All posts by Suzanne Shaffer

Scholarship Friday, scholarships

Scholarships Friday: Scholarships360.org

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scholarships360When someone asks me about doing scholarship searches, I always tell them about Scholarships360.org. It’s not a search engine, per se, but it is an excellent resource that keeps you informed about recent available scholarships. On their site you can look at scholarships for high school, college, and graduate students. There is also a list of merit scholarships from top universities.

Scholarships360 has been connecting students to scholarship opportunities large and small since December 2010. In addition to profiling scholarship programs, they give students the tools they need to become successful applicants, offer resources aimed at demystifying the financial aid system, and examine innovative ways of funding a college education.

What do I like most about Scholarships360.org?

This resource isn’t a comprehensive search site, but it does have a wealth of scholarship information available. You may have to sift through them and determine your eligibility, but they publish a daily scholarship update in each category. I have found unusual scholarships on their site. Additionally, you can sign up for a daily email from them giving you the daily scholarship information. Just click on the mail icon in the top right hand corner of the site (or click here)–it’s that simple. Follow them on Twitter as well (@Scholarships360) for daily tweets.

If it’s not a search engine, why bother?

As with all college prep activities, maximizing your information and taking advantage of all available resources increases your chances of acceptance. The same is true for scholarships–leave no stone unturned in your search. Adding Scholarships360.org to your scholarship arsenal helps you unearth large and small scholarship opportunities by simply opening a daily email. What could be simpler than that?

 

extracurricular activities, how to

How to be a high school entrepreneur (and wow colleges)

 

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Back in the day, in order to get accepted into a great school, all you needed to do was make excellent grades and do really well on the standardized tests. Kind of makes you chuckle doesn’t it, because you can easily imagine your own grandparents saying something like that (“Back in my day…”) before they told your parents to do what they did and get a job? Gramps wasn’t trying to be mean or unsupportive; he was just conveying the reality of his time: that going to college wasn’t a given or even a possibility for the majority of the country back then.

entrepreneurFortunately, the opportunities to receive a higher education are more available to many more people in this day and age. At the same time, that hopeful picture from yesterday of simply doing well in high school is no longer the case because colleges and universities have such a pool of superlative candidates from which to pull that they are much more selective to whom they choose to extend acceptance letters.

Maybe the old timers were on to something: in order to separate themselves from the pack of wannabe college students, your kid may need to take a lesson from the past…and show his or her vision for the future. But merely getting a job isn’t going to cut it, because lots of kids have to work through high school and have jobs on their resumes. What most of them don’t have, however, is a successful entrepreneurial endeavor and legit business experience under their belts.

Here are some creative ideas for starting an entrepreneurial business in high school that can improve your student’s impression on college admissions officers and have a profound positive impact on their lives from this point forward.

Think Green

Evolving yet another ‘oldie but goodie’ involves starting a landscaping or lawn care business. And with the rising costs of education, starting a “green” business in high school can prove extremely helpful for providing some of the green to pay for college.

Remember that businesses do not need to be large, complicated, or full of employees in order to be successful. All you need is the upper hand in supply and demand: identify a product that you can offer to the consumers at a profit.

Yards and residential lawns abound and someone has to maintain them. And since the largest aspect of yard work is the labor, as long as your kid can invest the time – without the grades suffering, that is – the majority of the income is straight profit.

And to address the grades issue, by developing a self-sustaining repeat business model, once the initial legwork of generating a clientele base is over, your entrepreneur can spend more time making sure their academics are in order.

Finally, an outdoor business involves the purchase of tools and machinery that are a one-time investment but can be reused over and over on each client’s property. And here’s a plus–they can continue the business while attending college.

Smart start ups for entrepreneurs

Some ideas for smart start-ups include products like:fence

  • Gardens: Whether they build raised bed gardens with lengths of lumber or improve an existing garden’s curb appeal with a lattice surround, the basics are the same. They’ll need a truck for hauling supplies and a creative eye to set their designs apart from other professional landscapers.
  • Fences: If they don’t necessarily have green thumbs, they can still make green by investing sweat equity in putting up fences for residential properties. Another option for “staff” that can cut down the project time exponentially is hiring their friends to help put up the fences.
  • Paint: If the inside world is more their speed, beginning entrepreneurs can still make bank by starting a painting company. And they can further narrow down their focus by deciding whether they want to specialize in residential or commercial buildings and basic surface painting or artistic detailing with painted murals.

