Come February 1st, Filing Your FAFSA May Become Easier

FAFSA and easy are not two words that one generally finds in the same sentence. However, come February 1, families that have filed their tax returns might be able to take advantage of the IRS Data Retrieval tool which should simplify the process and allow them to complete the FAFSA form by accessing data from their 2011 return. This is good news for those who are organized and fortunate enough to receive all of their W-2 and 1099 statements early. The ability to use tax returns when completing financial aid forms is just one of several things families should know as they begin the 2012-2013 financial aid process for their students who will be enrolled in college next fall.

If you are new to the financial aid process, then you may only first be learning all of the buzz words and acronyms such as FAFSA, SAR, EFC, COA and CSS/Profile. Here’s a quick primer for beginners and a review for the financial aid veterans: All colleges require that students complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) in order to qualify for federal aid. It is available January 1 each year at http://www.fafsa.gov. Both student and a parent must complete and sign the form and each must apply for a pin (http://www.pin.ed.gov) which serves as the electronic signature. Once the form is submitted, preferably electronically, families will receive a Student Aid Report (SAR) which notifies them of their Expected Family Contribution or EFC, deemed to be the amount they can afford to put towards the Cost of Attendance, or COA. Some private colleges may also require a CSS/Profile form for allocation of their institutional aid. This form is administered by the College Board and can be found on its website: http://www.collegeboard.com. Whether you must complete the FAFSA, CSS/Profile or both, you will be required to present parent and student income (prior year only for the FAFSA, two prior years for the Profile) and assets (as of the date of filing).

When is the right time to complete financial aid forms? If you are hoping to be considered for need-based aid, the time is now! And before you put this off any longer, visit the websites for each college to which your son or daughter is applying and check to see which forms the school requires as well as the submission deadlines. They may be as early as February, so do not delay!

Pressure to simplify the financial aid process has led to the development of the IRS data retrieval feature for the FAFSA. However, before you get too excited, take note of the drawbacks which may preclude you from taking advantage of this easier filing method. Married couples must file jointly, have filed their taxes at least two weeks before the college financial aid deadline (which may mean as early as January), and any subsequent amendments to the return will not be captured. If like mine, your 1099 statements inevitably arrive late in February or even March, you may be out of luck. For those up against tight deadlines, you will need to estimate your income for 2011 and amend your financial aid documents after you file your taxes.

Even if you do not qualify for need-based financial aid, you will still need to file a FAFSA if your child will borrow through the federal Stafford loan program or if you plan to take out a PLUS loan. Though neither of these loans requires that students demonstrate need, they are part of the Federal Direct Loan program (Note that some colleges also require the FAFSA for their institutional merit aid). A college’s posted filing deadline does not apply for non-need based federal aid so timing is less critical. Therefore, I recommend waiting and submitting the FAFSA after filing a tax return to avoid having to estimate income.

I welcome reader questions and specific topics you might want me to address (jane@klemmerec.com). Check back here for future posts regarding financial aid changes and updates.

Making College Affordable - Time to Speak Up

I’ve been reading a lot about the cost of college lately. The talk these days is often about how to improve transparency. Thanks to a recent government mandate, families can now go to the website of any federally funded college and try out the school’s Net Price Calculator. This new online tool will ostensibly help families and students estimate their out-of-pocket costs for a college education. That’s the good news. Yet, net cost naturally leads to a conversation about how middle and lower income families will come up with this elusive figure which is still far beyond many family budgets. In fact, Education Secretary Arne Duncan asserts that three-quarters of all Americans believe college is too expensive for most people to afford. The fact that none of this has dampened the year-over-year rise in applications is indeed mind-boggling. Even Penn State’s applications are up this year, but that’s a topic for a different post.

