Versed Editors's blog

Rounding out the previous two blogs on FAFSA and EFC by Edmit.me, this week, Edmit will address one of the most critical elements of a college list - creating a Financially Balanced College List. Edmit.me is a college financial planning platform with the mission to help families make great financial decisions about college. 

Key Takeaways:

• Don't gloss over the financial research as you do your college exploration. Gather information on financial aid and scholarship opportunities from the start.
• Make sure you have "financial reaches" and "financial safeties" on your list.
• Position yourself for financial aid appeals by applying to colleges that consider appeals and also colleges that are similar to each other.
• As you do your college research, you will probably have a running list of colleges and perhaps even a spreadsheet that’s tracking your research and keeping tabs on the colleges you like.

At some point soon, you’ll need to stop adding new colleges and start removing the ones you won’t be applying to. So how do you make sure you keep finances in mind when you do that narrowing?

We occasionally come across families who find they can’t afford any of the colleges they have been accepted to—after all the heartache and effort of the application process! This is a highly preventable situation: with a little extra homework, every family should be able to find a few colleges that are financially safe for them.

Here are three steps to take to make sure you have some affordable colleges on your list:

Round out your financial research

Hopefully, you’ve filled out your FAFSA and have completed net-price calculators for the colleges your student is most interested in. You’re familiar with the type of financial aid you’re expecting (whether need-based or merit-based), and are narrowing your search according to what schools will be generous with students like yours.

Here are the top recommended financial items you should track for every college you’re considering:

• Published cost of attendance (in-state or out-of-state)
• Percent of financial need met
• Is merit aid available?
• What are the requirements to get merit aid? (Sometimes you might automatically qualify for something based on your SAT/ACT; in other cases there’s no separate application, but the outcome is unknown; and, for some schools, there might be a separate application)
• How many students typically receive merit aid? In what average amount?
• Average SAT scores or GPA (to see relative strength and merit qualification)
• Net price estimates (from Edmit, the college’s net price calculator, or your own research—it’s often helpful to estimate this a few different ways to see the range)
• Financial aid or scholarship deadline (if different from application deadline)
• Forms required (FAFSA, CSS Profile, and/or other)

As you narrow your list, review colleges’ financial aid and admissions websites to learn about the application process and what aid is offered to incoming freshmen. Search for the college’s name, plus “merit scholarships” or “financial aid” to zero in on the right pages or other helpful sites.

Make sure you have “financial reaches” and “financial safeties"

Now is the time to make sure that your application list is balanced. In the same way that the list includes academic “reach” schools, some of the schools on the list might be a reach financially.

For example, these could be financial reaches:

• A college that awards generous merit awards, but only to a small number of students. Even if your student is a strong applicant, there are no guarantees that the pricing will be in your range.
• A more selective college whose net price calculator is slightly out of range for you, but you’d be willing to stretch given the opportunities that would be presented by that college.
• A college where you have to apply for merit scholarships and you aren’t sure if you’ll receive them.
• A college that is very generous with need-based financial aid but does not give merit scholarships. You aren’t sure how the college will gauge your financial need as your financial situation is complex.

A financial “safety” is a college that you are confident will be affordable for you.

• Your in-state university, where you will pay low tuition and could even live at home if needed
• A college with low tuition rates and affordable cost of living (not in an expensive city)
• A college where your grades and scores automatically qualify you for significant scholarships.

You’ll find as you do your research that some colleges are more noncommittal or vague than others about what they will cost you. Sometimes this is because they don’t know themselves—they are leaving their options open to see how their applicant pool shapes up! In other cases, an admissions or financial aid office could be fairly clear with you that a price is the price, and not to expect much of any additional scholarships or discounts. You should pay attention to those signals also. If a college has a very detailed net price calculator and does not award much merit aid, the price you see is probably close to the price you’ll pay.

Position yourself for financial aid appeals

You can also think like an insider and consider what factors the college will be responding to when it sets your financial aid. Harvard isn’t hurting for students or tuition dollars—but many colleges in America are. Financial aid appeals are a process by which you can ask for more financial aid after receiving your initial acceptance and offer (kind of like a negotiation, though colleges don’t like to think about it that way). One of the things that makes appeals most successful is having other offers that you are considering which are lower—especially if those offers are from similar colleges.

Here are some good guidelines for positioning yourself for an appeal:

• Apply to at least one or two private colleges that are tuition-dependent, as they tend to have more flexibility on pricing. Factors like smaller endowments, small class size, or lower selectivity can tip you off about a college’s tuition dependency.
• Apply to schools that compete with each other for students so that you can base an appeal on another college’s lower offer. Colleges that are similar to each other, in the same region and with the same student profile, tend to be competing for students.
• Make sure you have a public university on your list. Smaller private colleges are often competing with local public universities for students, so they’ll be more willing to come close to in-state pricing for students who are more price-sensitive.
• If your admissions ‘safety schools’ are generous with merit aid, even better—since a stronger student is more likely to get scholarship dollars.

Following up on the FAFSA blog post by Edmit.me, this week, we spoke with Edmit about EFC, What is it, and why does it matter? Edmit.me is a college financial planning platform with the mission to help families make great financial decisions about college. Here is a blog post from Edmit, that will address all of your questions about EFC.

What Your EFC Is - and Why It Matters

As you enter college, you know you’ll learn a lot — but you might not expect the crash-course in finances that many students receive. Unless you’re lucky enough to have your parents handle all the money details, you’ll need to learn all about financial aid, costs of attendance, student loans, and more.

You’ve probably heard of the FAFSA — or Free Application for Federal Student Aid — that college students must fill out annually to be eligible for federal student loans and other aid. But one of the most important results of this application is your expected family contribution, or EFC.

Read on to see how your EFC is used and what makes this number so important.

What Is Your EFC? 

Your expected family contribution, or EFC, represents how much the federal government thinks your family can reasonably afford to pay annually for your college education.

Your EFC is calculated based on the personal info your family includes on the FAFSA, such as your parents’ income, financial assets, the size of your household, and how many members of your family are also enrolled in college. Your EFC will be a dollar amount, and generally speaking, students from low-income families will have a lower EFC than a student from a family with more assets.

After your EFC is calculated, this number will determine the financial aid you’re eligible for. Your EFC will be subtracted from the school’s cost of attendance (COA), and the remaining amount is your family’s financial need. Your EFC determines whether or not you qualify for need-based aid such as federal Pell Grants, Subsidized Loans, and Work-Study programs.