*Tip: Develop a website to drum up business and convey to a prospective college an awareness of technology’s ever-increasing role in modern business practices.

Notes for Newbies

Make sure your kid keeps meticulous records related to:

  • Business Plan: This will speak volumes to an admissions officer in terms of your candidate’s ability to conceptualize a workable business model.
  • Financial Records: In addition to keeping money issues straight with clients, keeping detailed records with finances makes it easy to convey the financial success of your entrepreneur’s business.
  • Portfolio: A picture is worth a thousand words, and since an admissions representative can’t do site visits, being able to present them with a professional looking portfolio will give them a visual of what your kid is capable of.

What are some other creative ideas for starting an entrepreneurial business in high school?

____________________________

Today’s guest blogger, Chris Long, is a store associate at a Chicago-area Home Depot. Chris is a frequent contributor on lumber and wood topics for the Home Depot website. He also writes on fencing, garden and other outdoor project tips to homeowners.

parenting, Wednesdays parent

Wednesday’s Parent: The Apathetic Generation

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Wednesday’s child may be full of woe but Wednesday’s Parent can substitute action for anxiety. Each Wednesday Wendy and I will provide parent tips to get and keep your student on the college track. It’s never too late or too early to start!

Wednesday’s Parent will give twice the info and double the blog posts on critical parenting issues by clicking on the link at the end of the article from pocsmom.com to parentingforcollege and vice versa.

______________________________

citizenship

The Apathetic Generation

Prior to the first Obama presidential election, young adults simply didn’t vote. It’s perplexing to those of us that couldn’t wait to vote when we turned 18. I recall long lines at the polls for the 1972 and 1976 presidential elections.

The New Republic examined voting trends among young people prior to the 2012 election:

It has long been a puzzle why so many young adults do not vote—and why their already low voting rate has generally fallen over the decades. In 1972, 53 percent of 18-to-29-year-olds went to the polls. By 2000, the figure had fallen to just 36 percent, a historic low. (In contrast, the voting rate among people aged 65 or older rose five percentage points during those years, to 68 percent.) There is no doubt that the Obama campaign of 2008 energized the under-30 crowd, boosting their voting rate to 46 percent. But even then, fewer than half of 18-to-29-year-olds went to the polls compared with more than two-thirds of people aged 65 or older, according to the Census Bureau.

Man on the street reports from various news and entertainment programs underscore the fact that today’s youth are ill-informed and uninvolved in matters of citizenship. Why is this happening and what can parents do to change the tide?

Lack of citizenship is an American epidemic

Increasingly, we are not living up to our responsibilities as citizens.

  • Voting is one of our most important and visible responsibilities as citizens. Yet, fewer than 45% of registered voters and 35% of eligible voters usually vote.
  • Most Americans try to get out of jury duty.
  • Community service is often seen as a once or twice a year activity

Each nation faces economic, social, environmental, security, educational, legal, and health challenges. The solutions to these challenges are most effective when a great number of citizens are involved in making them. Too many good people do nothing. Edmond Burke said, “All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do nothing.”

What is citizenship?

President Kennedy challenged us, “Ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country.” Unfortunately, since then, our view of citizenship has become skewed. We look more at our rights than our responsibilities. When individuals or special interest groups want something, they claim it is their right. And, we expect the government to take on what should be our responsibilities.

Most Americans see citizenship as voting, jury duty and occasional community service. Keeping democracy strong demands much more. We as citizens must be vigilant and involved. We must each make small sacrifices every day by doing simple, yet powerful citizen actions.

How can you teach your kids to be good citizens?

As I stated earlier, citizenship is more than voting. It’s being involved in your local community, your state and in the government processes. If you teach your children at an early age to be good citizens, they will carry those lessons on into adulthood.

