status of your submitted FAFSA, and make corrections. If you plan to submit your FAFSA online, you (and one of your parents) can request a PIN at the U.S. Department of Education pin registration website, www.pin.ed.gov.

Step 3: Make note of state and college deadlines and requirements. College and state deadlines tend to be earlier than the federal deadline (many as early as February or March) and may require an application in addition to the FAFSA. Play it safe — collect these dates and information early.

Step 4: Obtain the FAFSA on the Web worksheet. Use this tool to help gather the information needed to complete the official FAFSA. Worksheets are available from your high school guidance office, public library, and online at www.fafsa.ed.gov as early as October.

Tip: You are not required to use the worksheet; it is an optional tool you can choose to take advantage of before submitting the official FAFSA. You cannot submit the official FAFSA until after January 1; however, the worksheet lets you get a jump on gathering information and answering questions well before that date.

Step 5: Complete the FAFSA on the Internet. To access FAFSA on the web, visit www.FAFSA.ed.gov. (It is also offered in Spanish.) Apply as soon as you can after January 1, because funding may be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis.

Tip: If your family’s tax return is not ready for filing, don’t put off completing the FAFSA. Estimate the tax information and submit the FAFSA. Be sure to make corrections later, if necessary.

Step 6: Review your Student Aid Report (SAR). Your SAR summarizes the data you reported on your FAFSA. When you receive your SAR, carefully review it line by line. Make corrections or changes, if necessary. If your FAFSA information is complete, an Expected Family Contribution (EFC) is printed in the upper-right corner. Schools you listed on the FAFSA will receive electronic copies of your SAR.

Step 7: Determine if you need to verify your FAFSA information. At least 30% of submitted FAFSAs are selected for verification. If you’ve been selected, an asterisk ( * ) will appear after your EFC number. When submitting tax returns and other documentation, follow instructions carefully.

Step 8: Compare award letters. If you’re eligible for aid, schools at which you are accepted will send you an award letter. Carefully compare amounts and types of aid awarded.

Good luck!

Just before I enter a networking event, my heart starts to race, my palms start to sweat (oh no, anything but a clammy handshake!), and I have a general sense of foreboding. I’m on the shy side, and the idea of walking up to strangers and starting conversations feels awkward and a little fake. But networking is a great way to make contacts, learn about your industry’s going-ons and possibly result in great opportunities, such as a dream job or a fabulous new client!

Here are some tips on effective networking:

• Join local industry meet-ups. They’re easy to find on LinkedIn, MeetUp.com and social networks.
• Be yourself. Don’t force yourself to act or talk in a way that makes you feel awkward! Let things flow naturally, and you’ll find that it really isn’t all that bad
• Be prepared. Try to find out who will be at the event and see if there are any people you’d particularly like to meet. If so, read some of their company’s latest press releases so you have a conversation starter.
• Ask questions. The easiest way to keep a conversation going is to ask questions, whether it’s about how someone’s using the latest technology (“How about that Twitter?”), how recent events have affected business (“Has the economy affected your readership?”), or a clarification on their job title (“What does a Director of Analytical Relationships do anyway?”).
• Stay in touch. After the event, feel free to connect with the people you met via LinkedIn. If they have a Twitter account, I recommend following it as well!
• Practice, practice, practice! Trust me, it does get easier! Go to events whenever you can, and be sure to talk to one more person each time. If you spoke with one person last time, aim for two next. By taking baby steps you can ease your way into your own networking style.

Have any tips on effectively networking? Share them in the comments!

I was thinking about all the packing-for-college lists that are in my mailbox, the ads about getting everything you need for college, and flashbacks of my own shopping and packing for school. That lead me to today’s topic: What to really pack for college.

This isn’t a list of everything your child should take. (You can find a great list at www.collegeanswer.com/packing.) It is a list that came from an actual college student, who completed her freshman year. I was sure that so many freshmen take everything they see on these lists, and then only use about half of the stuff or wish they had something different. So what better way to find out than ask a student?

Remember that your child will be sharing a room and usually not a very big one. The beauty of social media sites (like Facebook) is that kids can communicate with their assigned roommate way before arriving. They’ll quickly be able to sort through color choices, personality, and probably have a good feel for what they will see once you get the room set up. Use the summer to decide how to handle large items, like a fridge, microwave, lounge chairs, etc. And use the time to inform the soon-to-be roommate of sleep-talking or -walking issues, a love for music while sleeping, the alarm that sounds the latest Black Eyed Peas songs, etc. These are great things to communicate before the first night sharing a room.

I talked to the daughter of one of my friends and neighbors, who is heading back to school as a sophomore this fall. Ariel is extremely organized, so you may find these notes are a little more than you need. That’s okay. All lists or advice that you use must be adjusted to your child. If he hates to swim, don’t pack a swimsuit; it can be as simple as that.

