The Importance of College Planning in April

It’s finally April! The college choice process has officially begun.

This is an incredibly exciting time, but also one that brings about a series of seasonal questions for graduating high school seniors and their families as they make their decisions on where they go to college. A college education has been the platform in which American success stories have been built for decades, but the costs of college can also become a burden for many people as they enter their career fields. Careful college planning is paramount to navigating the path between a student’s future financial freedom and hardship.  As a result, it’s important for families and high school counselors to work together in order to help make the correct decision for the student’s future.

Here are some steps to take for college planning in April:

• Review your financial aid award letters to understand the best value for your education
• Consider your desired major at each school, and what the career prospects for that education path might be when making college choices
• Understand the processes of how to negotiate financial aid if your family meets financial hardship
• If financial aid is not enough to cover cost of attendance, begin calculating potential debt necessary for your degree path and the prospects on paying debt back. This is also known as determining degree ROI.