Try these simple activities to teach them to be good citizens:

  • Teach them about this country’s heritage

Teach them about why and how we became a nation,about the basic principles and documents upon which the country was founded,about what it took to achieve today’s standard of living, about the mistakes we’ve made and, about the individuals and events that have played major roles in shaping the country.

Teaching our children about the country’s heritage is important because they know no other way of life. It took enormous courage, loss of life, pain, mistakes, hard work and risk to get here. Our children need to be made aware that they are going to be the custodians of this country and be taught how to do that well.

  • Teach them about the democratic process

If your children see that you’re involved in the process, you are setting a good example for them as they become adults. If you degrade the process and refuse to vote, you are teaching them that it doesn’t matter who is in charge or that you can make a difference in this democracy.

We make the “of the people” part happen by running for public office;  we make the “by the people” part happen by doing the things needed to elect our best to public office; and we make the “for the people” part happen by doing those things that keep us educated on important issues, that keep elected officials aware of our points of view, and that enforce our laws.  The democratic process is not a methodology, but a way of living that keeps our country strong.

  • Support groups that keep our country strong

Teaching your children to respect these groups that contribute to the strength of our democracy encourages them to be a good citizen. Law enforcement, firemen, elected officials, the military and even teachers are groups who are supported to keep the country strong. If you support these groups, your children will learn by your example.

  • Teach them to understand the government and how it works

This begins on the local level and goes up to the federal government. As citizens, it is critical that we understand what our governments are doing and how they are working so we can make sure they don’t take on more power and responsibilities than we gave them and that they carrying out the powers we did give them effectively.

  • Promote a sense of community

Our country is really a community of communities.  A sense of community and of belonging are something most of us need and want. In today’s mobile society, we have become detached to our communities. Neighbors rarely speak and communities rarely rally around one another unless there’s a crisis. Taking pride in your community and becoming involved in the community can be demonstrated by such simple acts as picking up trash, giving blood, start a neighborhood watch, volunteer at local organizations, and recycle.

  • Strengthen the family

It is often said, and usually true, that the whole is greater than the sum of the individual pieces.  In the case of a country, it is equally true that the stronger the families and individuals, the stronger the country.  Involve your children in activities that promote citizenship and community involvement. Encourage your family members to volunteer during the holidays, give to others, and pay it forward when possible.

Check out Wendy’s article , “Will your child be a good citizen?”

 

academics, spotlight on

The GPA isn’t everything. Or is it?

 

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gpa
Photo courtesy of Zinch

GPA’s enter our teen’s world in high school. Everything they do academically affects their GPA. If they start out strong and stay consistent, that GPA could mean offers of admission from multiple colleges. Colleges look at a student’s GPA to determine their capabilities to perform well in a college academic setting. Less that stellar grades, or even average ones, could communicate a lack of commitment or even an attitude of laziness.

If their grades begin to falter, not all is lost. There are things they can do to bump up their grade point average and get back on the path to improved academics. Is it easy? No. Is it worth it? Absolutely.

Our friends at Zinch have given us some simple tricks that can save your GPA. Follow their simple steps and your student could see rapid improvement and also improve their chances of getting into the college of their dreams.

Read Zinch’s “Simple Tricks That Can Save Your GPA”

mom approved tips, parenting

Mom-Approved Tips: You might be a micro-manager if…

 

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micro-managerOne day your child is dependent on you for everything and the next day they are managing on their own. They don’t need you to dress them, or feed them, or tuck them in at night. They don’t need you to walk them to school any more or attend their birthday parties. It’s a tough pill to swallow, especially if you are the type of parent who can’t seem to let go and let them grow up.

Before they start the college prep process, it might be a good idea to take stock of just how much you try to micro-manage their lives and make some adjustments.

You might be a micro-manager if:

You press your teen to provide detailed information about their day

Let’s face it—teens volunteer little information about how their day went. If you’re lucky you might get a “fine” or an “ok”, but not much else; and that’s ok. They don’t need to tell you everything, just the important things. Instead of prodding, just try the listening approach. Odds are you will learn much more by listening than you will by constant prodding.

