Webinar | Tutoring 

Hi, real quick like a bunny...

Last night's "Late Stage College Planning" webinar for 11th grade families got all 5 star reviews and a whole bunch of positive comments in the live chat, but apparently, 111 of the 256 folks registered couldn't make it.  (Sniff.)

So, because I am a prince among men (just ask me) I have graciously decided to run it back, old school, one more time for an "encore" performance this Sunday, 7pm EST!

(Pause for standing ovation.)

(If you think these jokes are lame, I dare you show up Sunday!)

Kidding aside, the information you'll get from me is 1,000 per cent unlike anything you will ever hear from your guidance counselor or other so-called experts.

And some of it is borderline politically incorrect.  

Fine.  Delete "bordeline."

But it's da truth, and you may not stumble across it anywhere else.

Here's where to sign up:

REGISTER

- Andy  "Not Always Sure What Will Come Out of My...

We're Starting!

"Late Stage" College Planning for 11th Graders

February 15th 6:45pm  EST

We just started but you can still stop by!  Here's where to join us:

JOIN CLASS

See you in the classroom!

-Pearl and Andy

Tonight's Webinar for 11th Graders

One of the dumbest college-related news stories I've seen repeated in the past week:

"Top colleges settle claims they favor wealthy students for admission."

Is that really news?  This story covers a lawsuit against Yale, Georgetown, Northwestern, MIT, Dartmouth, among others, that alleged that these colleges favored applicants who could pay full price for college, despite the colleges' agreement to be "need-blind" (not consider whether the applicant needs financial aid).  My take...

Seriously.  This is news?  Or do some people think things work differently, like there's a level playing field.

Second:  is this a bad thing?  At virtually every college you've heard of, full-pay families subsidize all the other families.  In other words, their full boat dollars help colleges afford to give aid to families who need it.

Ditto for "development list" families who donate seven and eight figure amounts to colleges. ...

Webinar | Tutoring 

The New York Attorney General fined the College Board -- the good folks behind the SAT, PSAT, AP curriculum and the CSS Profile financial aid application -- 750 Gs for "violating students' privacy."

In case you were getting choked up, please don't cry for this "non profit" - it holds $1.66 Billion in assets.  Its president makes $1.8 Million per year.   They can write the check.

My surprise over this news is not that the College Board shares student information.  I'm sure you're not shocked either, particularly if you have an 11th grader who's registered for one of the above College Board products, and, since that fateful day, opened your floodgates to a tsunami of emails, social media posts magically served up to you or your child, glossy brochures from colleges you've heard of and several that you haven't, featuring multi-racial, smiling, acne-free kids frolicking outside on the quad in shorts (even if that college is located...

Webinar | Tutoring 

This Thursday night, we're holding a brand spanking new webinar to cover "Late Stage College Planning" for families of Class of 2025 kids,who are getting closer and closer to Go Time for applications, essays, financial aid and scholarships...

...but are feeling anxious, overwhelmed and maybe even a smidge guilty that they're not even close to having a coherent, strategic College Game Plan.

If this sounds like you, you'll want to join the fun.  (If you have a 10th grader or younger child, not a terrible idea to attend either.)

Topics on tap:

• The inconvenient truth about what admissions officers at competitive and elite colleges  REALLY want to see beyond GPA and SAT/ACT scores (hint:  it’s not on Naviance, nor is it membership in National Honor Society, 25 clubs or a five day service trip/teen tour to a Third World country)
• The closely-guarded truth about test-optional policies and how to decide To Submit or Not to...

Good morning!

We're hitting the airwaves this morning -- 10:00am EST/7:00am PST--  for College Coffee Talk, our live show about college admissions and financial aid news that you can use!  

Here's what's on tap for today:

Case Studies

Parent Mistakes

Plus live Q&A and free college coaching!  Here's where to join us:

TUNE IN

Grab a cup of joe and we'll see you at 10am EST (recorded on that page for eternity if you can't make it live)!

- Andy Lockwood

ecause college admissions and financial aid has gotten crazier than ever, Pearl and I have dusted off our old show, College Coffee Talk!

It airs every Monday morning, 10:00-10:30am EST, live on our Facebook page, and covers the latest college admissions and financial aid news.  This week, the topics are:

1. Case studies
2. Parents mistakes to avoid

And, every show includes:

• Real-time, from the trenches college application and financial aid strategies and developments
• Free coaching
• Live Q&A

Come on by, Monday at 10am EST, to get the latest college news you can use, ask us your "burning" question, whatever. Bring your own coffee or other beverage.

Hope you can make it!

Facebook.com.lockwoodcollegeprep

(Recorded on that page if you can't make it live)

-Andy "Java Jive" Lockwood

P.S. I believe that, if you "like" that page you'll be notified by Zuck or one of the Facebook peeps when we go live.  So do that if you like it when your phone goes...

Good morning!

We're hitting the airwaves this morning -- 10:00am EST --  for College Coffee Talk, our live show about college admissions and financial aid news that you can use!  

Here's what's on tap for today:

TUNE IN

Grab a cup of joe and we'll see you at 10am EST (recorded if you can't make it)

- Andy Lockwood

Because college admissions and financial aid has gotten crazier than ever, Pearl and I have dusted off our old show, College Coffee Talk!

It airs Monday mornings at 10:00-10:30am EST, live on our Facebook page, and covers the latest college admissions and financial aid news, plus:

• Real-time, from the trenches college application and financial aid strategies and developments
• Free coaching
• Live Q&A
• More

Come on by tomorrow at 10am EST, to get the latest college news you can use, ask us your "burning" question, whatever. Bring your own coffee or other beverage.

Hope you can make it!

Facebook.com.lockwoodcollegeprep

(Recorded on that page if you can't make it live)

-Andy "French Roast" Lockwood

In a development that surprised nobody I know, the Department of Edu-macation announced further delays with the new, improved FAFSA rollout.  The latest and greatest is that colleges can't get FAFSA data until March, no matter when you applied.

Net-net, I think everything will work out in terms of everyone getting the same types of financial aid awards as they would have in years past.  At least for 80-90% of filers.

But one overlooked consequence of this pushed back timeline has to be the deadline to submit your housing deposit, May 1, traditionally.  In past years, that time frame was already a toughie because most financial aid awards came in March-April, followed by a mad dash in April to visit colleges, negotiate financial aid and scholarship awards and related various and sundry activities.

Now, my best guess is that this can't happen, because financial aid awards will be delayed.  I believe the only thing colleges can do is push back the housing deposit...