One of the first things Ariel mentioned (I found it a bit surprising but a very valid point) is to be careful if your student plans to take expensive things. She said it was really in reference to the fact that so many of her friends’ valuables were lost or stolen. So if your child wants to pack expensive personal items, you may want to pack a small lockbox to keep them in. She also mentioned that she and her roommate rarely, if ever, watched TV. She said, “TV was a waste of time because you can’t get any good channels and there is so much to do at college, you won’t need it.” Not sure everyone will listen to that, but it’s a very valid point.

Here are a few of the great points she mentioned that you rarely see on what-to-pack lists:

1. Shower bucket: Most every list has this on it, and most everyone is glad they brought one. But what they are often missing are the drain holes. Whatever type of container you get, simply drill several holes in the bottom so all that water and shampoo doesn’t end up as mold.
2. Clothes: Obviously everyone takes them, but are you packing things that will really be worn? Best quote from my interview was this: “Unlike high school, no one cares what you wear in college.” Bring comfortable clothes and, if the college is going to have cold weather, take warm clothes.
3. Nothing with an open coil: For example, hot plates or toasters. You can’t have it so don’t even risk it.
4. People will sit on your bed: One of the best suggestions was about the comforter that kids probably plan to pack. Most people who come to the room will look for a seat, and this is mostly likely the bed. Think about sticking the comforter in the washing machine — not easy. A better option might be two microfleece blankets that can easily be cleaned.  

And here's a great list of some of the Must Haves and Don’t Needs.

Must haves

• A fan (This was the number one thing that was mentioned. The dorms are hot all year long.)
• An iPod or MP3 player
• Laptop
• Two sets of extra long and extra narrow bed sheets (each school will advise what their mattresses are like — their beds are not that wide)
• First aid kit (If everyone knows they have it, they need to be ready to share.)
• Any medical items that are used regularly 
• Alarm clock (Don’t depend on the cell phone; they won't leave their alarm clock at a party.)
• Earplugs (dorms get noisy)
• Software documentation (it doesn’t help if the instructions and guide books are hundreds of miles from your computer)
• Paper calendar (helps to have a visual of events and show the roommate what’s on your schedule)
• Hooks with an adhesive backing
• Duct tape (use it for everything)  
• Lounge chairs (butterfly, papasan, etc.) (If they plan to have a game system in their room, they may need several.)
• Two whiteboards — one for inside the room and one for friends on the outside of the door
• Lots of whiteboard markers and duct tape to keep them from being taken.
• Throw-away plastic food containers
• Disinfectant wipes
• Deep conditioner and lotion — school water is REALLY hard.

Don't needs

• DVDs (download and watch movies on the laptop)
• Under-bed storage containers (Wait until getting to school to see if they are needed. Kids found that they didn’t need the extra boxes and sent them home with their parents.)
• Computer printer (many schools have wireless printers in their common areas; it may save you the money and space of having one in the room)
• Bottled water (very bulky for a dorm room; buy a container with a filter and refill when it's empty)
• Light bulbs and repair kits (school will supply)

A great place to shop for all your college shopping needs is through Upromise.com. By purchasing all your school items from the website at great back-to-school online stores like Bed Bath & Beyond (2% savings), Borders (3% savings), Gap (2% savings), Lands’ End (3% savings), Office Depot (2% savings), Target (2% savings), and hundreds of others, you get a percentage of your purchase placed in your account. 

Have fun at the stores!

From now until August 25th, watch and vote for your favorite video from among the ten finalists to determine the Grand Prize and Second Place Winners. Each individual may only vote one time per day. Winners will be announced as part of National College Savings Month in September!

Getting into graduate school can be a surprisingly difficult process. The sooner you start the better, but it’s never too late!

If you’re still in college, do what it takes to get top grades while you're there. Try to really engage with the professors in your field; let them know that you’re interested in attending grad school. It's especially helpful if there is a way you can assist them in their teaching or research — don’t be too shy to ask! Not only does this experience look fantastic on your application, but the professor would be able to give a really personal, outstanding recommendation later on. Another way to get good recommendations and real life experience is through internships: Spend your summer in that office, hospital, or law firm and you’ll be sure to have an advantage.

If you’ve already graduated, find yourself a job in an appropriate field. It looks much better to be a paralegal at a firm when you’re applying to law schools than to be an accountant — it shows a dedication to your industry and, again, provides great recommendations and invaluable real life experience!