College has become so far out of reach for so many families that last week Mr. Duncan implored higher education officials to make college costs an urgent priority and asked that they think creatively about ways to address this profound issue for our college-going population. Meanwhile, students and families still reach for the golden ring to attend expensive and elite four year colleges, often putting themselves in debt beyond their probable ability to repay. The most recent statistics on student debt show that seniors are graduating with average loan balances in excess of $25,000. Some of this is eligible for Obama’s income-based repayment plan for federal student loans, but more and more students are forced to borrow private loans to close the gap. Interest and principal on these loans will have students repaying their student obligations for much of their adult lives, perhaps forcing them to forego or postpone putting a down payment on a home or making contributions to retirement funds. Forget about funding their own children's education.

Today the Chronicle of Higher Education published a special report, What Private College Presidents Make, which shows compensation for the leaders of our nation’s colleges and universities, and also compares the president's salary to each institution’s pay scale for its faculty. At some, not all, the gap is staggering, not unlike the discrepancies we find on Wall Street. The report is quite timely given Mr. Duncan’s remarks last week. While cutting college chief executive pay won’t in and of itself make college affordable, focusing on leadership compensation seems like a great place to start. Suffice it to say that not nearly enough has been done to stop this runaway train so that we, as parents, are not further mortgaging our own futures and watching our children do the same.

We read about the steady rise in student loan balances and defaults each year, but nothing concrete has really been done to stem the rise of what will, without a doubt, be our next sub-prime crisis. I think about this everyday as I advise families on paying for college. For many it is not really a question of whether the funds are accessible; lenders are still eager to make student loans, and there is an even more tenuous link to affordability than there was in sub-prime mortgage lending where presumably some collateral existed. It is all too easy to hide our heads in the sand and hope that miraculously our children will be able to repay the loans when the time comes and still be able to live the American Dream.

I am not suggesting that everyone go to the nearest computer and sign the Occupy Student Debt Campaign online petition which calls for student debt forgiveness, free public education and greater transparency at private colleges. However, this product of the Occupy Wall Street movement has prompted me to think about my own responsibility to my children and to the families I advise. For the first time, I am encouraged to write to my representatives in Washington and ask that they make college affordability for all students a priority. I am hoping that I can persuade others to do the same. I look down the road and wonder what will happen when college is only accessible to the truly privileged in this country while the majority is saddled with student loans they will never be able to repay. The image is painfully clear and I'm not liking what I see.

When Early Decision Makes Sense

One of the greatest misconceptions perpetuated each application season is that the best way to improve your chances of getting into college is to apply Early Decision (ED). Yes, I am fully aware that colleges such as Bucknell accept double the number of applicants ED versus regular decision and that UPenn fills 50% of its freshman class with students who apply under the binding early admission process. My beef with clinging to the notion that ED will always improve your chances is that it is not so black and white, but rather depends on several factors. One must look behind the pure percentages to truly understand what drives the numbers and who is actually getting accepted early. I am not disputing some very compelling evidence; I just want students and families to understand when it makes sense to apply early and when it does not.

Here is what the numbers don’t tell you. Many in the ED pool, especially at Division III and Ivy League schools that have Early Decision, are recruited athletes. Since these colleges are forbidden to “pay to play,” coaches encourage recruits to apply early so they can assemble their teams with greater assurance. While coaches cannot guarantee acceptance, they often have a liaison in the admission office to vet athletes before they get too far into the process. Legacies, as well, may have an edge especially if they apply early, so this probably encourages a disproportionate number of applications from those with family ties.

That may not leave as many spots as you first thought for non-athletes and those with no prior connection to a school. However, don’t despair. Colleges like students who demonstrate interest and what better way to do that than to apply ED? Moreover, a higher proportion of Early Decision acceptances improves a college’s yield, or the percentage of students who accept an offer. The yield for ED accepted students is theoretically 100% so the more students admitted under this program, the higher yield a college can report. Yet schools also want to maintain or raise their standardized test score and GPA averages which ultimately translate into better rankings. In other words, they must balance the management of yield with showing stable or improving student academic ranges.

