However, most people are never taught specific goal-setting processes that will allow them to achieve the things they want more quickly and more easily. Oddly, there are few opportunities in the average school for students to set and prioritize goals for themselves, or to learn the most effective strategies for making those identified goals become realities.

While you’re usually busy on any typical school day, it is important to sit down on a regular basis to look at where you’ve been, where you are, and where you’re going. Goals are essential to help you get to where you want to be.

Here are five steps to help achieve any goal you set in life:

1. Start at the finish line. Take several minutes to envision your goal already achieved. Let your mind unwind and allow yourself to soak in the feeling of what it would truly be like to accomplish this goal for yourself.  What will your life be like, once your dream has happened?

2. Write it down! It helps to visualize and track your progress towards identified goals. Write down explicitly what the goal consists of. For example, “I will apply to my top 5 colleges within the next 45 days.” Be specific and make sure to include a deadline.

3.  Make a plan. Starting at the end with your goal achieved and working backwards, break your goal into action steps. Each step is one thing you personally can do — one action that must be taken — in order for your goal to be achieved.  Again, start with the end in mind and plan backwards — it will be easier than plotting ahead into the unknown.

4.  Work the plan. Now, take the first step in your plan. Put one foot in front of the other and start down the path of achieving any goal or dream in your life. This is often the hardest part of achieving goals. Don’t let the size of your goal scare you.  Just set out to accomplish the next step or task in your plan. Once that is done, move on to the next step. Rinse and repeat.  Forward progress comes in small increments, but it accumulates quickly.

5.  Measure how far you go. If you take the time to make a goal, but then never refer back to it, create an action plan, and track your progress, then the time you spend on the whole process is not only a waste, but the goals and dreams you’ve set for yourself are unlikely to be accomplished.  Measure what’s important and make sure that what you actually accomplish matches what you set out to do.

Working hard and sticking to it will put you on the fast-track to getting where you want to be. Learning how to set and implement goals now will give you a tool you can use for life, and will put you ahead of the crowd later on in your studies and in your career.

In addition to making a positive impression with admissions officers, there are numerous benefits that come from volunteer work. Being an active citizen in a community, feeling the impact of making a difference in the lives of others, and the leadership and empowerment that develops as a result of volunteering are readily attainable for students who participate in volunteer activities.  The key to volunteer work that is beneficial to the college application and the student’s professional and personal development is a sustained commitment to volunteer activities. It may not be easy, but sustained volunteer activities are the ones that hold the most value in terms of the college application, leadership development and life lessons.

Volunteering will work the best toward a student’s advantage if the volunteer work is done:

1. Truly on a voluntary basis;  and

2. In an area or toward a goal the student is passionate about.

This may not seem like a big deal at first, but unfortunately, volunteer work done without a true sense of purpose and determination will be reflected in college applications and essays. Such a lack of purpose will also be obvious when the topic comes up in a college interview.

There are many opportunities for people to make a big difference. Prospective college students should go after those opportunities that interest them most. Doing so will shine through in their work and on their college applications. If you are up to the challenge that volunteering presents, then it shouldn’t be hard to find an organization, group or club in your area that supports a sustained volunteering commitment to something that you feel strongly about. Doing so could make a world of difference, not only for your education but for your entire life.

Here are some of the considerations that dictate that amount:

1.   Savings

2.   Parent’s income (if the student is dependent)

3.   Assets: Both taxable and untaxable

4.   Social Security, Unemployment payments, etc.

5.   Family size

6.   Number of family members attending college for that aid year

The tool used to analyze these factors is called the FAFSA, or Free Application for Federal Student Aid. The FAFSA is a long, detailed questionnaire designed to determine how much a family earns, what savings are set aside for college, etc. The FAFSA can take anywhere from as little as an hour to as much as a day or two to complete, depending on how well prepared you are with documents, tax returns, etc.