For example, say your school’s COA is $15,000 annually and your EFC is $8,000. After your family’s expected contributions of $8,000 are subtracted from the COA, you could be eligible for $7,000 in need-based financial aid to cover the remaining costs.

It’s important to note that your EFC is simply a starting point and doesn’t guarantee how much your family will pay for school. Different schools may offer more attractive financial aid offers, and you could also apply for scholarships or other types of merit-based through private institutions.

How Is Your EFC Calculated? 

The formula to calculate a student’s EFC is established by law and uses the information you input into the most recent FAFSA you filed.

The exact formula used to calculate EFC depends on a student’s family situation. There are different formulas for dependent students, independent students, and independent students who are supporting their own dependents. There are also simplified versions of each of these formulas — if your family has an income of less than $49,000 and you meet other factors, your EFC could be calculated with a simplified formula. Some students may even qualify for an automatic zero EFC in certain scenarios. 

The U.S. Department of Education has several worksheets to help students estimate their EFC on their own. Read the directions carefully to make sure you use the correct formula for your situation. There are also several online EFC calculators, such as this one from CollegeBoard, which may be easier to use. But remember, these sources provide estimates of your EFC — you won’t know the true number until you receive your finalized Student Aid Report.

What If I Think My EFC Is Too High? 

The higher your EFC, the more your family is expected to pay for college — so you might be disappointed to see your EFC is greater than you think it should be.

If this happens to you, review your FAFSA for these common errors:

• Assets: Make sure you’re not including assets you aren’t required to disclose. Things like saving and checking accounts, businesses, investments, and secondary homes should be included. However, your parents’ primary home, retirement accounts, and life insurance policies are generally not required. If you include unnecessary assets, you could be artificially inflating your EFC.
• Income: The FAFSA usually depends on previous years’ income taxes to determine your family’s income. However, these documents may not be accurate by the time you attend college. If your parent lost a job or took a significant pay cut recently, financial aid administrators should be made aware of that fact. 
• Household size: The FAFSA defines household size as your parent(s) and the number of dependents that receive more than half of their financial support from your parents — even if those dependents don’t actually live in your home. So if you have step- or half-siblings, for example, that meet these requirements, make sure they have been included in your household size. Unborn children may also be counted, so long as they will be born during the award year.

If you made a mistake on your original application, see if you can update your FAFSA online. If your financial situation has changed drastically — such as a recent job loss or the death of a parent — you can gather supplementary documentation and make a formal appeal. 

Why It’s So Important to Know Your EFC

Your EFC can have a big effect on the amount of financial aid you’re eligible for, so it’s important to enter accurate information on the FAFSA — and update financial aid administrators if that info has changed. Doing so could majorly lower the total cost of your college degree. 

4 Key Takeaways

• Your expected family contribution, or EFC, represents how much the government thinks your family can reasonably afford to pay for school.
• Your family’s income, assets, and household size all affect your EFC.
• Generally, the more income and assets your family has, the higher your EFC will be. 
• Your EFC does not guarantee what you will pay for college — some schools will offer more attractive financial aid offers than others.

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By Kate Sonnenberg:

College admissions consultants work with students to help them “build” their college list. But, there are a lot of amazing colleges and universities out there, so how do students choose which colleges to put on their college list?  One critical consideration is academic fit – the college must have the majors and programs that appeal to the student!  While some (usually large) universities admit students directly into a major, even those that do not often ask students what their intended major is (although “undecided” is typically an option). While non-binding, these are not throw-away questions on a college application – admissions officers want to admit students who have thought carefully about what they want to study, and they want to make sure the student will thrive academically at their college. A student who tells a college she wants to study neuroscience when that major is not offered at that college is not likely to be admitted!

But asking a 17 year old what they want to study can be daunting – they have had very little time to explore, let alone reflect on their interests.  As Princeton University advises its own students, “getting to know yourself is an important first step in selecting the right major.” They recommend students engage in a self-assessment, and “look for patterns in their responses that will help you identify your best fit.” There are many assessment tools that high school students can use, among them YouScience, Corsava and Innate Assessment. Here are a few questions that students should consider, even if they decide not to take a formal assessment:

What do they like to do in their free time?

What kinds of books are they drawn to? Same question for movies and tv shows.

What classes have been their favorite?

Which teachers or classes motivate them?

What kinds of assignments do they like best?

What kinds of assignments do they find the easiest/the most difficult?

How do they work best? Alone? In small groups? In teams?

What would their friends say their strengths are? Same question for their parents.

What kind of people do they like to hang out with? Why?

What do they consider the most pressing problem facing the world (or their community) right now?

If they could change one thing in their community, what would it be and why?

Students should take time to really think about these questions, and an equal amount of time to really think about their answers. They are likely to evolve as students mature as college students, but these questions are a starting point for students as they begin to think about what they want to study in at college. A student who has thought critically about these questions will be a more thoughtful applicant, and, in turn, increase the likelihood of choosing a college that is a good academic fit.

About Kate Sonnenberg:

Kate Sonnenberg, of KS College Success, is a graduate of Princeton University and the Columbia University School of Law. Prior to launching KS College Success, Kate worked as an application reader in the Princeton University Admissions Office, where she read thousands of undergraduate applications. She also volunteered for nearly a decade with the Princeton University Alumni Schools Committee and chaired the committee that interviewed students in Essex (NJ) and Hudson (NJ) counties. In addition to practicing law in New York and Seattle, Kate taught legal writing at the University of the District of Columbia David A. Clarke School of Law in Washington, D.C. and English Composition at the National University of Singapore.

Kate is a member of the Independent Educational Consultants Association and the New Jersey Association for College Admission Counseling. She regularly attends conferences, seminars and webinars and has personally visited over seventy-five colleges, where she often meets with admissions representatives to get the inside story about college admissions trends. Go to https://www.kscollegesuccess.com/ to learn more about Kate.

If your student could use guidance on getting started with the college application process, please book a free consultation with us to learn more about how Versed Advisors can help families through this process.

For additional insights, check out our blogs:

Guide to the Common Application

5 Simple Tips to Writing a Great College Application Essay

Crafting a Cohesive College Application

Does My Child Need a Private College Advisor?

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With questions about location, academics, accommodations, and campus life, this questionnaire is meant to guide high school students as they begin researching colleges.

Go to Versed RESOURCES: College Admissions Planning Tools

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By: Valerie Erde

In my work as a tutor, many teens have walked through my door reluctantly, to say the least. They weren't interested in studying for the ACT or SAT, and at times weren't even interested in college at all. Sure, they knew that it was important for their future in a general way, but they definitely wanted to do something more fun than ACT/SAT practice tests with their limited free time.

