Are parents/students asking you for information on SAT/ACT prep? Here are some websites that can really help with information about the tests, practice tests, etc.
www.act.org
www.collegeboard.com
www.vocabulary.com
www.dictionary.com
www.thesaurus.com
www.majortests.com
http://www.rathtutoring.com
http://www.number2.com
www.sheppardsoftware.com/vocabmania.htm
http://www.methodlearning.com
Are parents/students asking you for sources to help with financial aid? Here are some go to websites you can send them to or use as reference:
www.fafsa.ed.gov
www.fastweb.net
www.scholarships.com
www.gmsp.org
www.collegenet.com
www.collegeboard.org
Thanks again to all of you that participated in the survey regarding the Spring 2025 LINK for Counselors issue. The results help show us which content is of most interest to you and also help our advertisers gain valuable feedback about their messaging and school.
Here is a quick summary of the results:
Want more information? You can see the entire study here: https://www.linkforcounselors.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/LINK_Spring-2025_ProfileReport.pdf
In today’s fast-paced world, many individuals are eager to advance their education and career prospects quickly. This has led to a surge in popularity for fast-track and accelerated degree programs, offering a compressed timeline for completing a degree. As counselors, understanding the landscape of these options is crucial to effectively advising students and helping them make informed decisions.
This guide provides an overview of fast-track and accelerated degrees, their benefits and drawbacks, and key considerations for guiding students through this pathway.
Understanding Fast-Track and Accelerated Degrees
While often used interchangeably, “fast-track” and “accelerated” programs— such as an Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) — generally refer to degrees that are completed in a shorter timeframe than traditional programs. They achieve this compression through various methods:
The specific structure and duration of accelerated programs vary significantly depending on the institution and program. For example, a traditional bachelor’s degree might take four years to complete, while an accelerated program could condense this into three years or even less. Master’s degrees, like that of a master degree in social work, typically requiring two years, can sometimes be completed in as little as one year through accelerated pathways.
Benefits of Accelerated Degree Programs
For the right student, accelerated degree programs offer several compelling advantages:
Potential Drawbacks and Considerations
Despite the advantages, accelerated programs are not suitable for everyone. Counselors should discuss the following potential drawbacks with students:
Counseling Strategies for Guiding Students
When advising students considering accelerated degree programs, counselors should:
For many families, receiving a financial aid award letter can be both a relief and a concern.
Today, I’m sharing a Q&A with Gage Mersereau, the CEO and Founder of GradBetter, a company focused on simplifying planning and affordability for counselors and families. GradBetter has crowdsourced financial aid awards and made it transparent, accessible, and digestible, enabling families to present a stronger case when making an appeal.
While the financial aid letter signifies that a student has been accepted into college, it may also reveal a gap between the aid offered and the actual cost of attendance. This discrepancy often leads families to consider appealing their financial aid packages.
Financial aid appeals have become increasingly common. According to a survey by the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA), 56% of institutions reported a rise in professional judgment requests between March 2020 and May 2021, with some colleges experiencing increases of 50% or more. This trend highlights the growing awareness and utilization of the appeal process among families.
Understanding the financial aid appeal process is crucial for families seeking to bridge the gap between their aid package and the actual cost of college. In this blog, we’ll explore effective strategies for crafting a persuasive appeal letter, common reasons for appeals, and tips for increasing the likelihood of a successful outcome. Whether you’re facing unexpected financial challenges or simply seeking a more equitable aid package, this guide aims to empower you with the knowledge to advocate effectively for your family’s educational needs.
Lee Bierer (LB): Why should families appeal their financial award letter?
Gage Mersereau (GM): Families may increase their aid and pay less for college by appealing their financial aid awards. In short, colleges enroll students at the lowest aid levels possible, putting the burden on families to appeal for more aid to get the best offer possible.
Colleges want lower acceptance rates and higher yields (accepted students who decide to enroll). These numbers boost their ranking with publishers. Simply put, this gives families power in the appeals process and an incentive for the college to increase their award level.
LB: What types of appeal letters are available to families?
GM: Families typically send a merit-based appeal to the admissions office and a need-based appeal to the financial aid office. A hybrid appeal for both merit and need can be sent as well.