The FAFSA website has a document checklist that can help save time during the application process by identifying the specific documents needed at hand when filing the FAFSA. The secure online version is quick, easy to follow and automatically helps with troubleshooting to reduce the time it takes to process the application. The quickest way to receive your results is to fill out a FAFSA on the Web. It will be signed electronically via a unique PIN number that is connected to your email address where you can receive email messages from the U.S. Department of Education.

Here are some helpful sites that also explain EFC and the FAFSA process in greater detail.

• Definition of EFC
• Expected Family Contribution (EFC) Calculator
• FAQ regarding FAFSA, FAFSA on the Web, and EFC
• Applying for a PIN

It is important to remember that these tools do not guarantee the amount of money your family will have to pay for college or the exact amount of federal student aid you will receive. Instead, the FAFSA is used by schools to determine the amount of federal student aid a student is eligible to receive.

Although it may seem like a tedious and confusing process at times, devoting a little extra time now to the college planning and financing process will likely save you time, money and energy as you prepare for college.

Why? After all, it’s a given that she represents one of those “core” subjects from which colleges like to hear. And it’s also pretty likely that she’s got a great command of the English language; she could make your student sound wonderful.

But –  There’s nothing terribly inspiring or unique about a letter of recommendation from the English teacher who offers up dozens of them in any given year. If your student truly wants to be noticed, a great recommendation from the right person can go a long way to opening college doors.   Like —

Alumni

While legacy benefits may only occur for the kids and grandkids of alumni, knowing an influential alumnus can help an unrelated student. Have your student reach out to any adult who has attended a college in which she’s interested. Obviously, the letter-writer needs to know her well and be willing to describe in glowing detail why she’d be a good fit to his alma mater.

Faculty

Professors, coaches and other faculty within a desired college are also good people to tap for letters of recommendation. As with any request, it matters most that your student have a preexisting relationship with the faculty member. So if your student is a high school freshman, it’s time to find out who he knows in the world of academia and how he might begin to forge relationships.

Bosses

College admission officers love to see qualities like leadership, responsibility and maturity from their candidates. Because your student spends so much time in a classroom, it’s likely that the people who see this most on display are teachers and advisors. However, her boss at a part time job, in which she’s gone above and beyond, could be just the person to offer an outside look at your young adult.

Likewise, if your student has begun an internship in a field he wants to pursue, his supervisor is the perfect letter-writer choice. Particularly if your student wants to go to school to major in the discipline, his on-the-job mentor could have real insight as to just how well your student will fare in the classes and in the field.

Community Leaders

From Senators and Congressmen at the top, to further down the political and community food chain, it’s invaluable if someone held in high regard holds your student up as a model example of a worthy young adult. Look to leaders in the community and business world for letters of recommendation. If your student has done volunteer work that has gotten the positive attention of higher-ups, or has a relationship with people of influence, she needs to reach out while the relationship is fresh. And remind her, as she asks, that some professionals see the request as a chance to have a hand in a future world.

One in which your student is an important positive player.

Your student not only has to be a stellar and consistent athlete; she has to demonstrate strong leadership qualities on and off the field. Winning games, breaking records and keeping video evidence of it all to present to prospective athletic scouts, coaches and directors is one way to get noticed. Leading her team as captain at a championship victory that draws national attention is an even more sure-fire method for receiving accolades and offers from college coaches.

Using a bit of number logic, it may seem obvious that your student is more likely to land a spot on the college fencing team than the baseball team. A smaller pool of avid fencers means the competition is slimmer. However, there are also fewer schools that field fencing competitions. Really, your student should follow his passion. That said, how many high-school athletes make it to the NCAA? It’s still good to know that while only 3% of high school basketball boys make it to the NCAA, almost 11% of players will go on to play college hockey. And while most football teams have huge rosters, their 6% rate is lower than baseball at 6.4%.

Whichever sport your student hopes to play in college, she’ll have to start the process by registering with the NCAA Eligibility Center.  Have her access the center’s website and register at the start of her junior year. Until she receives the NCAA stamp of approval, she’ll be ineligible for D1 or D2 college play and any accompanying athletic scholarships.