Who should apply to college under a binding Early Decision program? Students who are certain beyond any doubt that this is where they want to go AND who are within the college’s range of accepted students for both test scores and GPA are most likely to benefit from applying ED. True, a student at the low end of the range may have a better chance of admission applying early, but that individual usually offers some other desirable attribute. If an applicant is below the college’s ranges, an early application will likely meet with an early rejection which never feels good, especially if friends are bubbling over with news of their acceptances. Not only is this wasting a possible ED option, but it means that potentially the first response from colleges will be a negative one. If a student has not completed his or her other applications, it may be tough to get motivated, a real problem if the deadlines are now only two weeks away.

Early Decision is generally not a good plan for a student who hopes to improve his or her grades. If the first semester senior year grades are especially important for showing maturity and growth, then better to wait and be considered in the regular pool of applicants. A positive trend will be favorably noted. Applying early will mean that the student gives up an opportunity to share this important piece of his or her story.

Finally, ED may not make sense for students who are dependent upon financial assistance. More and more colleges are gapping, as they are unable to fully meet demonstrated need. If there is a concern about whether the financial aid will be sufficient, I advise students to apply regular decision to be in a position to compare offers. In some cases, this might even give the student leverage with a first choice college should the package for a comparable school be materially better.

Deciding where to apply to college will likely be a young person’s most significant life decision to date. Choosing to apply Early Decision should be made with the care, deliberation and thorough evaluation of all the factors that such an important decision warrants.

Tour de North Carolina - A Great Way to Visit Colleges

The first week in July I discovered that touring colleges by bike with a group of college counselors is an ideal way to experience the warmth (both literally and figuratively) and charm of the South. Towels, box lunches, water bottles, granola bars and power gel greeted us at the schools. We dined like kings and queens during our stay and were treated to accommodations worthy of upper classmen students! Though campuses are quieter during the summer months with far fewer students, we took advantage of the trade-off: lots of face time with admission deans and directors, faculty and even a college president. A chance to hear what’s on the minds of the deans can give one an interesting perspective on a university, its mission and goals. It provides a different lens into the heart and soul of a college.

North Carolina is home to wonderful state and private universities. My trip took me to eight of them, ranging in size from under 1,500 students, up to the largest, NC State, which enrolls 25,000 undergraduates. It is difficult to identify anything that all of these colleges share in common, but I managed to find that one thing. Red brick! With no exception, every college we visited sported stately brick-paved walks and old Virginia red brick structures. The ubiquitous red buildings and lush greens added a certain charm and gentility to many of the campuses we visited.

We started our tour at NC State in Raleigh which occupies a 1900 acre campus dotted with historic buildings along side modern state-of-the-art facilities. The recognized university for “techies” in the Tar Heel State, NC State offers 18 engineering majors and boasts strength in textiles and design. The university, well regarded for its basketball, is eager to make known its academic brawn too, and attract more students from outside North Carolina. Students who get their applications in by the November 1 early action date will automatically be considered for merit aid.

Leaving NC State, we headed west to UNC Chapel Hill. One of the newcomers this year to the CommonApp, Chapel Hill is anticipating a 20% increase in applications, making this highly selective school all that more competitive, especially for out-of-state students for whom enrollment is capped at 18%. There is better news for transfers, however, where the cap does not apply. Despite the university’s selectivity, Steve Farmer, Associate Provost and Director of Undergraduate Admissions, emphasized that they do not seek out the highly competitive Type A personality students. “A lot of smart kids and a great heart” is how he would characterize the student body which has an especially high commitment to community service. UNC Chapel Hill is now encouraging students to take a gap year with its newly formed Global Gap Year Fellowship Program, made possible with an anonymous $1.5 million grant, giving 30 admitted students the opportunity to do a year of international service. At this most prestigious UNC, every student gets a liberal arts education, regardless of field of study. For financial assistance, the university describes itself as “need conscious,” meaning that it makes every effort to make UNC affordable to admitted students who would otherwise be unable to attend.

