College Ready Basics

Are you a parent /grandparent of a high school student who is thinking about college but doesn't know where to start?
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Are you a high school student who needs help figuring out the college enrollment process?
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Download the College Ready Basics Workbook for FREE.
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Link in Bio. Use Code: BlkHistory
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Soft Launch of the 2024–25 FAFSA® Form

The 2024–25 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) form is available periodically as part of our soft launch. During the soft launch, the FAFSA form will be available for short periods of time while we monitor site performance and form functionality. We will initiate pauses for site maintenance and to make technical updates as needed to provide you with a better experience.

Thinking about College but not sure where to start?
College Ready Basics can help you get clarity on your students academic & social preferences, understand the admissions process and strategize ways to fund their education.

Colleges are accepting applications for 2024. Schedule visit, ask questions and start the application process.

📣Attention Parents 📣. Do you have a HS Junior or Senior who wants to go to college but is not sure where to start? START HERE. 👉 Before You Apply College Readiness Workbook is on sale.
⏩Use Code Back2School.⏪ LINK IN BIO

https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/collegefinancialprep/episodes/College-Financial-Preps-Preparing-For-College-podcast-with-Shawna-Dae-Cohen-Of-College-Ready-Basics-e26uhhp

If you, or someone you know, lives in Cobb County Georgia with a young adult who is looking for career opportunities - internships, career readiness, GED assistance or career counseling, Worksource Cobb may be a great place to start.
https://www.worksourcecobb.org/boss

Graduation season is coming! I know college isn't for everyone. But if you or someone you know wants to start a professional career without spending the next four years in college, then check out these 3 alternatives.

Just wanted to pass along this information. Click the link for complete scholarship details. https://bold.org/scholarships/hbcu-stem-scholarship/

Developing these skills will benefit you both personally and professionally.

I know college isn't for everyone.

📒 But if you have a child who is considering college but isn't sure where or how to start the process download a copy of Before You Apply - College Readiness Workbook. Use the discount code FEB2023 to get 40%. https://payhip.com/b/BMUpc

📒 If you've started the college admissions process and want to make sure you're on the right path, schedule your free strategy call. https://calendly.com/collegereadybasics/consultation

Fall 2023 Application Deadlines are approaching. Have you applied?

What actions are you taking over the holiday break to prepare for the college application process?

Be sure to download your free copy of my College Application Basics: 6 Things you should know about the College Admissions Process. https://payhip.com/CollegeReadyBasics

Let’s be honest. helping your high school student apply for college can be stressful and overwhelming for anyone. But if your child is the first one in your family to go to college, the stress of the application process is increased significantly. So today, let me introduce you to College Ready Basics.

At College Ready Basics we help parents and students understand and navigate the college admissions and financial aid process.

So if you're ready but you don't know where to start, download a Free copy of our College Application Basics. https://payhip.com/CollegeReadyBasics

If you have a high school senior...

College applications are open for fall 2023. Many colleges have eliminated standardized test or made them optional. Be sure to carefully review the admissions requirements and don't be surprised to see that colleges are requiring additional items and/or higher GPAs.

There are a few differences between Public/State and Private Colleges understanding the differences can help you make a more informed decision about which one is best for you.

There is a growing number of parents who are looking for alternatives to public school education. If you are a parent who is considering a homeschool program for your children or a private Christian school please do your research/homework before you make that move. Some of these programs are not accredited or not accredited by a recognized accrediting body - Accreditation basically means that the school maintains a certain level of educational standards - If your son or daughter graduates from an unaccredited high school or home school program and they intend to go to college they will, more than likely, have to provide additional documents to be considered for college admissions. In some cases they may even be required to take the GED test. Be prepared. That's all.

Dual Enrollment/Joint Enrollment/Concurrent Enrollment

Dual Enrollment also known as Concurrent Enrollment or Joint Enrollment is an opportunity for High School students to earn college credits while still in high school. Almost half of the states in the US have some form of a Dual Enrollment program.

The types of Dual Enrollment programs, as well as, the cost and the requirements can vary from state to state. However, there are some states where the cost of the college classes and books are covered by the state. If the cost of Dual Enrollment is covered by the state that can be a huge savings towards the overall cost of college tuition.

For example, in the state of Georgia eligible students can earn up to 30 college credit hours while still in high school - that’s essentially one year of college for free.

Some colleges only look at the Unweighted GPA. Make sure you know the difference.

Before you pick up the phone to call the college here are 5 things you can do to ensure you are getting the help you need.

Call the Right Office. This sounds obvious but colleges and universities oftentimes have departments that seem similar but have completely different functions. For example, if you need to pay tuition in most cases you would call the Bursar’s Office or the Business Office, not Financial Aid.

Be Specific. Calling to ask to speak to an Advisor can easily have you going down a rabbit hole. Colleges can have different types of Advisors - Academic Advisors, Financial Aid Advisors & Faculty Advisors (to name a few) - being specific will ensure that you are getting to the right person.

Write It Down. If you have a lot of questions or very detailed questions write them down. Write down the answers and whatever the next steps are. Write down the name of the person you’re speaking with. Writing down your questions, answers, and contact is a time saver and it makes it easier to refer back to the conversation when you have to follow up.

Leave a Voicemail. Of course, we want you to leave your name and phone number but if you’re calling on behalf of your son or daughter it’s actually more important to leave their full name. That way when the person calls you back he/she can already have your child's information pulled up.

Follow-Up. When you’re trying to make sure that your child's admissions application is complete don’t just assume that all the documents (transcripts, test scores, essays) have been received. Follow up a few weeks before the deadline so that if something is missing there is still time to get it. Not following up can be the difference between your child getting accepted or getting denied.

Applying to and preparing for college can be a stressful time for anyone. But if you are the parent of a First-Gen student you may feel even more anxious because you aren’t familiar with the admissions and enrollment process. Don’t worry, colleges and universities have resources specifically designed for First-Gen students and parents. Not sure where to start, here are 3 things you can do.

1. Ask what resources and programs are available that meet the unique needs of the First-gen student and parent.

2. Familiarize yourself with the language of college. College administrators use a lot of phrases and terms that are not necessarily common in everyday conversation; if you’re not sure what a phrase means - just Ask.

3. Attend Orientation. Many colleges have parent and family sessions during new student orientation. It’s a great way to connect with other parents, meet with various departments and get a feel for student life and the campus culture.

College Ready Basics updated their business hours.