I'm also a parent, so I know just how frustrating it can be to watch your child fritter away time and talent and fail to reach success or mastery of a skill. Of course you want to motivate your child to do well, but here's the thing:

True motivation, just like true learning, must come from within. It can't be forced upon anyone. 

You know what they say about leading a horse to water, and as a parent you've probably provided so many opportunities that you've lost count. But you can't force kids to be passionate about something that doesn't move them any more than you can get that ornery horse to drink the water you've so lovingly provided.

The Two Types of Motivation Explained

In educational psychology, researchers identify two types of motivation: intrinsic and extrinsic. Extrinsic motivation is an impulse to do something that comes from outside of oneself. Most often, extrinsic motivation comes in the form of punishments and rewards that someone else provides.

For example, all those behavior charts and gold stars that you used to get your child to eat vegetables, practice piano, or walk the dog are extrinsic motivators. You set up a reward system to encourage the behavior you wanted to see. And any time you punish your child by taking away video games or the car keys, you've also provided extrinsic motivation to extinguish a less desirable behavior.

Rewards and punishment can be effective, but you've probably noticed that these external motivators worked better when your child was younger. With age comes complexity, and motivation just isn't so simple anymore.

Intrinsic motivation, on the other hand, comes from within. This can arise when you study a subject because it fascinates you, or when you volunteer for a cause you believe in. When people describe having a calling in life, they're talking about the feeling of intrinsic motivation that leads them to pursue a passion for the sheer joy of it.

Intrinsic Motivation Is More Empowering

Parents who want the best for their children understandably set up systems of extrinsic motivation by offering rewards and punishments to get students to complete homework and get good grades. After all, these are the keys to the kingdom when it comes to college admissions and future success. 

Unfortunately, extrinsic motivation just isn't as powerful as intrinsic motivation, which researchers have found leads students to engage more deeply with learning and face challenges with more persistence. When it comes to college admissions and test prep, kids get much more out of the process when they're motivated from within to do well — not because you forced them to come. I've seen this over and over in my career, and the research bears it out.

So how can you help your child shift from doing well because you want it and doing well because he/she/they want it? When it comes to schoolwork, there are three main ways to flip the switch on intrinsic motivation:

• Autonomy: Give your child plenty of choice about what to study and how to spend time, making sure to allow for unique interests in addition to academics. 
• Social connection: Make sure your child feels connected and cared for during learning, whether in school or through extra-curriculars. Relationships are everything!
• Competence: When students feel confident and capable, they're more likely to continue exploring a subject. Make sure your child gets time to focus on strengths in addition to shoring up weaknesses

As an adult with a fully functioning frontal lobe, it's easy for you to see the connection between great test scores and college options, but your teen may struggle to connect these dots. You won't get anywhere by forcing your child to do test prep with constant nagging and dire warnings about not getting into a good college — no one learns well under that kind of stress. 

Instead, try shifting the conversation away from test scores and towards the future. What does your child want to study? What does an exciting future look like? What brings the most joy and deep interest? 

From there, you can encourage your child to look at colleges that allow for a deep exploration into these preferred activities, and you can help your child begin to envision the next four years there. If you have real buy-in about a career and a great college to get there, making a plan to get accepted should fall into place more naturally — and your child will be ready to hear how test scores will help make the big dream come true.

5 Tips To Foster Intrinsic Motivation Right Now

It takes patience and plenty of time to guide your child to a fulfilling future, and it's not always easy to step back and let your teen take the reins. Here are some ways to help kids discover their real passions and take charge of their learning:

• Build on Strengths: Everyone loves a personality quiz, so have your child take the VIA Character Strengths Survey. This is designed to reveal personality strengths, not assess skills. Encourage your teen to explore activities and subjects that let those strengths shine. This is especially helpful if academics haven't ignited a passion yet — most strengths aren't school-related at all.
• Encourage Mentoring: If your teen has a favorite teacher or other adult, see if you can facilitate extra time together, perhaps working on a shared project. For example, there may be opportunities for an in-school internship with that teacher, or to help a favorite adult with a work project. This is more about building relationships than diving into a career, but remember that connecting with others is hugely motivating.
• Design Independent Learning: Now more than ever, colleges are looking for students who are self-motivated and able to learn independently. In this summer of social distancing, there's never been a better time to let your child run with an independent project, whether it's organizing a protest for social justice or selling homemade face coverings. 
• Follow Curiosity Wherever It Leads: Give your teen time to explore an interest with some deep reading or by loading up a YouTube playlist with informative videos. Then ask all about it, and pay attention to the details. Your conversations can spark further questions and even deeper exploration, ultimately leading to a field of study.
• Foster a Growth Mindset: Nothing kills motivation like the idea that you're just not good at something, so resilience is key. You can shift your home into one that values growth by praising hard work, focusing on learning from mistakes, and moving away from the idea of natural talent in the way to talk about school (and everything else, for that matter). 

Once your teen has developed some intrinsic motivation to learn and to do well, that’s when we can get the most out ACT and SAT tutoring and college advising — especially the college essay writing process. Everything  just becomes much easier.  I also work hard to find out what makes your teen tick and personalize my work to make the process more meaningful. Together, we can build on your student's natural interests and inclinations to boost test scores and get into the college that best aligns with his/her/their future goals. 

Intrinsic motivation is just one key to success. For a look at other important traits to encourage in your child, check out Valerie’s post about how to Build a Person, Not a Resume™. 

About Valerie Erde of Veridian Prep:

VeridianPrep is an academic tutoring and test prep company that combines years of subject expertise and experience with evidence-based approaches to teaching and learning.  VeridianPrep’s strengths lie in quickly determining each student’s strengths and gaps to offer a personalized, and results-oriented approach that builds skills and confidence to help teens succeed not only in a single class or test, but also in their next journey -- college.    Currently, VeridianPrep covers all levels of Math, English, Chemistry, and Physics including AP/ACT/SAT/SAT II, meeting one-on-one with students at home, in offices in Greenwich, CT/NYC, or online. https://www.veridianprep.com

If you are interested in speaking with Valerie Erde, or other advisors at Versed about helping students discover their interests and pursue meaningful activities, please contact us.

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With the opening of FAFSA this month, we consulted Edmit.me, a college financial planning platform with the mission to help families make great financial decisions about college, on FAFSA - What is it, and how does it work? Here is a blog post from Edmit, with all of the information you need to get started on filling out the forms.