LB: When should families appeal their financial award letter?
GM: Typically, right away. Financial aid funds may be on a first-come, first-served basis, so it’s often best to go ahead with need-based appeals. For merit-based appeals, it makes sense to wait for comparable offers. You can share higher offers from similar academic colleges, just like using multiple job offers to negotiate for higher pay. Colleges may match the higher offer. Include better offers regardless of your appeal pitch.
LB: What are the things you must do in an appeals letter?
GM: Compare the net cost of the colleges, which is their sticker or cost of attendance less the financial aid award. Lower-cost state universities are not going to match the financial aid awards of high-cost/high-aid private colleges.
Your tone matters. Families, especially those appealing merit, often earn more than college financial aid and admissions officers. Don’t be tone deaf to this. Seek a collaborative approach because you both want the same thing: for your student to enroll in their college.
Ensure you’re comparing apples to apples. Some colleges include both direct and indirect costs, meaning tuition and housing for the full cost of attendance. Others only include tuition and fees so it’s important to ensure you’re starting with the full cost of attendance.
Understand aid requirements. Many grants and scholarships require a minimum GPA. These requirements can vary by college, even for Pell grant recipients, following the Satisfactory Academic Progress. Check for limitations, such as required majors that can restrict a student’s academic options once on campus.
Renewability is key. Confirm aid is available for the duration of your studies, not just the first year. Compare the % awarded aid and average aid amount for freshmen versus all undergrads to see if a college has historically front-loaded aid.
LB: What are factors to highlight in a merit-based appeal?
GM: Academic credentials – Students in the top 25% of applicants raise the colleges’ admission standards, such as GPA, test scores and class rank. These numbers get reported to publishers that rank colleges. As you get towards the top 10 or even 5%, your appeal chances further improve.
Distinguished student – National merit scholar, valedictorian, class president and student government officer also get reported to publishers. With so many competitive students, standing out is key, examples: STEM/scientific awards, debate/Model UN recognition, Eagle Scout, etc…
Recognized talent – Winning a prize, award, or scholarship matters. Local, state, regional, national, and international competitions help you stand out.
You can find more merit-based appeal factors, along with need-based considerations, on GradBetter. Financial award comparison and appeal resources are completely free to seniors. Learn more at https://www.gradbetter.com/awards.
Lee Bierer is an independent college adviser based in Charlotte. Send questions to: lee@bierercollegeconsulting.com; www.bierercollegeconsulting.com
You have many students that won’t attend college for different reasons. There are still great jobs out there for them if they know where to look. Many can even be worked remotely at good salary levels. Here is a list just released by FlexJobs of the top remote jobs that don’t require a bachelor’s degree:
*Average salary from Payscale or Salary.com as of April 28, 2025
Are your seniors ready for college life?
Don’t miss EdPro Collaborative’s free webinar which will be held Monday, May 12th at 8PM Eastern time.
Getting into college is one thing—being ready to thrive once you’re there is something else entirely. This webinar will be hosted by EdPro Collaborative’s, Jodi L.G. Glou, President of Custom College Consulting and Andrea Malkin Brenner, Ph.D.
With over 25 years of experience guiding students through the transition from high school to college, Dr. Brenner will share practical, actionable strategies that families can begin implementing right away. This session will explore the real-world skills students need before stepping onto campus, including managing time and responsibilities, building independence, and knowing how to advocate for themselves. There will be a live Q&A at the end.
Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/46Y8HlWMQUCWpPrRmgwQDw#/registration
I recently came across some Counselor Resources offered by Going Merry free (note they do ask you to register to access). Some of these might be of use to your students so check them out:
Scholarship Lists
Appeal Letter Generator
Financial Aid
If your students and their families consider a return on investment (ROI) in purely financial terms, a degree from one of the top engineering schools, such as MIT or Cal Tech, or a private or public ivy (think Princeton and the University of Virginia), seem like the best bet. According to Payscale.com, these schools offer 20-year net ROIs approaching 20%.
Contributing factors include how much financial aid is available, how long it takes students to graduate – at these schools, 90% or more students finish in four years – and what kinds of salaries graduates earn.