While your student won’t be fully qualified for NCAA play until after he graduates from high school, beginning the process early enough helps to assure he’ll meet NCAA criteria. Among NCAA requirements are minimum GPAs and test scores for SAT or ACT exams. Depending upon the division, your student will be required to complete a certain number of core courses from his high school curriculum. Your student will also need to verify his amateur athletic status before receiving NCAA certification; professional athletes need not apply!

As your student charts her course to college athletics, she and her athletic abilities may be pursued by scouts and coaches from a variety of campuses. However, be aware that only D1 and D2 schools are allowed to offer athletic scholarships. She may well get to play D3 and receive financial aid offers –just not those tied to her athletic ability.

Amid all of the other statistics, they published a new benchmark of what SAT score would typically predict a college freshman’s success.

In particular, they said a score of 1550 (out of 2400, combined reading+math+writing) gave about a 65% probability of the freshman year ending with a B- average or better.

Check out the graph here, and tell me what you think.

http://www.waterfrontcollegeplanning.com/private/College Success & SAT Scores.pdf

Similar resources are at http://www.waterfrontcollegeplanning.com/resources.php

Thieves like to target people under 30 years old for a few reasons:

1. Easy access- Large populations of young people are concentrated on college campuses. In one town, a thief could set his sights on any one of tens of thousands of students.

2. Easy targets – Students may not have much experience protecting their identity. Most student haven’t yet bought cars or homes, so they may not be as “identity-aware” when it comes to protecting their private information.

3. Easy money – Students have cash in the bank. While they may not have lofty budgets, most students do have some money in a bank account for expenses and emergencies. Criminals are aware of that fact.

Having your identity stolen can have dire consequences. In addition to the obvious loss of your money, savings and reserve funds could also be drained, along with your credit and name damaged. Insurance policies, home or car loans, housing and even employment in some places is conditional upon your credit score, typically one of the first things that destroyed by an identity thief.

With your name and financial future at stake, it’s obvious that protecting your identity on campus should be a top concern. No one else is watching out for your identity. That’s your job. So, what can be done? Here are several smart, easy tips provided by the Better Business Bureau.

Secure your mail. Campus mailboxes are often easily accessed in a dorm or apartment. Have sensitive mail sent to a permanent address such as your parents’ home or invest in a secure post office box.

Don’t share too much on social networks. Identity fraud is twice as common for people who have been on social networking sites for five years or more. Research found those not using privacy settings on their networks were at a higher risk of exposing crucial information to fraudsters.

Important documents should be securely stored. This includes your social security card, passport and bank and credit card statements. Shred all paper documents that contain sensitive financial information and any credit card offers that come in the mail.

Never loan your credit or debit card to anyone. If you feel the need to pay for a friend’s meal or a tank of gas, go with them instead. Avoid co-signing for a loan or other financing.

Make sure your computer software is up to date. Many public Wi-Fi systems can be susceptible to hackers, especially those that are not password-protected. Download updates to your antivirus and spyware software on a regular basis to keep your personal documents and information safe. Never use a shared computer workstation to pay bills or shop online.

Check your credit and debit card statements frequently. Look for any suspicious activity or purchases. The sooner you identify potential fraud, the sooner any fraudulent charges can be refunded to you.

Check your credit report at least once a year. Experian, Equifax and TransUnion each offer a free credit report once a year. Visit Annual Credit Report to request a report and look for any suspicious activity or inaccuracies.

Follow the tips above to help lock down your identity from those who would seek to compromise it for criminal purposes. College can be tough enough on its own. Don’t let identity theft ruin your semester, year or even, your life. Protect yourself pro-actively for peace of mind and assurance against identity thieves.

Like most successes in life, the properly laid groundwork to a college path requires a lot of planning. By the time your student is finishing up his junior year, he should have already taken an assortment of standardized tests, picked appropriate coursework for senior year, visited colleges and begun narrowing the focus to a final application selection.