The Edmit Guide to the FAFSA

Key Takeaways:

• The Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, is the form that determines your financial aid from the government and most colleges.
• The form collects personal and financial information from students and parents, and applies a formula to determine your Expected Family Contribution, or EFC.
• The most important factors are income, assets, and the number of children enrolled in college.
• The FAFSA becomes available every October for the following academic year.
• You will get your financial aid package after being accepted to colleges.

If you’d like to receive help paying for college, it all starts with the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, also known as the FAFSA. Financial aid offices at colleges and universities — from community colleges to Ivy League institutions — use the FAFSA to determine eligibility for financial aid, including student loans, grants, scholarships, and federal work-study programs. A completed FAFSA form sets the groundwork for a student’s financial aid package and is used to determine the expected family contribution and need-based aid at any given school.

Even if you think you make too much money for financial aid, you should still take the time to complete the FAFSA. According to a Discover Loans survey, only 45 percent of parents filled out the FAFSA — even though 74 percent of that same group were worried about having enough money to help their students pay for college. 

When it comes to federal financial aid and school-based financial aid availability, don’t assume you won’t qualify. Start with the FAFSA (and, if your potential school requires it, the CSS Profile), and see which financial aid packages are offered to you.

“You have nothing to lose by applying, just fill out the forms,” says Columbia University’s David Sheridan. “There’s the very real possibility that if [you think] you’re not going to qualify for anything, so you don’t bother applying, you might be missing out on something that you could have received.”

Need more reasons to fill it out? Read this.

Where Do I Get a FAFSA Form?

You can find the FAFSA at fafsa.ed.gov. The form should be completed online at the official FAFSA site administered by the U.S. Department of Education, and is always free to complete and submit. If you find yourself on a copycat site or a site offering assistance to complete and file the FAFSA for a fee, stay away!

Need help filling it out? There’s plenty of (free) guidance and information available on Edmit and the FAFSA website. 

Who Should Use the FAFSA

Even if you think you make too much money for financial aid, you should still submit the FAFSA. When it comes to federal financial aid and school-based financial aid availability, don’t assume you won’t qualify. 

The FAFSA considers many factors while determining student financial need — more than just income and assets. So even if your family’s income is $250,000 and you have assets over a million dollars, still apply! You might still be eligible to receive financial aid. As long as you meet the basic eligibility requirements (high school diploma or equivalent, satisfactory academic progress, etc.), you should use the FAFSA to apply for federal financial aid.

Note that graduate students are also eligible for the FAFSA, though Edmit focuses solely on undergraduate enrollment.

What Documents Do I Need to File the FAFSA?

The FAFSA collects personal and financial information from dependent students and their parents, delivering that information to the schools at which the student applied.

First step: Register for an FSA ID on the Federal Student Aid website. This ID enables you to apply for federal financial aid, serves as a legal signature, and makes it easier to add or change information on your application later. Parents and students should each apply for their own FSA ID. Learn more here.

You will also need the federal school code for each school you are planning to apply to. Use the Federal School Code Search tool to locate any school’s code.

Once all necessary FSA IDs are established and federal school codes found, have the following information ready to seamlessly complete the FAFSA:

Personal data

• Student Social Security number
• Parent(s) Social Security numbers, if you are a dependent student
• Student driver’s license number, if applicable
• Student Alien Registration number, if not a U.S. citizen

Financial information

• Federal tax information (via W2 information or tax returns) for the student, student’s spouse, and student’s parents, if applicable
• Records of untaxed income, such as retirement plan withdrawals
• Other financial holdings, such as savings accounts or investments

For more details on the documents needed to complete the FAFSA, visit the FAFSA website. 

Filling Out the FAFSA

Once you’ve gathered the required info, you’re ready to start filling out the FAFSA. Head to the FAFSA site and log in with your FSA ID before starting the application.

You’ll first enter the student’s personal details, such as the Social Security number and citizenship status, before being asked a series of questions to determine the student’s dependency status (most students will be listed as a dependent).

The next section asks for info about the parents. You’ll provide personal details, along with financial data such as income, assets, and tax forms. For the 2020-21 FAFSA form, you’ll be entering info from the 2018 tax year. You may even be able to use the included IRS Data Retrieval Tool, which can automatically import previous tax returns into the form. 

The FAFSA should walk you through any questions you have about who counts as a parent and how instances of divorce, step-parents, and other situations should be filed. You can also get answers on the Federal Student Aid site.  

Lastly, you’ll need to provide information about the student’s finances (and the student’s spouse, if applicable). Many young people won’t have much to report, especially since the FAFSA essentially looks at tax records from two years prior. However, it’s still important to take your time in this section and provide all the info that’s requested. 

You’ll also be asked to list all the schools you plan to apply to. You must list at least one, and you can list up to 10 in the online application. In some states, the order in which you list schools matters if you hope to be considered for state aid. See which states this applies to here.

While all of the above sounds like a lot of work, you don’t have to do it all at once. Spend some time gathering all your forms first, then sit down and start the application. And if you can’t finish all in one sitting, you can save your progress and return later. 

When Do I Need to Complete the FAFSA?

Get your calendar reminders ready! It is vitally important that you submit your FAFSA form by the financial aid deadline.

Though the federal deadline to submit your FAFSA is June 30th of each year at midnight CST, state and college deadlines have their own requirements and cutoffs for financial aid consideration. State deadlines can be found at the Federal Student Aid deadlines site, but you will have to check with your financial aid office about specific college deadlines.

Regardless of deadlines though, it is best practice to submit the FAFSA as soon as possible after it opens for filing on October 1 of every year. When it comes to filing the FAFSA, early applicants may get more money, says a 2015 Edvisors survey. The survey showed that students who filed within the first three months received double the financial aid package at their accepted schools compared to those students who waited. If your financial circumstances change between your FAFSA submission and school enrollment, contact your financial aid office to update your financial aid package.

For a given academic year, the U.S. Department of Education allows students to submit the FAFSA forms between October of the previous academic year and June of the current academic year, with the federal FAFSA deadline that same June. For example, the FAFSA for the 2020-21 academic year was made available on October 1, 2019, with a federal deadline of midnight CST on June 30, 2020.

The information you’ll provide is from what is called “prior prior year” so that you have access to a full year of financial information when filling it out in October. This means that for a student going from high school to college, the tax year starting January of their sophomore year and concluding in December of their junior year is the first tax year to “count” for financial aid.