And if your student qualifies for admission to those elite schools, that sounds great.
But let’s stop for a moment and consider that return on investment transcends money, and the way to learn what that means for your student and their family is to think about the destination.
If they want to go somewhere, they have to put a destination on the map (or, these days, in the GPS). Without a destination, the map is useless. College is the same way. It doesn’t do anything for you unless you have a destination in mind.
Let me tell you about James. His parents were insisting that he go to college, but James wanted to follow his father, a battalion chief, and become a firefighter, and he didn’t see the need for a degree. After discussing his interests, values and skills, I advised James that he could go to community college, become an EMT and then a firefighter, which can be a well paying job.
But how long do you want to do that, I asked him. In fact, James wanted to move up, manage people and budgets, run a department, make a better salary for the lifestyle he envisioned. And for that he would need a bachelor’s degree and maybe a master’s. At that point, he felt more motivated because I had shown him the roadmap and he knew where he wanted to go. Now he saw the value proposition. In the end, James opted to go to a four-year school and volunteer with a fire department for hands-on experience.
In other words, he found a destination aligned with his values, skills and interests; built a roadmap, and had the right vehicle. That will all contribute to the ROI of his education.
What are some other forms of return on investment when it comes to college?
Personal development: College leads to understanding that life is always about learning and becoming well-rounded. Or perhaps ROI is about getting away from home, transitioning to pre-adulthood and learning life lessons: You’re not always going to win, failure is feedback, and embracing failure is an important aspect of life.
Quality of the education: Families can spend $5,000 to $8,000 to have a child sit in their bedroom with a laptop to earn a piece of paper, if that’s what’s important. They will, however, be missing out on the other intangibles college provides.
Cultural accomplishment: For many families, such as one with a child who would be the first to attend college, a degree is a must no matter what.
Connections: Building connections is one of the most important returns on investment. Professors who have developed philosophies and written books in a particular field can connect a student to a career. Successful individuals who are brought in as guest lecturers or visiting professors have the potential to become mentors. Alumni who have gone on to success can be the doorways to internships.
Personal fulfillment: If a student likes working with kids and wants to be a teacher, they do it because it’s rewarding. If a student wants to go into scientific research and find ways to fight climate change, they do it because it makes them feel good that they were part of something greater than themselves.
Interests, values and skills are the three aspects of college and career fit. It takes time to build a skillset and interests can change quickly, but values don’t change much over time.
It’s those values that will tell you and your students where the ROI lies. Maybe it’s not going to a four-year school at all, but pursuing a technical or mechanical career for which there’s demand, such as renewable energy. And everyone needs a plumber, electrician or car mechanic at some point.
The three main things to consider on the college journey are academic fit, social fit and financial fit. Beyond that, give thought to the entire value proposition: What values drive your student, what are their potential career fits, and what lifestyle can they expect based on those careers? If all of those pieces seem to make up a complete picture, your students’ return on investment should be substantial.
Brian Safdari, who founded College Planning Experts in 2004, is a Certified College Planning Specialist™. He and his team have assisted more than 7,500 students nationwide on their college journey using their exclusive My College Fit System. For more information, call me at 818-201-4847 or visit collegeplanningexperts.com.
The young man, who had been successful academically and socially in high school, returned from college a changed kid.
His parents put it down to anxiety and exhaustion, but soon it became apparent something much more serious was going on. He was experiencing a mental health episode that, left unaddressed, could worsen. His terrified parents didn’t know what to do, so, hoping it would pass, they allowed him to remain at home.
This isn’t an uncommon occurrence. A child who functions well socially and academically can develop a mental illness as a young adult, generally between the ages of 18 and 25, possibly exacerbated by recreational drug and alcohol use.
Parents may be afraid to get involved because of the stigma associated with mental illness, or because they think it will magically go away. But rather than let a child in the midst of a mental health crisis retreat, parents must take action, no matter how frightening or difficult it may seem.
Here are five things’ parents and counselors can and should do:
1. Start a discussion about mental health before a crisis sets in.
It’s important to remember that a young adult’s brain is still developing. The prefrontal cortex – which is responsible for higher executive functions such as thinking, reasoning, memory, impulse control and emotional stability – isn’t fully formed until around the age of 27.