You argue with their teacher about grades

It’s perfectly acceptable to have a conference with your teen’s teacher about their academic progress. But if you find yourself taking it to the next level and arguing with them or questioning the grades, you could be crossing the line. And here’s a tip—you will be embarrassing your teen. Let them fight their own battles; it prepares them for college.

You text your teen repeatedly during school hours

Some parents abuse their texting privileges. They text to find out how their teen did on a test, how their day is going, and even use it to ask probing questions about their relationships. First of all, cellphones should be turned off during class (and for most schools during the day). Secondly, this is a bad habit that might not be seen as intrusive in high school but will once they head off to college.

You search you teen’s belongings just to be nosy

Unless there is good reason to pry (you perceive a drug problem or emotional issue), it’s never good to be a snoop. They do need some privacy and if they find out you are invading that privacy they just might start feeding your obsession. If you’ve raised them well and taught them right from wrong, let their private lives stay private.

AND the 5th clue that you might be a micro-manager…

You offer advice even when it’s not necessary

Sometimes teens just need to vent. They don’t need you to solve all their problems. Unless they ask for help, keep the advice to yourself. Remember that listening is your best tool and that you always learn more by letting them talk. They learn to become problem solvers and this moves them toward independence.

If you see yourself in this list, you might want to readjust your parenting. Your main goal is to train them toward independence. It’s much easier to do this before they go away to college. Once they know you trust them to make their own decisions and live independently, they will be much more likely to thrive when they are on their own.

giveaways

Saturday Giveaway: Getting Wasted

 

getting wastedIf you’re the parent of a college-bound teen, you should know that every school is a party school. Helping your student understand how the social drinking scene works and how to avoid getting sucked in to this destructive behavior is something every parent should consider.

According to Thomas Vander Ven, author of Getting Wasted, most American college campuses are home to a vibrant drinking scene where students frequently get wasted, train-wrecked, obliterated, hammered, destroyed, and decimated. The terms that university students most commonly use to describe severe alcohol intoxication share a common theme: destruction, and even after repeated embarrassing, physically unpleasant, and even violent drinking episodes, students continue to go out drinking together. In Getting Wasted, Thomas Vander Ven provides a unique answer to the perennial question of why college students drink.

Vander Ven argues that college students rely on “drunk support:” contrary to most accounts of alcohol abuse as being a solitary problem of one person drinking to excess, the college drinking scene is very much a social one where students support one another through nights of drinking games, rituals and rites of passage. Vander Ven argues that college students continue to drink heavily, even after experiencing repeated bad experiences, because of the social support that they give to one another and due to the creative ways in which they reframe and recast violent, embarrassing, and regretful drunken behaviors

 “Vander Ven analyzes the college drinking culture in an entirely new way — through the eyes of college drinkers themselves. In doing so, he brings a unique voice to the college drinking debate, which will shape the discussion for decades to come. This is a must read for anyone who wants to understand college drinking and its consequences.” –Kathleen A. Bogle,author of Hooking Up: Sex, Dating, and Relationships on Campus

“Getting Wasted weaves many detailed stories of college drunkenness into a compelling account of its communal nature. Students don’t drink alone or get drunk alone. They do it together and the togetherness helps explain their otherwise baffling, self-destructive activities. This book is must reading for anyone interested in college students, drinking, and the combination of the two.”  –Howard Becker, author of Outsiders: Studies In The Sociology Of Deviance

“The book is worth a read to get students’ perspectives on the binge-drinking culture, and provoke thought on how to address the problems that stem from it.” –Teresa Malcolm,National Catholic Reporter

Enter my book giveaway today and snag a copy of this book, read it, and encourage your college-bound teen to read it as well.