Learn more information about FAFSA deadlines. 

How Is Financial Aid Calculated?

It is important to complete the FAFSA accurately and thoroughly. The data collected on this financial aid application will help determine the need-based aid for which you are eligible.

There are four factors that determine this aid.

• Your year in school
• Your enrollment status (i.e. full-time or part-time)
• Cost of attendance (COA)
• Expected family contribution (EFC)

The cost of attendance (COA) is how much it will cost for you to go to a specific college for one school year. This includes tuition, room and board, books, supplies, and other related expenses. Your COA will vary from school to school.

Your expected family contribution (EFC) is calculated from the info you provide on the FAFSA. This is the amount of money the government thinks your family could reasonably pay for one academic year.

Your EFC subtracted from a school’s COA will equal the student’s financial need. So if a school’s COA is $15,000 and your EFC is $10,000, your financial need is $5,000 — and you may be eligible for aid covering this amount. 

Financial need is the value that the FAFSA suggests the student will require in financial aid to cover the cost of a specific school. This number will vary from college to college, as the cost of attendance at each institution will differ. From this information, your schools will individually determine how much to offer you in aid.

More About the EFC

The EFC value is calculated by reviewing your family’s income and asset net worth. 

Total income includes student and parent income. If parents are divorced or separated, or you are a student with no custodial parents, learn more here.

Net assets include any investments, businesses, or savings accounts. Make sure to review the qualifying and non-qualifying assets before completing the form. Don’t accidentally include non-required assets on the application, or you could receive less aid than you would otherwise be eligible for.

Here's an in-depth look at what assets are counted on the FAFSA.

The EFC calculation also takes into account your family’s size and the number of dependents already enrolled in school. In general, the EFC will be lower for low-income students with few assets and higher for a family with a high net income and many assets.

Worried you will have a high EFC? What if your EFC is higher than you can afford?

What Types of Aid Are Offered Through the FAFSA?

A completed FAFSA form sets the groundwork for a student’s financial aid package and is used to determine the expected family contribution and need-based financial aid at any given school. There are a variety of aid types available to students through the FAFSA process including federal student loans, federal grants, scholarships, and federal work-study programs.

Federal grants 

There are many grants available to students. This is free money, meaning that it doesn’t need to be paid back. Grants are most often need-based and will be completely dependent on your FAFSA results.

Scholarships

You might be offered scholarships through your school. This is also free money that won’t need to be paid back. Often this money is merit-based, meaning that you earned it for outstanding grades, athletics, or some other achievement. There will likely also be stipulations attached to this money, so you may be required to maintain satisfactory academic progress or certain grades to keep receiving the financial award. There are many ways to access scholarship money.

Work-Study Programs

Part of your financial aid package might include work-study options. This is money you will be expected to pay by working at a part-time campus job. If you are eligible for work-study, your school will be required to reserve you a post. Speak to your financial aid or employment office for more information on their process.

Federal Student Loans

There are various loans offered through the federal government (such as subsidized and unsubsidized loans), all of which you will need to pay back with interest. Here’s how to apply.

When it comes time to accept your aid, do it in the order shown in this section: free money from grants or scholarships, earned money, then borrowed money. If you don’t need to take out loans, don’t.

Again, your aid package will come directly through your schools. If you see any issues with the financial aid offered to you, contact your financial aid office immediately. This also applies if you feel as though you haven’t received enough money to cover the cost of attendance. For example, you can appeal your financial aid package.

How Long Does it Take to Get the FAFSA money?

You’ve sent in the completed FAFSA form well before the deadlines and got your Student Aid Report (SAR) confirming all of your information was received. After filing the FAFSA, you’ve notified the colleges you applied to that you want to be considered for financial aid and completed any additional school-specific requirements and applications. 

Most schools send financial aid award letters to students along with college acceptance letters or shortly after, so you may have a few months of lag time between your submission and receipt of your aid letter. Once you receive the aid letter, you will need to accept or deny the offered aid before the financial aid deadlines.

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High school is a place for students to continue their education and further explore their interests. Many schools offer a variety of extracurriculars that students can take part in, from academics to the arts to athletics. With summer gone, students are now settling into the new school year (albeit, an unusual one). Most schools offer club fairs or have online social media pages for extracurriculars that students can look forward to. This is a great way for students to not only see what extracurriculars are offered, but find out what the club does and ways to get involved. Despite Covid, most schools are continuing to offer clubs and activities virtually. Speech and Debate leagues have gone virtually very successfully. Even art, music, and theater, have transitioned meaningfully, holding performances online. This is still a time to engage and be creative, not just stand back.

Freshmen and Sophomores

New to highs school, there are an endless number of extracurriculars for freshman and sophomore students to explore. The first two years of high school is really about finding out students’ interests and establishing their  high school careers. Every year, typically either right before school starts or right when school starts, students have the opportunity to attend a club fair.

Students are greatly encouraged to go because not only do they see every club, team and activity available, they can even join the club on the spot. If students find themselves unsure of which club to join, they should sign up for every club they have interest in. When signing up for clubs at a club fair, the most students have to do is put their name and email on a contact list. This way when the club actually does start meetings, students can be notified of when and where the meeting will take place. The club fair is a great place to get information from upperclassmen about extracurriculars. Freshmen and even sophomores shouldn’t shy away from asking questions about what events a club might hold and what to expect from joining that club. Also, chances are if the club has a social media page, they will tell the students to follow the page. This is another great way to see what events they have held in the past and what to expect in the following year.

As the school year begins and clubs begin to hold general meetings and informational meetings, curious students should attend these meetings. This is where the club board members will introduce themselves and explain how the club runs. Students shouldn’t be afraid that attending one information meeting means that they are committed to this club. These are information meetings that are meant for everyone to attend to gage their interest.

While it is great if a student has tons of interests and finds a lot of extracurricular activities they want to partake in, it is important to remember that committing to an extracurricular activity can be time consuming. Students should be aware of how time consuming being in a club or on a team can be. As important as it is, it should not interfere with the student’s school performance.

Students are free and strongly encouraged to join as  many extracurriculars as they want. Especially as an underclassmen, it can be hard to choose what to do. However, if students have an idea of what field they would like to pursue in the future, it would be to their advantage to align their academic interests with one or two extracurriculars. Even if they aren’t sure of the field they are interested in, it doesn’t hurt to try and see what works for them

Freshmen and sophomores should take advantage of the time to explore before they enter the intense years of Honor/AP classes and college admissions process of junior and senior years.  While they take the time to  figure out what they like, they can slowly begin to narrow down what they want to commit to for the rest of their high school years. 