The good news is that mental health and mental illness are out in the open as topics of discussion. There is more awareness among middle- and high-schoolers, who are more able to identify mental health challenges in themselves and their friends and more willing to ask for help. A high school counselor might be the first place the child might go, so they should be aware of some of the signs to look out for.
Also, having a mental or emotional challenge doesn’t carry the stigma it used to, although social stigma is still out there. When Simone Biles withdrew from the 2020 Olympics because of her mental health, she received a lot of kudos and support, but also blistering condemnation for “weakness.”
2. Don’t ignore the role marijuana is playing in a child’s mental health.
Just because pot is legal in a lot of states doesn’t mean it’s safe for everyone to use. This is not the weed parents used when they were in college. The potency of THC in cannabis has increased from an average of 3 percent in the 1980s to an average of 25 percent today, and some strains can contain as much as 90 percent THC.
It’s understandable that anxious teens and young adults seek to self-medicate. After all, they have been through a lot of trauma, including the shutdown of schools during COVID, bullying, school shootings, social media addiction, campus protests and violence and more.
The National Institutes of Health reports that cannabis use is likely to increase the risk of developing schizophrenia and other psychotic illnesses. Anyone with a pre-existing mental health condition are at greater risk for a serious mental illness. Heavy users are more likely to report thoughts of suicide, and regular use is thought to increase the risk of social anxiety disorder.
A young adult still needs guardrails. A parent can have conversations with their child that sound like this: “Look, your brain is still developing. Here are the facts about pot today and why it may not be safe for you to use.”
3. If the child does exhibit signs of a mental illness, don’t let them retreat.
Parents end up doing everything for their adult child because the child appears helpless and they want to do whatever they can to keep them safe. There are ways parents can intervene, by saying, “We are not accepting you living this way” and exerting financial leverage.
A young adult should be able to accept adult responsibilities to have structure in their lives. If they want to eat, they need to grocery shop and prepare their own food. If they want cleanliness, they need to take showers and wash their own clothes. If they want spending money, they need to find a job – any job. If they take meds, they need to manage them.
If they can’t, the parent can see the child needs help. It’s irresponsible to allow it to go on: “I see you’re trying, but you can’t manage the activities of daily living. Let’s get you help.”
And that’s when it’s time to…
4. Seek support.
If a child has an intellectual or physical disability, it’s usually apparent at a young age and families can begin to seek resources. When a previously successful young adult child begins exhibiting troubling signs of mental illness, it comes as a shock to parents. It’s important to find correct resources in a timely manner.
And the resources are out there. You’re not the only family who’s going through this, so it’s OK to ask around, “Do you know any good therapists or psychiatrists?” Start googling and you will find webinars, books and names of family support services.
If the child won’t sign a HIPAA release allowing the parents to speak to health-care providers, that’s no reason why the parents can’t speak with the providers and tell them what they see – even if the provider can’t speak to them. Providers can only work with the information they’re given.
5. Prepare for the future.
With the proper care and resources, most mental illness challenges can be managed, allowing the child to live the life they deserve.
But the fact is that many parents will need to provide some measure of support to the child for years into the future. It’s also a fact that one day, the parents won’t be there anymore and the child’s care, by default, may fall to siblings who have jobs, families and concerns of their own.
Parents should share all of what’s going on with the child’s siblings – what therapies and meds are working or not working, what doctors have been seen, what supports are in place. Parents also need to prepare for the care of the child by establishing a Special Needs Trust, powers of attorney, advance directives for health care and mental health care, and supportive housing. It may be necessary to petition for guardianship.
While you’re bubble-wrapping your child in services and support, get support for yourself, too, by working with a mental health coach or family therapist.
An adult child with a mental illness is not the child the parents thought they would have. It’s not easy to raise a mentally ill young adult – in fact, it’s downright scary. No one expects you to have all of the answers, but help is out there.
Bonnie Lane, M.S., is principal consultant with Family Support Services in Northbrook, specializing in supporting families whose loved ones suffer from severe mental illness or substance addiction. Bonnie offers Daily Herald readers a free consultation at 847-651-1554 or bonnielane@thefamilysupportservices.com
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