We arrived at Elon after a 40 mile ride and just ahead of sunset which meant we had to wait until the morning to explore this beautifully lush and expansive campus. A midsize university with just over 5,000 students, Elon has a clear mission, founded on five principles: leadership, research, internships, international and service. Like UNC Chapel Hill, Elon is also encouraging accepted students to consider a gap year with its newly formed program that includes a National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) experience and a service learning component in Costa Rica. Also new at Elon is its spring admit program for a select group of students who were not accepted for fall term. Academics are strong in many disciplines, though perhaps the university is best known for its fine business, communications and performing arts programs. A new multi-faith center is on the drawing board. Elon offers academic, community service and performing art scholarships.

Towels and bottles of ice cold water never looked better than those that greeted us at Guilford College in midday. A Quaker school of just over 2,000 students, Guilford is a bit of an anomaly in North Carolina. More hippie than preppie, the students are passionate about their causes and at the top of the list is the environment. Sustainability is the buzz word here and appears to drive every decision and practice. Since many of its building are included in the National Historic Register, Guilford has gone to great effort to preserve the history while upgrading facilities to meet its “green” standards. We toured the expansive organic gardens and viewed the composting process. How many colleges do you know that have their own bike shop? Students can rent bikes for a nominal fee while also reducing their carbon footprint. Not surprisingly, two popular majors are Peace and Conflict Studies and Justice and Policy Studies.

Our final destination day 2 was High Point University located in the furniture capital of the world. Every building on this pristine campus of mostly new construction is adorned with beautiful furnishings, and students have exceptional facilities available to them. Calming classical music can be heard outdoors throughout the day as one strolls past benches with seated statues of historic figures in science, literature government and the arts. The focus on the physical surroundings is by design; High Point believes that exposing students to fine service and beautifully appointed facilities will foster a stronger sense of respect and responsibility among its graduates. High Point is in a growth phase, both for its physical plant and in student population. With just 400 freshmen a few years ago, the university will grow to 5,000 undergrads over the next few years, while also expanding programs and majors. “Undecided” is the second most popular major, yet business, communications and education are big draws, and interior design is surely a signature major. High Point offers many academic scholarships and the cost of attendance of approximately $40,000 is substantially less than the most expensive private colleges. However, the college admittedly “gaps” students, so it may be difficult for students to attend who have significant financial need.

A hilly route to Wake Forest gave us a sense of things to come as we headed west…more hills! This test optional private university of just over 4,000 undergrads has a small community feel, while being part of a larger research university with professional schools in law, medicine, business and theology. Wake’s application process in a word: thorough! At a time when many colleges are dispensing with evaluative interviews, Wake has moved in the other direction and now requires them for all applicants, in person or by Skype. Intellectual curiosity, passion and an awareness of the world outside the individual’s own sphere are what they seek to uncover through the comprehensive process. Wake Forest wears proudly its often used moniker: “Work” Forest. Students don’t mind telling you that they study harder than most, but they play hard too. Greek life permeates the social scene and sports, especially basketball, are big at this Division I school. If you happen to visit the campus after a big athletic victory, don’t be surprised to find the Quad blanketed in toilet paper, as students partake in “rolling the Quad” to celebrate the event. While Wake has many strong academic programs, business and political science are the most popular majors. Construction of a new business school will break ground this year.

Catawba College, with just 1300 students, may not be well known outside of North Carolina, but don’t overlook this theatre and music powerhouse. The music department is one of only 12 in the nation that offers popular music as a major, with an emphasis on songwriting and performance in every type of popular genre, as well as the business side of music. The theatre department is all encompassing, with strength in both performance and production. I am not a fan of rankings, but I feel compelled to share that Princeton Review ranks its musical theatre program #1 in the country. Other popular areas of study are business and athletic training. The Center for the Environment has recently spearheaded a program for clean air. Catawba is affiliated with the United Church of Christ and still enjoys a strong relationship with the church, though religion courses are not required, nor is the weekly worship service. Students do take advantage of the Lilly Center for Vocation and Values which encourages self journey to find the right life vocational calling. Despite the religious affiliation, the college has more of a community spirit than religious feel.