Your next step is to read up on any tests required to apply. The most common are:

• Graduate Record Exam (GRE): The GRE is a computerized test required for admission to most graduate programs in the U.S. (except law, business, and medicine). The exam measures verbal, quantitative, and analytical writing skills. Many graduate programs base financial aid packages, including fellowships and teaching assistantships, on GRE scores. Your GRE score is valid for five years.
• Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT): GMAT is almost always a necessary part of a business school application. A 3½ hour computerized exam, the GMAT tests analytical writing skills, quantitative skills, and verbal skills (reading comprehension, sentence correction, and critical reasoning) through 78 multiple-choice questions and two analytical essays. Your GMAT score is valid for five years.
• Law School Admissions Test (LSAT): The LSAT is a 3½ hour paper-and-pencil test required for admission to most U.S. law schools. Made up of roughly 125 multiple-choice questions plus a writing sample, the test is designed to measure the critical reading, data management, and analytical thinking skills that are deemed necessary for success in the first year of law school. Of all admissions tests, the LSAT carries the most weight in the admissions decision-making process and can account for up to 50% of a candidate's application at the most competitive schools. Your LSAT score is valid for five years.
• Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT): The MCAT is a computer-based multiple choice examination used by medical school admissions officials. The MCAT tests problem-solving skills, critical thinking abilities, and writing skills, as well as knowledge of basic science concepts. The test consists of 3 hours and 20 minutes of multiple-choice testing, plus one hour devoted to a writing sample. In most cases, MCAT scores are valid for three years. However, this time frame varies from school to school.

I would pick up a study guide or two to make sure you’re sufficiently prepared for whatever exam you need to take. If you are overwhelmed and don’t know where to begin, there are also prep classes that can really help you stay organized and focused while you study.

Select multiple schools to apply to — many people recommend six. Check out the latest rankings by U.S. News, but keep in mind other factors that are important to you: size, location, cost, etc. You can estimate tuition costs with the Sallie Mae Education Investment Planner to get a good idea of what your entire graduate education may cost you.

Keep in mind that the admissions process for graduate schools is not the same for undergraduate colleges and universities; grades, test scores, and letters of recommendation are only the tip of the iceberg! In college, decisions are made by the admissions department; for grad school, the professors in the department make the decisions. This makes the process more personal. I recommend visiting schools you’d like to attend and meeting with the professors. It’s important to leave an impression — and show enthusiasm for and knowledge of your field.

Finally, don’t be afraid to submit your articles and research to publications in the hope they'll get published. Research and writing is what the majority of grad schools are about — if you are published, it speaks volumes about your work!

Do you have any tips or ideas? Maybe a study guide that really helped you out? Leave them in the comments.

So last time we covered the Education Investment Planner (EIP) savings tool, the module made for families of younger children. Today we are off to explore the EIP paying tool to find out just what you parents of soon-to-be-high-school-seniors might expect.

Let’s get started. Just like the savings tool, the EIP really is done more accurately when you have all of the materials you need. For this tool the same types of things should be used, including investment account statements, savings statements, 529 statements, scholarship awards that your child may have won, etc. It’s always better to start prepared.

You can get started at Salliemae.com/invest. Select the link at the bottom for “parents of a high school student” or, if you are the student, select “I am a high school student.” 

The tool takes you to the Student Information page where you will be asked to complete these fields:  student’s year in school, degree they are pursuing, student’s state of residence, citizenship, and where the student is in the planning process.

Next you are taken to the Estimating Costs page where you will complete these fields: school location, name of school (type a few letters of the school name and you should see what’s available), enrollment status, start date, and number of years attending school. 

Let’s talk a moment about the school that you have selected. Most parents have an idea of where they would like their children to go, and that could be driven by schools they attended or by cost (and what they assume they can afford). Talk with your child (hopefully you have done this before the start of your child’s senior year) about

• what they are looking for in a school (size, location, etc.),
• what they hope to do after school (some degrees are more specialized and not offered at all locations), and
• what you can afford.

Don’t skip this part of the conversation unless you want to explain this after they are accepted to a school you can’t afford. It’s important to not limit their dreams, but if you are paying the bills, the cost of the school must work into your budget. I suggest three schools and no more than six to have on the list before senior year.

You now get a chance to see the estimated school costs for the first year of college for your student. The chart will break down the first year costs into tuition, room and board, fees, and books. If you are already having a trouble with this one year of costs remember you will be seeing more. But also remember that you will have a chance to enter your own savings, scholarships, and other money that can help you cut these costs. 

One of the best things I have noticed about this tool is the fact that so many parents forget to figure costs for all four years; they simply look at just one year of cost. But now the EIP shows you the entire cost, with the estimated total for your selected school appearing right in front of you. After selecting the Continue button, it’s your chance to start entering your personal contributions and start bringing down the costs.