Juniors and Seniors

By the time students are juniors and seniors,  they’ve most likely already started to narrow down what extracurriculars they want to focus their time on. If not, they should consider dropping clubs that they don’t enjoy and don’t have the time for. As students start preparing for college applications, they should keep in mind the benefits of having a leadership position on their resume. Clubs and teams are a great place to find leadership positions.

It’s important for students to stay active throughout the years with the extracurriculars that they chose to pursue. Students can show their commitment to the club by attending events hosted by the club and taking advantage of opportunities that may be offered. How active a student is can become an important factor for when they apply for a leadership position.

Students should not only strive to obtain a leadership position, but also focus on trying to make an impact. Even if a student isn’t the president of a club, as long as they have made a significant contribution, it still shows leadership. For example, recruiting more people to come join the club, proposing a new idea to the club members, making a difference in the community, or taking initiative with fundraising. Oftentimes, impact could be more meaningful than a leadership title.

If a school doesn’t offer a certain club or team, students are strongly encouraged to take initiative and start one. It’s a great way to show leadership and they get to pursue their interest. Students should take the opportunity to explore as many interests as possible when they are in high school. Extracurriculars that students partake in can greatly shape the person they become throughout their high school career and it is a way for students to destress from the stress of school and express themselves.

When narrowing the extracurriculars down, juniors and seniors should narrow down their extracurriculars to at most two or three. One of the activities should be related to the career or major that the student wants to pursue while the other is for their own genuine interests.

In terms of looking at extracurriculars for college applications, it is believed colleges want students who are well-rounded, meaning involved in many activities. However, the reality is that colleges aren’t looking for those students. Yes, they want a well rounded student body at their campus, but rather than having each student excelling at every subject, they are looking for individuals who excel in their own specific area, creating a well rounded student body as a whole.

This means colleges are looking for students with specific passions, whether it be athletics, literature, or the arts. Colleges don’t care what students are passionate about, but do want to see that the student has a passion and did something with it. Extracurriculars are supposed to be a reflection of the student. Doing extracurriculars because it’ll “look good” on their resume is a waste of time that could go into better things. Students shouldn’t focus on what might look good on a resume, but focus on what they are genuinely interested in. The admissions officers can usually tell if the student truly cares about that activity. Students are most likely going to be dedicating a lot of their time to whatever they do, they should dedicate time to what they genuinely want to pursue. After all, colleges love passionate students with demonstrated track record because they are the ones who will go on to make an impact in the world. 

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20% of Harvard first-year students are opting to defer their admission this year according to the Harvard Crimson. Amidst the Covid pandemic, many students decided to take a gap year rather than start their university experience online.

According to the Boston Globe, at MIT, 8 percent of first-year students deferred, up from normally around 1 percent, according to the university. At Williams College in Western Massachusetts, 90 students took a gap year instead of the usual 25. And at Bates College in Maine, 10 percent of students have requested deferral, up from 4 percent. Beyond elite colleges, deferral rates have also risen across the board, but to a lesser extent.

Colleges typically cap the number of students that can defer, but given the current Covid environment, many schools have allowed all students who want to defer the option to do so. In addition to freshmen deferral, many upperclassmen have opted to defer as well.

As the college admissions cycle for the class of 2021 starts, the deferral rates will have unintended consequences. Students who defer a year will be back on campus next September, and hence there will be less spots in the freshman class for students applying this year. 

This admissions cycle will be unlike any we have seen in the past. With cancelled standardized exams, extracurricular activities, internships, and jobs, it will be difficult to gage how students will be considered in the admissions process. In light of all of this uncertainty, back in June, 315 college deans of admissions issued a joint statement outlining what they want students to focus on during this unprecedented time. For those looking for guidance on what students should focus on, this document was a much welcomed affirmation of what is truly important: self-care, service, and contribution to others. Read more on What Matters in the 2020/2021 Admissions Cycle: 315 College Admissions Deans Issue Joint Statement.

If you are interested in speaking with one of our advisors about making sense of the admissions process for seniors and juniors, please schedule a time with us.

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Fall is here, and many families have heard the news that their schools will be conducted 100% online or will take a hybrid approach where each portion of the student body will attend school 1-3 days a week. A compilation of reopening plans from Education Week, a trade publication focusing on K-12 education, shows that more than 80 school districts including Los Angeles, Houston, Fairfax VA, and Montgomery MD are reopening or have reopended with remote learning only. Families that were incredibly disappointed (an exhausted!) by the spring distance learning experience are looking for alternative options to make sure that their children do not fall behind even further than they did in the spring. As reported by the New York Times, families are scrambling to form learning pods, micro schools, and tutor supported learnings, while news of the $25,000 learning pod has certainly reignited the debate on how educational inequity is again at the forefront of this pandemic.

For families with children of an age where independent learning is not possible (these are elementary and preschool age children), considering a learning pod or some form of instructor/caregiver led learning environment is absolutely valid, and critical for working parents. After all, these children need caregiver attention at all times. For Middle and High School students, who do not need caregivers, it is important to understand what aspects of the online learning environment was challenging this past spring, and find ways to support each student to the extent possible under COVID restrictions.

This may come as a surprise to some families, but many students did very well academically this past spring. We have heard from many families that reported that students (especially high school students), with new found time on their hand (without the commute and heavy extracurricular commitments) thrived and got better grades. Also they were able to get more sleep which was helpful to the student’s overall well being. New York Times explores this phenomenon in What if Some Kids Are Better Off at Home?  

The families that reported the opposite effects frequently cited issues related to:

• Quality of instruction: Lower quality of instruction / No instruction (many school districts were unable to offer live streamed lessons, only offering assignments)
• Lack of interactive learning: A significant contributor to learning, and to student happiness overall
• Time management: Inability of students to manage their time / stick to a schedule without parent/teacher supervision
• Motivation/ stamina: Difficulty concentrating in home environment / inability to focus on task at hand
• Isolation: Social distancing has placed stress on students who may withdraw even further
• General malaise/stress involving pandemic: The psychological and emotional toll on students cannot be underestimated

On quality of instruction, in most school districts, we will definitely see an uptick in live streamed instruction this fall. Many families fortunate enough to send their students to private schools and public schools that were able to provide zoom based instructions were overall happy with the quality of the lessons. Most public schools will adapt to a zoom based live streaming model at least some of the time, and assuming that the same teachers are teaching the same subjects, but now virtually, we should expect the quality of instruction to be higher than what most students had in the spring. Zoom based learning will also help with students that crave interaction. Teachers and students will be able to participate in active discussions and debates online. Online learning has been around for many years with many schools run entirely online very successfully (many universities, but high schools and middle schools as well). Read our blog 12 Online High Schools to Consider for more information.