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Scholarship Friday, scholarships, Uncategorized

Scholarships Friday: Cancer survivors and families

 

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cancer survivorsFamilies dealing with cancer have astronomical medical expenses, often continuing after the patient is cured and in remission. Today’s post offers some organizations that offer scholarships to cancer survivors and their families. Since searching for these specific scholarships is often time consuming, I always recommend families register on a scholarship search site like Zinch or Cappex which usually ask specific questions that relate to scholarship criteria.

http://www.cappex.com/page/scholarships/details.jsp?scholarshipID=3792

http://www.scholarships.com/financial-aid/college-scholarships/scholarships-by-type/cancer-scholarships/

http://www.uwhealthkids.org/pediatric-cancer/college-scholarship-opportunities-for-cancer-survivors/35357

http://www.beyondthecure.org/scholarships

http://www.finaid.org/scholarships/cancer.phtml

http://ulmanfund.org/gethelp/support-programs-resources/scholarships/

http://www.collegiatecancer.org/application.html

http://inheritanceofhope.org/scholarships

http://www.patientadvocate.org/index.php?p=69

http://www.ped-onc.org/scholarships/

http://www.mdanderson.org/how-you-can-help/volunteer/cap-scholarship-program/index.html

http://cancerforcollege.org/CFC_Application.html

http://www.thescf.org/Application-Page.html

http://www.g-scholarship.info/2013/02/20132014-american-cancer-society-rock.html

http://www.cancerresourcemama.com/scholarships/diagnosis-specific-scholarships/breast-cancer-scholarships/

http://www.run4projectpurple.org/ways-we-help/scholarships/

http://www.thenccs.org/#

http://www.bobsfund.org/scholarships.php

http://angelonmyshoulder.org/programs/scholarships/

Articles about cancer-related scholarships with additional links

http://www.brighthub.com/education/college/articles/127080.aspx

http://www.collegescholarships.org/scholarships/cancer-students.htm

http://www.melfoundation.org/#/scholarships

http://www.usnews.com/education/blogs/the-scholarship-coach/2012/10/18/dont-let-cancer-stop-you-from-earning-a-college-education

Speaking from a family who has been touched by cancer, I understand the medical expenses and the strain it puts on family finances. If you know of any other scholarship opportunities, please post them in the comment section on this blog for the benefit of others.

financial aid, how to, scholarships, Uncategorized

How to apply for scholarships

 

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scholarship application
Photo courtesy of FastWeb

There are many scholarship opportunities that anyone can apply for. Some are merit based, meaning you need to meet particular standards, some are based on financial need, and there are many for having a certain background. They can be awards of a few hundred dollars or can cover all of your tuition costs, but whatever the amount, they will decrease the price of your education. How do you apply for scholarships?

Search for scholarship information

Scholarship information can be found many ways. You can contact your college, your high school counselor, the U.S. Department of Labor’s website, state agencies, or nonprofit or private organizations. When searching for scholarships, be sure that everything is legitimate; you will never have to pay to find any financial aid opportunities. Moreover, be sure to only apply for awards you meet the requirements for; the last thing you want to do is waste your time on scholarships you don’t meet the criteria for.

Make note of the deadlines

The deadline for each scholarship can vary. Some may have deadlines as early as a year before you start college so you will need to start searching for scholarships during the summer before your senior year of high school. However, even if you have missed out on a few scholarships with early deadlines, there are still plenty with later dates. Once you have compiled a list of scholarships you meet the requirements for, prioritize those with the earliest deadlines and those you are most confident about getting.

Start the application process

Start the application process as early as possible and follow all of the directions. Most scholarships require high school transcripts, standardized test scores, your parents’ financial information, financial aid forms like the FAFSA or CSS, essays, and letters of recommendation.

If the scholarship is because you are part of a certain group, you will also have to prove your eligibility. Only submit what is mandatory, do not submit extra supporting materials or go over the word limit on the essays. Some applications might be similar and you may be able to submit the same work, or slightly edit your work for other scholarships. Keep the essay directions in mind, however, as the judges will use them to narrow the applicant pool. Once you have finished any essays or portfolio materials, have a teacher, parent, or anyone you trust for advice go over them for honest feedback; you really want to put your best foot forward here.

Applying for a scholarship is not difficult; it can be a pretty easy process! Once you have finished one application, it gets easier to complete the rest. Prevent getting overwhelmed by being organized and recording all the application deadlines and by starting early. You may feel unprepared, but after a little research, you will be on your way to completing scholarships and earning financial aid.