On my final full day we cycled to Davidson College located in the heart of the charming and quaint town that bears its name. Davidson straddles two identities. With just 1,800 students, Davidson looks and feels very much like a small New England liberal arts college. However, the Davidson Wildcats compete with far bigger rivals in Division I athletics and are most recognized for the basketball team that reached the final eight at the NCAA tournament in 2008. Davidson’s celebrated honor code governs all aspects of academic and student life and is a declaration embraced by students and faculty alike. Despite the economic downturn, the college remains committed to the Davidson Trust and its philosophy that the college’s education should be available and affordable for all qualified students. Davidson was one of the first colleges to dispense with loans for students demonstrating financial need, and claims that it will not back away from this policy though others have as endowments have suffered. The college also awards merit aid to approximately 10% of students, with grants ranging in size from $1,000 to full cost.

There is no substitute for visiting college campuses, but nothing compares to a taking that journey on a bike, carrying one’s own gear and spending the night in the college’s dorms. It takes a little more effort and preparation, including the physical training, but the perspective that one gets on each school is unique and personal. I can’t think of a more enjoyable or enlightening way to visit colleges!

Hobbies are not just for College Applications

When it comes time to fill out college applications many students panic at the thought of having to list their extra-curricular activities. They question whether they have enough activities, the “right” ones, and if their list will persuade the admission staff of their commitment to these pursuits. “If I don’t have a passion, will colleges even consider me?” is the unproductive thought that plays repeatedly in many students’ heads. Sometimes I wonder if the pressure to pursue “extra-curricular activities” actually discourages less confident or rebellious students from getting involved. The shame of it is that engaging in activities often becomes more about impressing college admissions than finding pleasure and meaning in one’s non-academic pursuits. The focus on figuring out what colleges want to see is misguided; the more important question is: are you developing and exploring interests and hobbies that provide personal satisfaction and which will continue to enrich your life, even beyond college?

We engage in hobbies for a variety of reasons, but largely for personal fulfillment and to give purpose to our lives. It’s about choice, not obligation. Whether social or solitary, active or sedentary, philanthropic or artistic, the things we do that are individually meaningful can trigger the release of pleasure-inducing dopamine or lead us to form new social groups with people who share our interests. But one of the best things about hobbies is that it is never too late to discover new ones. Take it from me; last year I more or less traded in my running sneakers for cycling shoes. I signed up for a college counselor bike tour in southern California because it seemed like a great way to visit colleges, share the experience with colleagues and get some heart-pumping outdoor exercise. What I had not anticipated is that I would become hooked on cycling.

This summer once again I am participating in the college counselor bike tour. Our destination is to the south: North Carolina colleges and universities. Last year at this time I was marking off the days to the trip, filled with a mix of excitement and trepidation. New to cycling, I had concerns about keeping the pace, conquering hills, carrying my own gear and releasing my toe clips with sufficient time before a stop to avoid falling. I had premonitions of an embarrassing Arte Johnson moment, toppling over on my bike in a klutzy move reminiscent of the Laugh-In tricycle routine…a self-fulfilling prophesy.

With just 12 days until this year’s trip (and counting), I have no anxiety and feel only the excitement. I have already experienced the adrenaline rush that for me comes with the joy of cycling and sharing the ride with other adventurous counselors. Hobbies can also motivate us to challenge ourselves and improve our skills. I am a stronger rider today and therefore, more confident. I am happy to report that I no longer get stuck in my toe clips.