Some tips gleaned from families that have made online learning successful includes:

• Find a quiet place designated as school: Many students found virtual learning in their bedrooms or in common spaces in their homes, with a myriad of distractions, less than optimal. Most students will benefit from a clear delineation in space designated for school work. Setting up a separate study space is critical, even if it is within a bedroom (being sure to assign beds as a no go zone).
• Create a schedule and build concrete limits and deliverables into them: When time is relatively fluid, and there is no deadline to finish a particular assignment in a day, students have a tendency to take more time than needed to finish a task. Perhaps break time up into 20 or 30 min. increments, and make sure that the student finishes to the best of their ability one subject/task within that time frame (with catch up time at the end of the day for anything missed).
• Make optional office hours scheduled mandatory check-ins: Almost every teacher has the same gripe - students not taking advantage of office hours. Almost all teachers will provide office hours, and now that they are virtual, there is even less excuse for students to not attend and get the personalized attention that they need. This is FREE tutoring!
• Supplement with Online Learning: If your student is not getting the optimal education that s/he needs from school, or on a specific class/subject, there is a plethora of online resources to help your student, from getting simple topics clarified on youtube video to supplementing with an entire online class.
• Create virtual study groups: Students craving inspiration and interaction from other students should create virtual study groups. Even if it is just a time to have zoom or facetime on with friends, while each student is studying quietly and independently, having a set time and routine with fellow students can help with time management and/or motivation issues. Parents should monitor how effective this is, as some groups can become a distraction.
• Make use of planning tools: There are many wonderful tools available online to help students set up manageable to-do lists, budget time, study in small chunks, and limit distraction. How to Help Your Teens Manage Time lists all the latest technological tools to help students get organized and stay focused.
• Monitor student progress: Even the brightest and most organized students could use parental guidance to make sure that any negative trends are caught early and addressed. Parents need to be sure they are familiar with all of the online tools that schools provide to be on top of grades, assignments, deliverables, etc. Parents should not be fretting over every assignment, but they should schedule in monthly or quarterly check ins with online tools, or better yet directly with students.
• Make social time: It is critical that students socialize with their peers to the extent that they can -  going out for walks, getting together to work on an academic or creative project (offline socially distanced or online), and watching a movie together (again possible remotely!). How to Help Teens be Social Again will provide good ideas on how to make sure that teens have the social and emotional support network needed to thrive. Feelings of isolation and stress over events beyond their control is real, and must be addressed. 
• Encourage movement and schedule in fun: Make sure students make time to go outside, exercise, get fresh air, and engage in fun activities outside of school.

There is much that students and parents can do to make virtual learning this fall a success, and perhaps even an enriching experience. That being said, there are instances where students can absolutely use additional resources and guidance when classes are not taught well, or students are struggling to thrive.

• Subject matter tutoring
• Goal setting and time management
• Academic monitoring
• Enrichment and Extracurricular planning
• Third party professionals focusing on psychological and emotional health of the student
• Students with learning difference or special education needs 

Parents are being asked to shoulder a tremendous amount during COVID-19 and through the ever changing educational landscape. We are here to help.

Versed Advisors provides parents with personalized guidance on optimizing student success in all school environments. Whether your school has gone virtual, or you are opting to homeschool your child, or are very happy with your school, but are looking to have an advisor manage academic enrichment and extracurricular activities, we are here to provide your family with the personalized guidance and the heavy lifting to make sure your students are well on their way to success.

Book a free consultation to learn more.

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COVID-19 has forced schools to venture into remote learning through online instruction, with varying degrees of success. We all know that the quality and execution of instruction this spring varied greatly, and understandably, not all schools were able to successfully adapt to remote instructions. However, the experience certainly gave many families a taste of what possibilities lie with online schools, and there has been a significant interest in already existing virtual schools. Online high schools were created for the purpose of online learning. The teachers have years of experience teaching through remote instruction while still being able to have a structured, engaging and effective class.

Online high schools historically catered to non-traditional students who wanted to graduate high school at an accelerated pace. This includes young performers, athletes, and older students returning to school in order to earn their high school diplomas. However, in recent years, demand for online high schools is growing and the growth is fueled primarily by families that are looking for better and more personalized education for their children. In many instances, a local high school isn’t challenging a student enough, or doesn’t have a particular curriculum that a family is seeking. In some cases, due to social and emotional issues, online high school would be preferable for a student. For families looking at this option, we have compiled a list of twelve accredited and widely known online high schools to consider along with their tuition, course offerings, and other notable facts. 

The following schools are not listed in any ranked order.

Stanford University Online High School

Part of one of the most competitive universities in the country, Stanford Online High School is a private high school that offers academically gifted students from grades 7-12 a rigorous college prep program. In addition to its rigorous academics, the school offers online extracurriculars, science colloquium, assemblies, and sponsored events.

Physical Location: Redwood City, California

Tuition: $24,220/year

Courses offered: Many AP courses as well as 28 post-AP and university-level courses.

Notable facts: 

• 64% of teachers hold PhDs in their fields.
• Students come from 48 U.S. States and 31 countries.

University of Texas High School

As a part of the University of Texas, UTHS offers online classes for high school students. The school has partnerships with over 250 school districts around the globe and students have 24/7 access to coursework. Qualified students are able to choose a dual credit program through the University Extension of the University of Texas online college program.

Physical Location: Austin, Texas

Tuition:$3,640/year

Courses offered: Courses in 60 subject areas including many AP and IB options.

Notable facts:

• Courses are NCAA-approved for future collegiate athletes meeting eligibility requirements.
• All courses and exams are designed by expert teachers and approved by the NCAA and College Board.

James Madison High School

James Madison High School, a part of Ashworth College, offers an open enrollment policy and the courses are self-paced. James Madison High School helps students pick up wherever they left off in their high school education, whether they need just a few classes or an entire high school diploma program. The school offers various academic tracks, whether it be the general track or the college prep track.

Physical Location: Norcross, Georgia

Tuition: $1,299-$1,799 (depends on payment plan)/year

Courses offered: Full high school offerings plus online college dual enrollment options.

