I’ve spent the last week-and-a-half renewing friendships and getting to know new admissions counsellors and college advising professionals from across the world ? in one of the largest meetings of college admission professionals annually — the International Association for College Admission Counseling Conference at Rutgers University in New Jersey and Chicagoland College Tour. It’s been a reaffirmation of some things I already knew; some information on ever-changing financial aid policies and possibilities to be expected in an increasingly complex and dynamic field; new issues being faced by students and colleges alike, and new institutional responses. Here are three of the ?#majorkeys parents and students should know:

Financial aid is going to be disbursed earlier

Financial aid is going to be disbursed earlier

This year for the first time, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid will be released in October, three months before its traditional release date of January, for students seeking aid for the 2017-2018 academic year. The form will allow parents to complete it using prior-prior year tax returns and income information. Many colleges will start to release funding upon submission of this form — and in many places, when the money is done, it’s done! This important change means parents need to get organised even earlier than before.

International students seeking financial aid continue to be in the most difficult position

International students seeking financial aid are less likely to be admitted to most US universities as they pursue a need-aware policy and the competition intensifies. This summer, one parent wrote to a prominent competitive university withdrawing the application for financial aid and just like that, the student was removed from the waiting list and given a confirmed offer of admission. Colleges have limited budgets for funding international students as they are fulfilling their diversity / international quota with paying international students. So this means two things: if parents need/want financial aid or scholarships, they need to ensure their child is in the top 5-10 per cent of the students the school will admit, OR they need to consider schools that are in their budget. Now, if you’re focusing on need-blind schools like Amherst, Harvard, MIT, Princeton or Yale, you may disregard this advice. Either way, the right college list remains the MOST important — apply to schools for which you/your child will not just scrape into, but be among the most competitive to be admitted. For example, at a school with a published admit rate of 25 – 30 per cent, the admit rate for internationals seeking financial aid is usually below five per cent. That’s harder than Harvard!

Here is my advice:

Here is my advice:

• If your income is too high to qualify for need-based aid (top-tier schools only give money based on need), then apply to schools that give merit aid!

• Look beyond schools with a big brand name (and a big price tag!), focus on fit for student, quality of programme, AND cost. Think about your child’s long-term goals — perhaps you should instead save for postgraduate studies instead of spending it all on undergraduate? Look for a deal — there are so many, many great deals out there! I met with fantastic public universities offering in-state tuition, others offering extensive credit for CAPE and IB courses, thus allowing students to graduate in three years (saving a year of tuition/expenses!), and students can live off campus and thus save a lot from room and board expenses, etc.

Nicole McLaren Campbell is the founder and CEO of Aim Educational Services, an independent college admissions counsellor, and public speaker. Contact her at

nicole@aimeduservices.com

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