Many of my friends from last summer have also decided to participate again this year, anticipating another action packed week of great cycling, plenty of laughs and lots of support. The cycling trip takes us to Duke, NC State, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Elon, Guilford, High Point, Wake Forest, Catawba, Davidson and Queens College. We carry our own clothes and gear, and stay in dorms; it will be as close as possible to a true college experience. I actually visited many of these colleges as recently as two years ago, traveling by bus with a group of independent educational consultants. Even so, it never occurred to me to pass up this bike trip. The cycling, the camaraderie, the exercise, and yes, the professional benefits inspire me. I always gain something new from subsequent campus visits, whether it’s a different perspective or the reinforcement of something I had previously learned. This time around my vantage point will be different; after all, I will arrive on each campus by the power of my well-trained legs, my bike and my determination.

There is no one path to uncovering our passions and interests. I first happened upon the counselor bike tour and took up cycling after reading a posting on a college related listserv. One’s interests are sparked through exposure, receptiveness to new things, a suggestion from a friend, but most importantly, through self knowledge and an understanding for what makes us happy. When the interest is genuine, the commitment and endorphins will follow. That’s what will get a college’s attention.

What China Can Teach Us about the Value of Liberal Learning

Are American parents appalled or threatened by what author Amy Chua portrays as the excessively demanding Chinese approach to education and childrearing in her best-selling book, Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mom? Many of us defend our less-disciplined, more permissive style of parenting by citing the creativity and superior critical thinking skills that our approach fosters. Our children’s generation may lose ground to the Chinese on math rankings, but they will have the lock on thinking out of the box. Is this a fact or our convenient rationalization?

Thomas L. Friedman’s Op Ed article in yesterday’s (June 15, 2011) New York Times (Justice Goes Global), may throw that argument under the bus. The same Chinese culture that emphasizes rote learning over creative thought could be on the verge of a metamorphosis. Friedman points out that the person recently named most influential foreign figure in a China Newsweek special issue is not a powerful business executive or politician, but rather a popular Harvard political philosopher named Michael J. Sandel. How did a U.S. professor become a Chinese superstar? With the help of technology, Professor Sandel’s classroom is now virtual; his public television philosophy course series is available online and has gained popularity around the globe, even in China.

Sandel’s classes explore issues of morality and justice. Students are encouraged and expected to challenge, debate and reason with each other in the classroom. Access to Professor Sandel’s lectures has been greeted with much enthusiasm in China and elsewhere in Asia. Educators and students have begun to recognize the power of discussion-based learning and see the strong connection to creativity and innovation. In at least one Chinese university, the undergraduate education is experiencing a major reform that will incorporate deeper philosophical thinking, reasoning and debate into the curriculum.

Friedman suggests that questions of morality and justice are global issues which students everywhere can and are eager to discuss and debate on a deeper level. Even the Chinese have come to recognize the benefits of liberal learning, the responsibility to challenge and question, as a means to produce more innovative and creative thinkers. Kudos to China, though we shouldn’t treat too lightly the significance of this potentially radical change in the country's approach to education. We have already lost ground to Asia in the production of scientists, engineers and professionals in other STEM fields. What might it mean for U.S. productivity and leadership if China and other Asian nations adopt an academic model that will emphasize innovation too? I’m not suggesting that we obsess about U.S. world dominance. Yet we should not overlook the connection between critical and innovative thinking skills and economic security. These are the skills that will enable future generations to create and keep jobs and industry in the U.S.

Herein lays the value of a liberal arts education. A student’s major is almost irrelevant. The more pertinent factor is whether students are compelled to question, challenge, debate and think critically while exploring issues across a broad spectrum of disciplines. Though it is easy to comprehend why students in today’s economy feel a need to pursue a more concrete course of study directly identified as pre-professional training, in the long run the absence of the critical thinking piece will catch up with us.