Notable facts: 

• Students can transfer up to 75% of their credits - one full year must be earned at JMHS to earn a diploma.

George Washington University Online High School

George Washington University Online High School is a private college-preparatory high school that uses curriculum from K12. K12 is a renowned research driven educational organization that is known for its integrated blend of online content with hands-on material. Upperclassmen declare an area of concentration that they focus their curriculum around. Students are encouraged to take AP courses and have plenty of resources such as Summer AP boot camp, coordinators and AP Mentor. The school offers plenty of college preparation assistance as well as extracurriculars for students to participate in.

Physical Location: Ashburn, Virginia

Tuition: $12,000 per year

Courses offered: Offers 16 AP courses and instruction in five world languages.

Notable facts:

• $2.7 million in scholarships have been awarded to GW grads

University of Missouri High School: Mizzou K-12

The University of Missouri High School: Mizzou K-12 is part of the University of Missouri’s College of Education. Students may choose from one of two diploma program options: Standard Path(24 credits) or College-Prep Diploma Path (25 credits). Course options include AP, honors, special topics, and NCAA-eligible classes. Additionally the school offers various academic extracurriculars for students to partake in.

Physical Location: Columbia, Missouri

Tuition: $250 per course (in-state); 500 per course (out-of-state)

Courses offered: 230 classes including a number of unique electives, 9 AP courses, and 23 foreign languages.

Notable facts: 

• In addition to 45 full-time instructors, the school employs 10 course designers/developers.
• Multiple Olympic athletes and budding sports stars have graduated from MU High.

Oak Meadow School

The school takes a progressive, compassionate, and child-centered approach to education. The curriculum is unique to each student and the idea of independent learning is heavily emphasized. The school offers credit for work experiences and extracurricular participation such as music, sports, arts, etc. The school accepts credit from other academic programs.

Physical Location: Brattleboro, Vermont

Tuition:$1,800 per course (full year)

Courses offered: Many options within each major discipline, but no honors or AP courses.

Notable facts: 

• This school is philosophically opposed to standardized testing.
• Oak Meadow supports dual enrollment and will accept credit earned at outside colleges.

Northstar Academy 

NorthStar Academy is a Christian online high school that offers a multitude of academic options. Students are given the option to take asynchronous courses (which promote a self-paced education) or enriched virtual classes which are weekly live sessions with teachers. Students are able to pursue standard, advanced or AP international high school diplomas. Additional programs include homeschooling assistance, supplemental courses, Christian school support programs, dual credit college courses, Bible studies, and interest clubs.

Physical Location: Southaven, Michigan

Tuition:$3,930

Courses offered:Northstar offers 200 core courses including 13 honors and 19 Advanced Placement classes.

Notable facts:

• Must complete work before 21st birthday.
• Offers many different start dates and operates year round.

University of Nebraska High School

The University of Nebraska High School (UNHS) serves high school students in all 50 states and more than 100 countries. Students with a cumulative high school GPA of 3.0 or higher are eligible for dual enrollment. College credit courses are available through the school’s partnership with the University of Nebraska.

Physical Location: Lincoln, Nebraska

Tuition:$250 per course

Courses offered:100+ courses including AP and dual enrollment options.

Notable facts:

• Accredited by Cognia and the school meets NCAA standards.
• The student-to-teacher ratio is 6:1.

CompuHigh/Whitmore School

Whitmore School seeks to provide a supportive, challenging, and alternative learning environment that emphasizes content mastery. Students may choose between three programs: the Diploma Program, the Diploma PLUS Program, and the Diploma PLUS with Math Tutoring Program. The school holds an in-person, live graduation ceremony every year at its headquarters in Morgantown, WV. Regional graduation ceremonies are also held throughout the year.

Physical Location: Morgantown, West Virginia

Tuition:$1,599 per year

Courses offered: Does not host AP courses but offers an array of courses (including honors options) in English, Math, Science, Social Studies, World Languages, the Fine Arts, and Computer Science.

Notable facts:

• Students have all year to finish their courses at their own pace.
• Whitmore School has year round, open admissions.

Laurel Springs School

Laurel Springs School is an online private school that focuses on a college preparatory experience with a vast range of academic offerings. Laurel Springs School has offered courses approved by the University of California for transfer credit. Laurel Springs School delivers instruction through a series of asynchronous courses. Additionally, the school offers a Gifted and Talented Academy for students who have exceptional learning needs. Students meet monthly with a personal coach that guides them through the college preparatory journey.

Physical Location: West Chester, Pennsylvania

Tuition:$1,100-1,700 (depending on course selection)

Courses offered: 22 AP courses as well as honors options for most subjects.

Notable facts:

• If a student has interest in a University of California college, admissions coordinator and school counselor will work with the student and the family to ensure that the student’s academic plan is created with attention to UC standards.

Davidson Academy Online

The Davidson Academy is a school with two options for profoundly gifted students: an online campus for those living anywhere in the U.S. and Canada, and a middle/high school on the University of Nevada, Reno campus. Unlike most schools, Davidson groups the students not by age, but by the ability level that they show. Students follow a personalized learning plan and can make decisions with the guidance of parents and staff for any customizations they wish to make. Classes are all synchronous, meaning live sessions where they can interact with their peers and instructors.

Physical Location: Reno, Nevada

Tuition: $15,000

Courses Offered: Students create a Personalized Learning Plan (PLP). Courses are highly rigorous but do not have AP designation

Notable Facts:

• Although there are no AP courses, most students take AP tests
• This school is for extremely gifted students who score in the 99.9% of above on nationally-normed intelligence tests.

Christa McAuliffe School of Arts and Sciences

The Christa McAuliffe School of Arts and Sciences (CMASAS) aims to educate the next generation of leaders to be fully prepared for the dynamic world of the 21st century. CMASAS upholds the idea of personalized education, using curriculum and teaching methods based on current brain and educational research. The school offers three types of high school diplomas for students to pursue: standard, college prep, and career prep. Courses include asynchronous and live sessions, where students can engage in discussions and receive help from instructors. Additionally, the school offers a wide variety of extracurricular activities for students to participate in.

Physical Location: Lake Oswego, Oregon

Tuition:$5,795-$8,795 per year (depending on level of service)

Courses Offered: Offers a wide array of honors and AP options as well as a curriculum that is developed in-house.

Notable Facts:

• There are additional fees for science labs and certain AP courses.
• Courses are mostly mastery-based and students must earn a minimum of 80%.

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