The founder of AZ College Planning presented a comprehensive talk on college rankings, admissions strategies, and financial considerations, highlighting how colleges manipulate data and offer scholarships to improve their standing. He shared various success stories of students who secured generous scholarship packages and emphasized the importance of understanding college costs, completing financial aid forms, and demonstrating interest through applications. The presentation concluded with advice on college planning strategies, including the value of personalized consultations and the importance of exploring all financial aid options to secure the best possible outcome for college attendance.
Next steps
Summary
Reach school college Rankings: Manipulation and Strategy
JD, the founder of AZ Reach school college Planning, presented a talk on college rankings and their importance to institutions. He explained that colleges manipulate data to improve their rankings, which affects how they recruit students and offer scholarships. JD highlighted the financial aspect of college applications, noting that UCLA generated $11.6 million in application fees for the 2024 cycle. He concluded by emphasizing the need to understand these dynamics to position oneself advantageously in the college admissions process.
Lynn’s Reach school college Scholarship Success Story
JD shared a success story about his student Lynn, who applied to 6-7 reach school colleges and was admitted to 5, ultimately choosing between Willamette University, Whitman College, and NAU. Willamette offered $25,500 in scholarships annually, NAU offered $10,650, and Whitman provided $40,750, with Whitman’s package resulting in a net cost of only $5,000 for Lynn’s father, who initially thought she would only attend NAU due to cost concerns.
Scholarships for Geographic Diversity Impact
JD explained how a student named Lynn received scholarships for study abroad in Japan and Peru due to her positive impact on the college, particularly in increasing geographic diversity and attracting more applications. He emphasized that colleges value certain categories like gender representation and geographic diversity, which can improve their rankings and justify scholarship investments. JD also highlighted the importance of demonstrated interest in college applications and shared that they helped Lynn with her essays and college selection to maximize her scholarship opportunities.
Arizona Reach school college Costs and Visits
JD discussed the cost of attendance at various Arizona reach school colleges, including ASU, NAU, and U of A, which is around $37,354 and includes tuition, room, board, and fees. He encouraged students and their families to visit local reach school colleges like ASU, Grand Canyon University, and Arizona Christian University to understand the differences between public, private, and religiously affiliated institutions. JD emphasized the importance of college visits for making informed decisions and suggested following up with recruiters to express gratitude.
College Costs and Financial Planning
JD discussed the costs of attending different colleges, highlighting that in-state tuition at Arizona universities is around $36,000 to $40,000 per year, while out-of-state and private colleges can cost significantly more, such as $98,000 at Harvey Mudd College and $96,000 at NYU. He advised families to carefully consider all costs, including tuition, fees, room, board, and other expenses, and to use a calculator to estimate the total cost over four years for multiple children. JD also emphasized the importance of understanding what constitutes a legitimate private scholarship, warning against scams that require payment or do not require application.
College Funding and Career Planning
JD discussed various strategies for paying for college, emphasizing the importance of pursuing state, federal, and reach school college endowment funds over private scholarships. He advised against relying on athletic scholarships for non-elite athletes and highlighted the limited effectiveness of payment plans and loans. JD also stressed the importance of not basing reach school college decisions solely on sticker prices, as many schools offer generous scholarships. He explained how AZ College Planning can help students present themselves effectively to colleges, potentially reducing the cost of attendance. Additionally, JD shared his own experience of changing majors and the importance of career research to help students make informed decisions about their future.
FAFSA and CSS Profile Importance
JD discussed the importance of completing financial aid forms, particularly the FAFSA and CSS Profile, for reach school college applications. He emphasized that these forms demonstrate a student’s interest in a reach school college and can affect admission and scholarship opportunities. JD advised parents to assist their children with filling out these forms and highlighted that while some families may feel they make too much money to qualify for aid, submitting the forms is still important. He shared an example of a wealthy family whose son was admitted to college after submitting the forms, illustrating the significance of demonstrating interest through financial aid applications.
College Admissions and Scholarship Insights
JD shared personal experiences about college admissions, including a story about a student who received a half scholarship due to the college’s interest in both the student and their parent as a potential donor. JD emphasized the importance of applying to multiple colleges, suggesting 6-15 applications, and explained that not submitting the CSS profile could lead to rejection from schools like USC. JD also advised Danielle and her family to visit colleges, which led Danielle to decide on the University of Arizona as her preferred school, though JD encouraged her to apply to more than one college.
Maximizing College Scholarship Opportunities
JD shared success stories of students receiving significant scholarship packages from various colleges, emphasizing the importance of applying to multiple schools and negotiating aid packages. He highlighted that colleges often offer scholarships to attract students who meet specific criteria that benefit the institution, such as enhancing rankings or filling niche academic programs. JD also stressed the value of full-ride and paid-to-attend scholarships, noting that students with average grades and test scores can also secure substantial financial aid. He encouraged skepticism about full-tuition scholarships and advised exploring all options to ensure the best financial outcome for college attendance.
Scholarship Success Strategies Shared
JD shared success stories of students who leveraged college planning strategies to secure scholarships and attend their dream schools debt-free. He emphasized the importance of personalized consultations and offered a range of classes to help students improve their chances of college admission and financial aid. JD encouraged attendees to contact him for a complimentary consultation to explore how AZ College Planning can help them save money and secure scholarships.