Low-Income Families Can Now Send Test Scores for Free

Both College Board and ACT changed their policies to enable low-income families to send their standardized test scores free of charge.  ACT was the first to announce that students qualifying for a fee-waiver would be allowed to send their scores to as many as 24 colleges without incurring a fee.  In response, the College Board followed suit, allowing low-income students to send their SAT scores to as many colleges as they want free of charge. 

New Allowance In Effect for 529 Plans

You can now use your 529 college savings plan to pay for private school -- from elementary to high school.  This bill was signed into law in December 2017 and could have interesting financial implications for your family. So I would talk to your financial planner or accountant to learn more.

Flaship State Universities Becoming More Popular Among Students

According to the Washington Post, the most recent federal data reveals that 1.3 million applications were submitted for fall 2016 undergraduate admission to the 50 state flagship universities.  That is up 79% from ten years earlier.  What is driving this trend?  Out-of-state applicants, both domestic and international, have risen dramatically over the past ten years.  Many public universities look to these out-of-state applicants paying higher tuition to offset shortfalls in state funding. In addition, more in-state students are turning to their public institution as a more affordable option.  We will continue to examine the private colleges’ and universities’ response to this trend, if any, as well as how to advise our current families in response to this increasingly competitive environment.

College Admissions is Less Selective Than You Think

Only 13 percent of four-year colleges accept fewer than half of their applicants.

VOTE!

Scarecrows Invade Madison!

Vote for College Matters -- http://theday.upickem.net/engine/Details.aspx?p=V&c=371404&s=85940246&i=1&sort=#SD 

Betsy Morgan’s Advice Featured in “The College Finder”

The fourth edition of “The College Finder: Choose the School That’s Right for You” has hit the shelves, with Betsy Morgan of College Matters in Madison offering her expertise and advice for college bound students, parents and advisors.

“I thought of Betsy immediately when I sought experts to help me with the Fourth Edition.” Said the book’s author, Dr. Steven Antonoff. “She has an extensive knowledge of colleges and universities.”  

The College Finder is a compilation of over 700 lists intended to help students zero in on colleges that will be a fit academically, socially and financially. The new version has been expanded to include lists about important topics such as good value colleges and welcoming schools for first generation students. In addition, contributors like Morgan added hidden gems and expert choice lists such as colleges for the procrastinator and colleges for the foodie. “College Finder is a stronger book because of the help of colleagues like Betsy. Betsy's knowledge of colleges, and her knowledge of young people going through this process, makes the book more informed and more accessible.”

The College Finder is available to purchase through Wintergreen Orchard House, http://www.wintergreenorchardhouse.com/store.php?cat=resources

Local Professional Earns Prestigious Credential

Betsy Morgan of College Matters in Madison, CT is part of a growing group of educational consultants and school counselors in the nation to earn the designation of Certified Educational Planner (CEP).

“We are proud to have Betsy receive this certification,” said William S. Dingledine, Jr., Chair of the American Institute of Certified Educational Planners (AICEP). “We believe this certification sets the standard for professional college counselors not only in knowledge and experience, but in ongoing professional development.  There is no higher mark of distinction in the profession,” Dingledine noted.

The profession of college counseling is growing in importance and recognition as the need for a post-secondary education increases in today’s society. 

Certification is granted to those consultants and counselors who meet stringent application requirements including a Master’s degree, specialized training, significant professional experience, and involvement in professional activities and organizations.  Betsy Morgan had to pass a board certified examination covering both institutional and professional knowledge, submit a list of professional references, and sign a pledge to adhere to stringent ethical practices.  

CEP's are recertified every five years on the basis of college visits, continuing education hours and other professional endeavors. All applicants are reviewed by their peers.

“The group of certified educational consultants and counselors is a remarkable one,” noted Dingledine. “Never before in the profession of educational consulting have persons been asked to demonstrate such a high level of professional knowledge and experience,” he concluded.

The CEP Program began in 1994 under the sponsorship of the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA), an association representing full-time experienced professionals in private practice in the field of college guidance and school/educational program placements. “The CEP designation assures families that they are working with a qualified professional who is committed to maintaining the highest quality of service to their students,” said Mark Sklarow, Executive Director of IECA.

Information on the CEP program is available through the American Institute of Certified Educational Planners, 617 W. Montecito Ave, Sierra Madre, CA 91024, www.aicep.org. 

Betsy Morgan Selected As UNIGO Expert

"Betsy Morgan of Madison, Educational Consultant and Founder of College Matters, has been selected to be a member of the Unigo Expert Network, along with some of the top admissions experts throughout the US.  As a member of this network, her advice on a wide range of issues regarding the college application process will be featured each month in media outlets including US News & World Report, McGraw-Hill, The Huffington Post, AOL, Seventeen Magazine, and more."

To read more: https://patch.com/connecticut/madison-ct/an--morgan-selected-as-unigo-expert