Shari was thrilled for her daughter:  she got into her Dream School last week!  Her hard work in high school paid off!

A few days later, the financial aid award came.  Not good.

"They expect us to pay HOW MUCH!?" she silently screamed, so her husband wouldn't hear her.  "How am I going to tell Scott?".

I made up the names but not the scenario.   Too many families get through the college acceptance process, only to THEN -- months later -- turn their attention to how they're going to PAY for college.

Sadly, thousands of families open up their college award notices, only to be slapped in the face by the (lack of) offer.

Even sadder, this unsavory result was easily avoidable.

Thursday afternoon, I'm running a short online workshop so that you don't find yourself in this pickle next year, wondering "Where's the beef" after your son or daughter manages to get into the college they've been lusting after.  Here's a short list of what I'll be covering:

• How...

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!  

Today's show is a doozy,  here's the description:

Why didn't she get into her top choice college?  

Today on College Coffee Talk, college consultants Pearl and Andy Lockwood take you behind the scenes of their college advising practice.  You'll be a virtual fly on the wall during some of their most difficult conversations with clients.

Here's where to join us:

Tune In!

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

- Andy Lockwood

New Workshop:  The College Application Edge System 

Is college admissions a giant Black Box, with no rhyme or reason to who gets in and who doesn't?

It may seem that way, but that's probably because you don't know all the factors that go into the mix.  

Or who your child is ACTUALLY competing with (hint, it's not the kids at her high school).

Tonight I'm running a workshop called The College Application Edge System.  

It's free and designed to give you the Fast Pass and Easy Button, all rolled up in one, to getting a ticket to an Ivy or highly selective college.   Here's some of what will be covered:

• The "60-40 Formula" that admissions officers use to evaluate candidates
• Extracurricular activities that impress 
• How to score tens of thousands in fat, juicy scholarships even if you think you have no shot at getting any type of financial assistance

That's a few nuggets, there will be more, tonight.  Here's where to sign up:

New Workshop:  The College Application Edge System

A client blew off our phone call this morning, but I couldn't be happier.

Savannah (not her real name), applied to several big, "rah-rah" colleges this fall.  She's a great, straight A student and boasts seriously impressive extracurriculars.

Here's why Savannah (still not her real name)'s mom started to panic.  The first two colleges to respond sent the following decisions:

Deferred.

Deferred.

I'll spare you the "Inside Baseball", but Savannah's mom was practically hyperventilating for the last two weeks. 

Email.  "What's happening?"  Text.  "What's wrong with her application?"  Email. "What colleges will she get into?  We need a plan!"

I admit that I wasn't feeling too confident after the second deferral.  But I needed to heed my own advice:  "It's too early to panic.  Deferral doesn't mean denied.  She's a great candidate at all of these schools."  

...

Good news at the beginning of the early application cycle for a bunch of our clients:  multiple acceptances to Cornell, one to WashU, a handful of other great earlies!

Yet, for many in the throes of College Application Absurdity, there's no rhyme or reason why one kid gets in, while the other gets deferred or denied. 

Especially when Kid No 2. has lesser academic cred than the other guy.

Despite my irrationally high opinion of myself, I admit that I don't get it right 100% of the time.  But I'm pretty damn good at reverse engineering what it really takes to be competitive at Ivies and every top college in the land.

That's good news for you if you have a college-bound 9th, 10th or 11th grader, because this Sunday night, I'm running a new, online workshop, The College Application Edge System.  

It's free, and it will help you understand:

• The "60-40 Formula" to get into elite and highly selective colleges
• Compelling, versus "Meh" extracurricular...

"She just doesn't 'stand out.'"

"Are my extracurriculars good enough to get into an Ivy?"

"What should he be doing now?"

Common, near-daily questions we get around here in the salt mines of Lockwood College Prep. 

Good news!  

If you have a 9-11th grader and have any of these, or related questions, I've got a little somethin-somethin for you: 

A ticket to my brand new, online workshop this coming Sunday evening, The College Application Edge System.  It's free, there's nothing to buy, and you will discover how to:

• Recognize the school that will position your child for the 40 year success goal, not merely the four
• Interrupt the application, college essay, and extracurricular activities to stand out to the admissions committee with more than the same old, same old typical activities that everyone else does
• Secure tens of thousands scholarships even if you think you can't possibly qualify for financial aid
• Enjoy seeing your child flourish not just...

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 the description of today's episode:

Don't Be THAT mom!  College consultants share their observations on Early Application Season, how to cope and what NOT to do :)

Tune In!

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

- Andy Lockwood

GM, 

I wanted to share the replay of last night's off the cuff quickie webinar, What To Do If You're Deferred By Your Early Decision or Early Action college.

Here's what I covered:

• What does “deferred” mean?
• Why do students get deferred?
• What happens if you were deferred by your ED college?
• What should you do if deferred (and you still want to go to that college?)
• The LOCI (Letter of Continued Interest) - I provided bullet points on what you should cover, and how
• Updates
• Extra letters of recommendation (be careful)
• Does it matter if you don’t get into your dream college? (Spoiler alert:  nope)

Here's where to view this short presentation, it will be up and available to view all weekend.

-Andy "Instant Replay" Lockwood

I'll be quicker than a Long Island minute today, to respect your time:

I'm inviting you to an impromptu, live chat tonight. The topic:

What To Do if Deferred -- How to boost your odds of acceptance to the college that didn't quite deny or admit you.

Here's where to go:

ENROLL HERE

- Andy "Not Denied" Lockwood

P.S.  Feel free to share this invitation with anyone you think could use it.

P.P.S.  Here's a rundown of what I'll be discussing:

What if you get deferred from your Early Decision or Early Action college?

Is it all over?

Or is it some other form of bad news?  Or possibly good news?  Something else?

What should you do, drive up and pitch a tent outside the admissions office until you can plead your case?

Send in your latest grades?

Dash off a quick Letter of Continued Interest?  What should you write?

Barrage your admissions officer with 25 fresh letters of recommendation?

Plus, your questions!

See you tonight!

What if you get deferred from your Early Decision or Early Action college?

Is it all over?

Or is it some other form of bad news?  Or possibly good news?  Something else?

What should you do, drive up and pitch a tent outside the admissions office until you can plead your case?

Send in your latest grades?

Dash off a quick LOCI (that's Letter of Continued Interest for all you acronynphiles out there)?

Barrage your admissions officer with 25 fresh letters of recommendation from non-giving alumni, your mom's sister's ex-neighbor who served as assistant vice dean of Ecogastronomy back in '83, or the guy who owns the deli where your kid buys bacon egg and cheese sandwiches (saltpepperketchup?) every morning?

I'm going to delve into these issues and more tomorrow night, during our "flash" online session, What To Do if Deferred -- How to boost your odds of acceptance to the college that deferred you.

Here's where to sign up:

ENROLL HERE

- Andy "It Ain't Over Til It's...