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About the author: Priya Sudendra is a junior at the University of Colorado and a staff writer for CollegeFocus, a website dedicated to helping students deal with the challenges of college, including housing, finance, style, health, relationships, and transferring from a community college to a four-year university.

You can follow CollegeFocus on Twitter and Facebook.

parenting, Wednesdays parent

Wednesday’s Parent: 8 Tips for building self-esteem

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Sign up for my FREE parent tips email and get my FREE Ebook on college financing! Or subscribe to my blog on the left and get email updates.

Wednesday’s child may be full of woe but Wednesday’s Parent can substitute action for anxiety. Each Wednesday Wendy and I will provide parent tips to get and keep your student on the college track. It’s never too late or too early to start!

Wednesday’s Parent will give twice the info and double the blog posts on critical parenting issues by clicking on the link at the end of the article from pocsmom.com to parentingforcollege and vice versa.

_________________

8 Tips for building self-esteem

self-esteemIn psychology, the term self-esteem is used to describe a person’s overall sense of self-worth or personal value. Self-esteem can involve a variety of beliefs about the self, such as the appraisal of one’s own appearance, beliefs, emotions and behaviors.

In high esteem families positive ramifications occur. The better family members feel about themselves, the better they treat each other, the better they get treated in return, the better off everyone tends to become. In high esteem families, relationships can become mutually affirming. Members seem more inclined to bring out the best in each other, not the worst.

Teens with high self-esteem tend to be more confident and successful in their pursuit of excellence. But how do you build self-esteem in your children?

1. Start at an early age

If you begin early to build your child’s self-esteem, they will be equipped to face rejection from others and peer pressure during the teen years. A child with low self-esteem will struggle with feelings of insecurity and often depression when faced with these teenage roadblocks.

2. Praise and encourage generously

Too often we focus on what our kids haven’t done or haven’t done right.  Tune in to the positive things your teen has accomplished and offer specific praise.  When praising, include compliments for their efforts as well. If you heap it on too thick, many teens will feel you’re paying them lip service and you’ll defeat the whole purpose of pumping them up.  Be generous, but don’t lay it on for every single good thing they do.

3. Set boundaries and teach consequences

Clear rules communicate the value that you have for your child, and when your children know they are valued, this is the first building block of self-esteem. All children need boundaries, especially teenagers. Establish firm rules and expectations that fit your family’s lifestyle and values.  For example, if you expect your child to do specific household chores, explain clearly to him why this is important. Make it understood that you expect this to be done regularly and outline consequences that will follow if it isn’t.

4. Give constructive criticism when necessary

No one likes to be told they didn’t do something right, particularly if it is done in anger.  Choose how you criticize your impressionable teen wisely.  If your son fails his algebra test, don’t say something sarcastic like “Well, if you had studied for this test instead of playing video games, this never would’ve happened.” Instead, use a concerned tone and say, “It looks like you had some trouble with that math test.  Let’s set up a time to study this week before the next test?”  And never criticize in front of their peers.

5. Leave communication lines open

Teenagers like to be self-sufficient and want us to believe that they have everything under control—but that doesn’t mean that as parents we needn’t keep the lines of communication open and flowing. Find easy ways of communicating with your teen such as: on the drive to school, when they are getting dressed in the mornings, and during family dinners.

One parent started a communication tool called the “Love Mom” journals for each of her kids when they started middle school.  Each of her older children has a notebook that they keep in their bedrooms. This is a “safe place” for them to mention anything that might be on their mind. They have expressed simple things such as what kind of sneakers they would like to get to something more personal such as being embarrassed that they have dandruff.  They go back and forth exchanging quick comments in the book and it truly only takes a few minutes each week.

6. Give them opportunities to make their own decisions

Nothing builds self-esteem more than letting them make their own decisions. Allow your teens, especially to participate in family decisions. Encourage them to make decisions about their friends, their classes, and finally the college they want to attend. The more decisions they make, the more confident they become in themselves and their ability to live as an independent adult.