The tool allows you to enter the following items: 529 savings, parent savings, student savings, and other sources. The tool also lets you enter the total amount that you plan to pay out of income while the student is in school. These amounts will be divided over the number of years that the student is enrolled. Next you get to enter any awards your student may have received. For many of you completing this tool before the senior year, you may not have anything to enter in these fields; I suggest you select the Apply Average Aid button. Keep in mind that these are average aid figures and not everyone will get these amounts.

If you do have items (awards your student has already been given or scholarships they have won) to enter, you can place those in the following fields: school-awarded  scholarships and grants, federal grant amount, state awarded scholarships and grants, and other scholarships and grants. 

Now your plan is funded and you are looking at the total costs for the years you selected, including any personal contributions you have added. Hopefully you see a better picture than before you added your own contributions. If not, remember that you still have time to put money aside. So many families assume that, just because they are a year away from sending their child to school, there is no hope to save. That is definitely not true. Many families can accumulate a good amount of money in the next five years.

This looks good so far, but you are not done yet. Most of you know about student loans, and many of you have used those loans to pay for your school costs. Let’s look at the costs of college with those loans figured in. The federal Stafford Loan page requires you to answer three simple questions: “Will a parent or guardian claim the student as dependent?” “Is the parent or guardian planning to take out a student loan to cover some of the costs?” and “Is a creditworthy adult planning to cosign?” You are not committed to your answers here, so you may want to choose “Yes” to see all the options.

The tool now figures the amount of federal Stafford Loans that go into your plan. The federal government sets an amount that can be borrowed by each grade level; that is the amount you will see in your plan. The government recently updated the amount that students can borrow; so if you are planning far in advance, you may see this amount change in coming years. 

Now you are at the point where you as a parent can choose what loans (if any) you plan to take out to pay for your child’s college costs. The tool lets you choose between the federal Parent PLUS loan and private student loans. All private student loans are funded by private companies and are typically applied for in the parent’s name or have a parent as a cosigner. The tool will show you exactly what you have left to fund to fully pay for your child’s college costs. You can choose to use both or neither of these loan types.

I decided to fully fund my plan with the loans and then was able to see my plan with $0 remaining to be funded. The plan lets you look at the breakdown from total cost of attendance all the way through the different ways to fund the plan.  

Do not miss the information in the lower left corner that shows student and parent monthly payments for each year and after graduation. I think this is a perfect way to really see what paying for college through loans means. If you select the Continue button and go to the Repayment section, you get a great look at exactly how these payments are broken down between federal and private loans. There’s lots of great information here and, after completing the tool, you may need to come back to this page to read all of the information. (Save your plan so you can do just that.)

 

Select the Student Loan Debt-to-Income Ratio tab at the top of the page. We often hear about parents and students who are shocked at the payments they have to make after they get their first bill. I am sure if they had looked at a page like this they would not be surprised. The tool allows students to select their annual gross income after graduation (make sure they don’t over-estimate: many kids think they will make $200K in their first job out of school and last I checked most new grads don’t get close to that) to see exactly what their payments will do to their debt-to-income ratio. The chart will appear in colors that show manageable, caution, or red flag. Spend some time making sure you are not in a red flag situation.

Now you are done and you can share your plan with others (email it to your child so they can see what the costs will be), save and print your plan. (Why do all the work and not be able to review it later — you can always make adjustments to what you first built.)

I truly believe that this tool is the perfect thing for parents of high school sophomores, as so many parents don’t think about the planning process until right before the senior year. If you are still enjoying your time before the senior year starts, I recommend getting to the EIP and really looking at your personal plan.

Good luck!

College interviews can be stressful, but if you follow these tips you can feel prepared!

Before

• Research colleges through brochures, course catalogs, and the Web.
• Make an appointment.
• Get directions to the campus and admissions office.
• Practice answering the following sample questions.

During
Be prepared to answer ...

• Why do you want to attend this school?
• What do you think will be your major? Why?
• How would you describe yourself to a stranger?
• What is your greatest accomplishment?
• What is the most significant contribution you’ve made to your school or community?
• What do you see yourself doing in the future? In five years? In ten years?
• What is your favorite book? Who’s your favorite author?
• Tell me about your family.
• What extracurricular activities are important to you?
• What is your strongest/weakest point?
• If you could have lunch with one special person (dead or alive) who would it be? What would be your first question?
• Who are your heroes and why?
• How would you spend $1 million in 24 hours?

Ask (Ask at least three questions that can’t be answered in the school’s brochures.)

• Why would you recommend this school?
• How would you describe student life at this school?
• Do you have any advice for me?

Interview Tips

• Practice.
• Try to schedule the interview at your “first choice" college last.
• Ask questions.
• Dress conservatively.
• Be focused, appropriately enthusiastic, confident, and honest.
• Thank the interviewer for the opportunity to learn more about the school.
• Make notes about the conversation.
• Send a thank you note.
• BE YOURSELF!