So as we compare our parenting style to those of our Chinese counterparts, we should not assume too hastily that we have the inside track on creativity and innovative thought. Strict discipline will probably continue to be the childrearing norm in Chinese households. However, let’s not be lulled into a false sense of security about our creative edge. They just might not be too far behind in that department too.

You Think the Admission Process is Tough? – Just Ask the Dean!

As parents of high school students who will soon embark upon or have just completed the application cycle, we tend to have a myopic view of the admission process. It is all about us (and hopefully our children are included in that plural first person pronoun). We succumb to the anxiety that the admission process can create, and pray that the outcome will be relief and joy rather than disappointment. Would it surprise you to learn that college admission folk are equally stressed this time of year? No, I am not naïve enough to believe I am preaching to a sympathetic audience. However, I think it is useful to see the colleges’ perspective in order to better comprehend how it drives their decision processes.

Eric Hoover, a staff writer for the Chronicle of Higher Education, addressed the topic of greater admission uncertainty in his May 8, 2011 article, “Admissions Deans Feel Crunched by the Numbers.” Through interviews with deans and staff at five colleges, Hoover explored some of the global issues confronting universities and how these institutions are managing in such uncertain times. The bottom line: colleges, like all businesses, must hit their numbers in order to survive. Any shortfall in enrollment, especially without a comparable reduction in costs, can have consequences with material implications for future financial health.

The question facing all universities today is how to instill predictability in a system that has become anything but certain. Larger waitlists and other strategies have been designed to counter the effects of the almost inevitable “summer melt.” Villanova, just one of many such examples, offered a waitlist spot to nearly 5,000 candidates, more than three times the size of its expected freshmen class. Colleges know that they have not finalized the class by the May 1 National Tuition Deposit Day. There will always be students who change their minds mid to late summer because they get off a first-choice waitlist, finally make a late decision after double depositing (which, by the way, runs counter to the National Association for College Admission Counseling’s Statement of Principles of Good Practice), or simply choose to withdraw due to late stage reservations or financial concerns.

So in addition to larger waitlists, colleges are pursuing strategies to discourage double depositing and to increase predictability, evidenced by Beloit College’s decision to increase its deposit fee from $200 to $500 last year. The result: the college’s summer melt shrank by 60%. In its quest for more certainty, Beloit also decided to capitalize on its reputation for having a quirky, offbeat culture. Rather than marketing to everyone, the college is taking the opposite tack; it makes no apologies for consciously not waiving application fees and actually discourages students who probably would not find Beloit the right fit. Theoretically this should be a win for the college while also benefiting students. Applicants are more likely to self select; they apply because they see themselves fitting in, not because it is an easy additional application to submit. With fewer, though more serious applicants, colleges like Beloit that are clear about who they are may have a higher admit rate. Yet they are hopeful that this will translate into a more robust yield too.

Others schools such as the University of Mary Washington in Virginia have adopted a strategy to seek out a group of less traditional applicants: transfer students. As community college enrollment increases due to students' personal financial limitations, colleges such as Mary Washington have begun to establish credit-transfer agreements with certain two-year institutions. The community college route is gaining respectability as a more cost efficient means to a four-year college degree and Mary Washington is capitalizing on that trend.

Land grant universities, which were established to educate in-state residents, are exploring new ways to counter severe budget cuts, including the enrollment of more out-of-state students who pay higher tuition. One university, Colorado State, has begun to offer three levels of scholarships specifically for non-residents who meet certain academic benchmarks. This tuition discounting strategy is designed to attract more out-of-state candidates who will still pay more than their in-state classmates, yet will have the opportunity to attend a desirable state university at a more reasonable cost.

Mr. Hoover’s research reveals ways that colleges are taking a more strategic approach to enrollment in order to effectively navigate an environment of uncertainty and re-focus their recruitment. How does this impact our students and us, as parents? As we help our children through the college admission process and also strive for greater certainty and less stress, making the effort to understand a college’s message, objectives and whether it is the right fit can also lead to better and more predictable outcomes for our kids.