7. Don’t depend on “things” to raise their self esteem

We’ve all known parents who give their children everything they ask for in an effort to fit in with their peers. But is this the best way to build your teen’s self esteem?

Psychology Today brings up an interesting point:

If you want to teach your child to be a superficial being that is completely dependent on others (peers, marketers, even parents) to tell them they have self-worth, then go for it. Buy them every latest hot new fashion you can find. Dress them up like their favorite rock star, and spend a small fortune on padding their fragile self-esteem. But have no illusion this is good for your child. It may make us parents feel more secure, like we’re protecting our children from name calling, but it won’t help our kids grow up to feel good about themselves inside.

8. Encourage their individual talents

Most of us have dreams for our kids even before they are born, but just because you took a specific path in life, it doesn’t mean your child will want to follow you.  If your teen has an obvious interest or talent, despite the fact that it isn’t something you would choose or do, learn more about why she is passionate about it and encourage her to pursue that interest.  If your child knows you support her, she is apt to be much more successful and will feel confident and more secure in her decisions.

 Read Wendy’s blog–Self Esteem: College Style

college planning, financial aid, how to

College Savings Plans

 

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college savingsNo matter where you are in the college prep process, saving, and knowing how and what to save can be difficult to understand. Depending on your situation and the amount of time you have to save, here are some excellent resources that will help you understand college savings plans.

SavingforCollege.com

SavingforCollege.com offers a free Family Guide to College Savings available in either Kindle, Nook, or PDF format. The guide advises parents on when to start saving, how to start saving, and college savings alternatives. It also gives a brief explanation of the tax savings you can expect and how to maximize savings. There are also numerous links on the site itself related to 529 savings plans, college expenses, and a tool to use to view the list of state specific plans. There is also a college cost calculator that helps you determine the cost of college based on your child’s age and the amount you wish to contribute along with a monthly savings estimate.

AffordableCollegesOnline.org

AffordableCollegesOnline.org has created a 529 Savings Plan Guidebook which can be easily printed from your browser. In the guidebook you will gain a better understanding of:

By using this guide, you will gain a better understanding of:

  • How 529 savings plans work and how to establish one
  • Who is eligible to establish and contribute to a 529 savings plan
  • The pros and cons of other types of college savings vehicles
  • How much may be contributed to a 529 plan
  • The tax advantages associated with 529 plans
  • The best time to set up a plan
  • How to take the next step in obtaining some – or all – of the funds that are needed to fulfill the dream of a higher education.

U.S. News Education

On U.S. News Education: Saving for College you can read articles like:

  • 4 Steps to Choosing Age-Based 529 Plans
  • 5 Steps for Utilizing 529 College Savings Plan Funds
  • 12 Questions to Ask Before Investing in a Prepaid College Savings Plan
  • 4 Costly Mistakes Parents Make When Saving Money for College

Manilla.com

Manilla.com offers a free downloadable Financial Literacy toolkit that helps parents and students through the process of deciding how to pay for college, deciding who will pay for what, and some good pointers on establishing good financial habits.

Fidelty.com

Fidelity offers information you will need to plan your child’s educational future. On this site you can compare your savings options, find a 529 savings plan that meets your needs, learn about financial aid, and how much you will need to save.

MorningStar

Morningstar, Inc. is a leading provider of independent investment research in North America, Europe, Australia, and Asia. Morningstar provides data on approximately 433,000 investment offerings, including stocks, mutual funds, and similar vehicles, along with real-time global market data on nearly 10 million equities, indexes, futures, options, commodities, and precious metals, in addition to foreign exchange and Treasury markets.

In a recent article, MorningStar rated the nation’s Best 529 Savings Plans for 2013 and also lists the negative rated 529 plans.

University Parent

University Parent, an online resource for parents of college students and college bound teens, recently published an article:  What is a 529 Savings Plan? How it Helps. The article gives an overview of the plans and what you need to know once you have one and how to use it.

If your college-bound teen is young, you have plenty of time to start saving. If you have a student in high school, you should read the information about aggressive portfolios and how to maximize your investment. The above resources should help you decide how much and where to invest your savings.