Too many students look to senior year as a time to kick back and savor the last moments of high school, neglecting the long list of to-dos to the sacrifice of a first-choice college acceptance. Even in those beginning weeks of school, your student should be checking in with guidance, checking out potential colleges.

A few musts for the first two weeks of senior year:

Courses

Your student’s classes were likely selected last semester. However, if he’s now clearer on his college focus, it’s not too late to change a course or two to better match his future curriculum. A student heading into nursing school might opt out of art and take a First Responder or CPR class. Likewise, someone who is thinking of art may want to drop a final year of Foreign Language to beef up his portfolio.

Tests

Unless your student is fully satisfied with her ACT/SAT test scores, she should consider retaking the tests. High schools often offer prep courses and retakes that have a good track record of raising scores. Signing up for them in the first week of school will assure her a spot.

Deadlines

Particularly if your student is interested in Early Action/Early Decision, the sooner he understands how quickly those deadlines pass, the better he’ll be able to meet them. He’ll have to get applications in early, but you may also need to fill out financial aid forms sooner than planned.

References

Now’s the time to look to favorite teachers for letters of recommendations. Waiting until those teachers are inundated with such requests will lessen the likelihood of your student receiving a well thought out and glowing recommendation.

Application

Even if your student plans to wait until December to file her college applications, printing up a copy of the Common App and gathering the necessary documentation should begin now. She’ll have more time to cross Ts and dot Is and will have a better understanding of what she might need to accomplish as the year progresses. She should also complete her college essay before the academic and social demands of senior year really ramp up.

Grades

While colleges look closely at junior year, senior year is NOT the time to slack off regarding grades. Your student should set a plan from day one to keep up with his course demands. Urge him to use a calendar to plot out short and long-term projects and assignments. Not only will it help him stay on track to maintain good grades; it’s an awesome college tool when he’ll need to do all this entirely on his own.

1)  College costs have doubled since 2001.

2)  The investment portfolios of most people have not doubled since 2001.

3)  The disposable wages of most people — the part left over after paying taxes — have not doubled since 2001.

4)  More students are getting into college than ever, and staying, on average, for 5 years or more.

So how are more and more families paying for college?

To a certain extent, financial aid grants and tuition discounts have increased — to the point where a good number of  college financial officers are calling for the amount of aid to be cut back, because the current levels may put them out of business (check out the recent survey of college business officers – page 20 is good).

But most predominantly, families are borrowing their ways to college — and to the poor house.  Check out this link to see just how bad it is.  The current level of student loan debt makes the housing bubble of the 2000’s look like a bunch of small credit cards.

What do you think about the chart in the article?

And it’s a good idea to think now about the implications of ending up on a college’s waitlist, instead of being accepted right away.

Getting waitlisted is frustrating – especially if you really want to get accepted to the school where you have been waitlisted. 

In a report released Oct. 20, the National Association of College Admissions Counselors found that 39 percent of colleges put some students on a waitlist in 2009, which is higher than the 35 percent average over the last five years.  

If you do end up on a list, there are a few things that you can do to improve your chances of being accepted to the school of your choice.  First, let the school’s admissions office know that you really want them.  Colleges want to accept students that will accept them back!  Your eagerness is a real plus.  So is an updated report on your grades which will hopefully show your continued diligence in your high school courses.  If you have received any honors since submitting your application, it will be worthwhile letting the college know about that.  Also, see if you can find out what the size of the wait-list is, your rank on it (if the college does rank the students on its list), and how many students got in from the waitlist in previous years. 

You may get off of the waitlist for reasons that you may not even be aware of.  For example, colleges aim at building their freshman classes according to a certain set of priorities.  So, as other applicants say no to the school that you’re chasing after, it may be that the major you want, the talents you possess, or some intangible asset that you bring to your prospective class will do the trick.  Also, if the college knows that they can get a commitment from you to attend their school, you may have better odds of getting off of the list and onto campus. 

It’s no fun being waitlisted, but keep working hard to make sure that you are doing everything you can to move off of the list and into the school of your choice!